We're not getting any younger... yet.

What is the relationship between diet, chronic disease, and aging? Can we delay or reverse the effects of aging at the cellular level by following a fasting-mimicking diet? Listen in as Gordon speaks with Valter Longo of the Longevity Institute at USC about epigenetic reprogramming, turning on Yamanaka factors, and restoring our cells to a youthful state based on over 30 years of research on diet and fasting. Dr. Valter Longo is the Edna M. Jones Professor of Gerontology and Biological Sciences and Director of the Longevity Institute at the University of Southern California –Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, Los Angeles, one of the leading centers for research on aging and age-related disease. Dr. Longo is also the Director of the Longevity and Cancer Program at the IFOM Institute of Molecular Oncology in Milan, Italy. His studies focus on the fundamental mechanisms of aging in simple organisms and mice and on how these mechanisms can be translated to humans. The Longo laboratory recently published key findings on a 5 day periodic dietary intervention called Fasting Mimicking Diet (FMD), and showed in randomized clinical trials that FMD reduces the risk factors and markers associated with aging and diseases. Dr. Longo’s most recent studies focus on the use of FMD interventions to activate stem cell- based regeneration to promote longevity. He is the author of The Longevity Diet. Support the Show.

Our modern world is full of potential disruptions to sleep. But as we learn more about circadian rhythm, we find that it influences everything from metabolism to mental health in different ways as we age. In this episode, Satchin Panda of the Salk Institute guides Gordon through the many interactions between sleep behavior and biology. Together they explore how new insights can help us improve our sleep health, and how researchers might target circadian rhythm to modulate the effects of aging. Satchin Panda, PhD, is a leading expert in the field of circadian rhythm research. He is a professor at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies and a founding executive member of the Center for Circadian Biology at the University of California, San Diego. Dr. Panda is a Pew Biomedical Scholar and a recipient of the Julie Martin Mid-Career Award in Aging Research. As a recognition of the impact of his work regarding circadian rhythms and diabetes, Dr. Panda has been invited to speak at conferences around the world, including Diabetes UK, the American Diabetes Association, the Danish Diabetes Association, and the respective professional diabetes societies of Europe and Australia. He is the author of The Circadian Code: Lose Weight, Supercharge Your Energy, and Transform Your Health from Morning to Midnight. Support the Show.

What is the goal of living longer? It’s not simply to celebrate a number, but to do something meaningful with that time. Renowned Stanford psychologist Laura Carstensen speaks with Gordon about the experience of aging, in the past and in the future, and why changes in culture must accompany changes in healthspan so we can flourish as a society. Laura L. Carstensen is Professor of Psychology at Stanford University where she is the Fairleigh S. Dickinson Jr. Professor in Public Policy and founding director of the Stanford Center on Longevity. Her research on the theoretical and empirical study of motivational, cognitive, and emotional aspects of aging has been funded by the National Institute on Aging without interruption for more than 30 years. Carstensen is an elected member of the National Academy of Medicine and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. She served on the MacArthur Foundation’s Research Network on an Aging Society and was a commissioner on the Global Roadmap for Healthy Longevity. Carstensen’s awards include a Guggenheim Fellowship, the Kleemeier Award, The Richard Kalish Award for Innovative Research and distinguished mentor awards from both the Gerontological Society of America and the American Psychological Association. She is the author of A Long Bright Future: Happiness, Health, and Financial Security in an Age of Increased Longevity. Carstensen received her B.S. from the University of Rochester and her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from West Virginia University. She holds an honorary doctorate from the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium. Support the Show.

We're back! In season one, we investigated the biology of aging in many different organisms to learn why and how we age. This season we'll take a close look at potential interventions that modify mechanisms of aging biology and may dramatically change the way we age in our lifetimes. Get ready for season two of the Buck's podcast We're not getting any younger... yet. with scientist Gordon Lithgow. Subscribe today! Support the Show.

Gordon and Stella revisit key concepts from the conversation with Arne Akbar, such as using sestrins to modulate T-cells and telomeres. Looking back over the course of season one, Stella and Gordon discuss the need to think about aging as an organizing principle, and how to deal with all the things we don't yet know. Stay tuned for season two! Support the Show.

