We're not getting any younger... yet.
Why do some of us age gracefully and others don’t? How do our bodies and minds experience aging at the cellular and molecular level? Why do we even age to begin with? And maybe most importantly, can we do anything about it? Join hosts Eric Verdin, CEO of the Buck Institute in California, and Brianna Stubbs, Director of Translational Science at the Buck, as they speak with some of the brightest scientific stars on the planet to search for – and actually find answers to – these questions and many more.
Episodes
Q&A with Eric and Brianna
In the final episode of season 3 we answer your biggest aging questions, from whether there is a single root cause of aging to why different organs fail in different ways. We also dig into what it would take to run human trials that prove real healthspan gains while staying honest about biomarkers, animal data, and online misinformation.Eric Verdin, MD and Brianna Stubbs, PhDDr. Eric Verdin is Pre
Brad Younggren: Filtering Out Aging
What if removing and replacing part of your blood could turn back some of the measurable signs of aging? Brianna Stubbs talks with Dr. Brad Younggren — emergency physician, former Army doctor, and CEO of Circulate Health — about therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE). They cover how the procedure works, what the blinded Circulate trial found (including an average 2.6-year reduction in biological age ov
Hanadie Yousef: Cracking the Secretome Code
In this episode, Buck scientist Brianna Stubbs joins Hanadie Yousef, Co-Founder of Juvena Therapeutics, to discuss the cutting-edge of longevity science. Dr. Yousef shares how Juvena is leveraging AI and the secretome—the proteins secreted by stem cells—to develop therapies that target muscle wasting and promote tissue regeneration. From the potential and risks of GLP-1 drugs to the role of AKT si
Cynthia Kenyon: Switching on Resilience
Eric Verdin sits down with Dr. Cynthia Kenyon, a true pioneer in the field of geroscience and the Vice President of Aging Research at Calico. Dr. Kenyon recounts the revolutionary discovery that aging is not merely a process of "wearing out," but is a genetically regulated biological program. In 1993, Cynthia’s pioneering discovery that a single-gene mutation could double the lifespan of
Ana Maria Cuervo: Cellular Recycling
What if the secret to a longer, healthier life isn’t found in a new supplement or a complex medical procedure, but in your cells' own innate ability to "take out the trash"? In this episode, host Eric Verdin is joined by Dr. Ana Maria Cuervo, a pioneer in the biology of aging and professor at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. The conversation explores the critical roles of pr
Jamie Justice: The New Metrics of Functional Aging
XPRIZE Healthspan Executive Director Jamie Justice joins Brianna Stubbs to discuss the $101 million race to restore 10 years of muscle, cognitive, and immune function within a single year. Moving past binary "alive or dead" metrics—famously called the "toes test" in animal research—the conversation focuses on reclaiming functional independence through clinical trial innovation.
Tony Wyss-Coray: Rejuvenating the Brain
In this episode, Eric Verdin, CEO of the Buck Institute, and Stanford University’s Dr. Tony Wyss-Coray discuss the groundbreaking science of brain rejuvenation through heterochronic parabiosis, a process where young blood factors are shown to restore cognitive function and potentially extend lifespan. Moving from the lab to the clinic, they explore the next frontier: Proteomic Clocks. By measuring
George Church: Rewriting The Rules of Aging
What if aging is less a fate and more an engineering challenge? We sit down with George Church to unpack a future where gene therapy, cellular reprogramming, and AI-driven delivery systems converge to extend healthspan—and possibly lifespan—without sacrificing identity or safety. From bowhead whales and cancer risk to ethics, trial rigor, and how to deliver rejuvenation to the brain, this is a dee
Season 3 Trailer
We're back! Meet our new hosts Eric Verdin, CEO of the Buck Institute, and Brianna Stubbs, Director of Translational Science at the Buck. We're excited to bring you new insights into the fast-moving science of longevity with guests such as George Church, Jamie Justice, Peter Attia, and many more.Support the show
Nathan Price: Scientific Wellness and AI at the Forefront
What do we really want from our healthcare system, and how can AI help us get it sooner? In our final episode of season two, Gordon talks with visionary systems biology expert Nathan Price about the emergence of scientific wellness, what we can learn from our digital twins, and how using AI to predict health outcomes can help us transform our understanding of aging and disease—potentially adding y
Luigi Ferrucci: Resilience as Medicine
Few people have as much experience with patient care and long-term research as the celebrated geriatrician and epidemiologist Luigi Ferrucci. Listen in as he speaks with Gordon about his journey from acute care to population studies, the effective design of clinical trials, and moving towards predictive medicine so we can use our natural resilience to maintain health as we age.Dr. Luigi Ferrucci i
Andrea Maier: From Potential to Practice
The movement to integrate longevity treatments into clinical care is making strides. How can we ensure they are evidence-based, accessible, and personalized? World-renowned geroscientist Andrea Maier has been leading the way with innovative clinical trials and cutting edge research. In this episode, she talks with Gordon about the current state of the field, why we need a variety of clocks and int
Daniel Belsky: Measuring the Pace of Aging
Our chronological age doesn’t tell us much about how well our bodies are aging, but scientists have developed many ways to measure changes at the cellular and molecular levels, including the rate of change, that can suggest ways to improve health at every stage of life. Follow along as Gordon speaks with Daniel Belsky of Columbia University about DNA methylation, the effects of famine and poverty
Kristen Fortney: Finding Targets for Aging Interventions
Of all the biochemical changes that occur with aging, what really matters? How can we use the incredible amount of health data available today to discover the best targets for interventions? In this episode, Kristen Fortney of BioAge talks with Gordon about the latest research in proteomics and metabolomics, the importance of muscle loss, and the challenge of measuring the right endpoints for effe
Valter Longo: Fasting for Health and Longevity
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
Satchin Panda: The Age of Circadian Disruption
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
Laura Carstensen: The Purpose and Promise of Longer Lives
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 Stan
Season Two Coming Soon!
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 scient
Between the lines: Mobilizing the immune system
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
Arne Akbar: Immunity and Beyond
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 ar
Between the lines: The many fates of cells
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
Monica Driscoll: Exploring the Wild World Within
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
Between the lines: Genetics and geroprotectors
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
Nir Barzilai: The Secrets of Centenarians
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
Between the lines: Trade-offs and timing in aging interventions
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
Linda Partridge: The Nature of Aging
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.S
Between the lines: Stress and aging
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
Rhonda Patrick: Training to Age Better
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, psych
Between the lines: Senescence and aging
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
Judy Campisi: Understanding Senescence
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
Between the lines: Using information theory to reverse aging
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
David Sinclair: An Information Theory of Aging
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
Between the lines: Reflections on why we age
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
Steve Austad: Why do we age?
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 oth
Season 1 Trailer
Introducing a new podcast from the Buck Institute for Research on Aging: We're not getting any younger... yet. Join host Gordon Lithgow to investigate the biology of aging in interviews with leading researchers from across the field. Subscribe to download new episodes each Wednesday.Support the show
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