Brian Kennedy's keynote focused on emerging interventions and ageing biomarkers. He discussed the challenges of combining therapies, particularly around the mTOR pathway, and highlighted the need for personalized treatments. He emphasized collaboration with longevity clinics to gather data from high-net-worth individuals using advanced interventions. Kennedy also noted the promising effects of compounds like Alpha-Ketoglutarate (AKG) and urolithin in extending healthspan, along with their impact on fertility and ageing.

Key Points:

• Interventions and Ageing Biomarkers: Kennedy highlighted the work being done in his lab on ageing biomarkers and how interventions like AKG and Rapamycin can be tested across species. He stressed the importance of personalizing these interventions based on individual responses​.
• The Challenge of Combining Interventions: He discussed the difficulties in combining therapies, explaining that different treatments may target the same ageing pathways like mTOR, which could lead to reduced effectiveness when used together​.
• New Models for Longevity Research: Kennedy humorously mentioned using "billionaires as model organisms" for longevity research, underscoring the potential for data from high-net-worth individuals undergoing novel therapies in longevity clinics​.
• Focus on mTOR Pathway: The mTOR pathway continues to be a key target in ageing research. Interventions that modulate mTOR activity, such as urolithin, show promising effects in extending lifespan and improving healthspan​.
• Novel Geroprotectors and Fertility: The talk also touched on new evidence that geroprotective compounds, including urolithin and spermidine, may extend fertility by delaying ovarian ageing, suggesting a deep link between reproductive health and the overall ageing process​.
• Partnerships with Longevity Clinics: Kennedy urged for more collaboration with clinics to gather robust data on the effectiveness of new interventions like stem cells, exosomes, and gene therapy, which are increasingly used but lack comprehensive data validation​.