What role does the immune system play in aging? How do senescent cells evade it and promote inflammation? And what does it reveal about developing effective interventions? Immunologist Arne Akbar joins Gordon to break down the array of actors and pathways involved, including sestrins, immune memory, the gut microbiome, and more. Along the way, Arne highlights the need to connect across research areas, and shares why courage is the most important quality for a scientist to cultivate. Support the Show.

After the conversation with Monica Driscoll, Gordon and show editor Stella connect to discuss the link between cell death and aging, what we can learn from sending worms to space, and the need for personalized medicine in aging interventions. Finally, they look forward to the next episode with immunologist Arne Akbar. Support the Show.

How do different cells in our bodies age differently? What exactly happens when a neuron takes out its trash? In this episode, neuroscientist Monica Driscoll takes Gordon on a tour through her serendipitous career. Topics include sloppy developmental biology, enigmatic exophers, worms in space, and the importance of studying things no one else is thinking about. Support the Show.

After a wide-ranging conversation with Nir Barzilai, Gordon and show editor Stella discuss efforts to turn research on geroprotective mechanisms into effective interventions, and look forward to the next episode with neuroscientist Monica Driscoll. Support the Show.

Is aging truly inevitable? Can we study the genetics of long-lived people to learn how to delay or reverse aging? In this episode, Gordon talks with Dr. Nir Barzilai about his research on centenarians, insulin signaling pathways, and moving aging interventions out of the lab and into the clinic. Support the Show.

Gordon and show editor Stella revisit key concepts from the conversation with Linda Partridge, such as what we can learn from evolutionary biology and how to harness biological processes like autophagy. Looking ahead, they anticipate discussing human clinical trials in the next episode with Nir Barzilai. Support the Show.

Aging appears to progress similarly across species, from worms and flies to mice and humans, and involves pathways related to early development. Guest Linda Partridge talks with Gordon while visiting the Buck Institute to discuss the evolutionary trade offs of aging mechanisms, the role of nutrient-sensing pathways, and how we might get the most benefit from preventative interventions in midlife. Support the Show.

Following the episode with Rhonda Patrick, Gordon and Stella discuss the complex relationship between stress and aging, and preview the next conversation with Linda Partridge. The show will return in January 2023. Happy Holidays! Support the Show.

What is the relationship between stress, metabolism, and aging? How can we use “good” stress to enhance our ability to weather the challenges of getting older? Guest Rhonda Patrick has investigated the biology of aging and related lifestyle interventions throughout her multifaceted career. In this episode she joins Gordon to explore insights from studies on nutrition, exercise, inflammation, psychological stress, and more, as well as the crucial role of science communicators in today’s media. Support the Show.

Gordon and Stella revisit the discussion with Judy Campisi to understand the role senescence plays in aging, and look forward to the next conversation with longevity expert Rhonda Patrick. Support the Show.

Dr. Campisi has been at the forefront of studying cellular senescence for decades, revealing the mysteries of these not-exactly-dead cells and their role in many diseases of aging. In this episode, she joins her colleague Gordon to discuss the characteristics and function of senescent cells, as well as promising interventions on the horizon. Judy also describes how to get lucky in science by being prepared to see the unexpected. Support the Show.

Gordon and show editor Stella revisit highlights from the conversation with David Sinclair, and get ready for the next episode with Judy Campisi. Support the Show.

Is life essentially an information process driven by biochemical interactions? If so, can we simply correct any errors in that process? In this episode, renowned researcher and author David Sinclair joins Gordon to dive into the startling insights from applying information theory to aging. Topics include epigenetics, sirtuins, metabolism, and why we might not want to kill all the zombies. Support the Show.

Host Gordon and show editor Stella connect over Zoom to discuss the highlights of Gordon’s conversation with Steve Austad, the renowned biologist, and look ahead to the next episode with David Sinclair. Support the Show.

When we think of aging, we typically think of human aging, but the biological processes that cause cellular damage are shared by many species. Few people have investigated the biology of aging across the animal kingdom as deeply as researcher and author Steve Austad. In our first episode, Steve and host Gordon Lithgow explore some fundamental questions: What makes some animals live longer than others? What can we learn from other species to age better? And why do we age at all in the first place? Support the Show.