In this episode of LongeCity Now, host Justin Loew speaks with Nicolas Chernavsky and Nina Torres Zanvettor, the founders of the Rejuvenation Science Institute in Brazil. They share how a passion for longevity science led them from publishing and consulting to launching their own research initiative focused on replication and transparency.

Key Points:

The Rejuvenation Science Institute, founded by Nicolas Chernavsky and Nina Torres Zanvettor, is working to replicate landmark rejuvenation experiments using a non-profit, open-science model. Their efforts aim to restore trust in aging research by making reproducibility a priority.

• From Translation to Research Leadership: Nina, trained in medicinal chemistry, and Nicolas, a journalist and translator, began their longevity journey by translating influential rejuvenation books into Portuguese. Their engagement evolved into consulting and publishing work in the field, culminating in the founding of RSI.
• Why Found the Rejuvenation Science Institute?: Frustrated by the slow pace of academic and corporate science, and inspired by unreplicated but promising studies, the duo founded RSI in Brazil as a non-profit entity focused on transparency and scientific rigor.
• Focus on the Katcher Study: RSI is attempting to replicate Harold Katcher’s experiment, which showed up to 67% epigenetic rejuvenation in rats using plasma-derived extracellular vesicles. The original study, with Steve Horvath as lead author, also showed improvements in biomarkers, grip strength, and memory.
• Independence and Scientific Integrity: Although they previously worked as consultants for Katcher’s company, RSI's current research is conducted in collaboration with a leading aging researcher at Unicamp, one of Latin America’s top universities. Their goal is to ensure reproducibility without commercial pressure.
• Funding Transparency: RSI is currently raising $75,000 for their next study and has secured over half through donations from groups like HEALES and DoNotAge.org. All methods and results, including negative findings, will be published openly.
• Long-Term Vision: If results are promising, RSI aims to explore safety trials and potential human applications, leveraging the clinical research capabilities of their university partner. Their ultimate goal is to create a trusted, open-access pathway for rejuvenation science.