Dive into the mysteries of longevity with Mishaal Al Gergawi, a cofounder and CEO of Axis, a data startup in New York, in this year-long series. Join us as we explore the potential for significantly extending human lifespans
Sometimes I can hear my bones straining under the weight of all the lives I’m not living.
– Jonathan Safran Foer”
As a child, my vision of Heaven was not rivers of honey and milk, but a life of endless possibilities on Earth. Could I be a writer in New York for 20 years, a designer in Milan for 30, and an architect in Dubai for 40? This curiosity led me to the study of longevity: life is beautiful and we should have more of it!
We are fortunate to live in a time where we might be seeing the end of the great stagnation. The concept of significant life extension, once the domain of mystics, is now a topic of serious scientific discussion. This series will explore the work of pioneers like Ray Kurzweil, Bryan Johnson, Aubrey De Grey, David Sinclair, and Peter Attia.
While I approach this topic with both excitement and skepticism, aware of the snake oil salesmen that such a scene can attract (see supplements space), I am optimistic that with enough experimentation, we can find ways to not just make 80 the new 60, but to extend our lifespans significantly.
Join me in this year-long series as we explore the real progress made in longevity research and discuss what we can do to potentially live to 200 and have multiple careers!
Note: I am not a medical expert. I’ll be approaching this topic from a first principles perspective. Moreover, I suggest creating a special page on chatGPT, renamed LongevityGPT, and prompting it: that it’s a longevity-focused assistant that will accompany you on this journey and that you will be sharing your notes, takeaways, impressions, and questions.
All sessions will take place on Sundays at noon EST
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| Date | Episode |
| Sep 10, 2023 | What is Aging? How does aging work? What causes it? Is it inevitable? Readings: – What is Aging – Longevity |
| Oct 8, 2023 | How Does the Body Work Anyway? How many systems do we have running? What do they do? How do they overlap? Readings: – The Body by Bill Bryson – Hormones by Luck – I Contain Multitudes by Yong |
| Nov 12, 2023 | The Agefluencers: Attia & Sinclair What do they believe in? What do they agree on? What do they disagree on? Readings: – Outlive by Attia – Lifespan by Sinclair |
| Dec 17, 2023 | PROTOCOL (beta) Aggregating what we’ve learned so far. Readings: – n/a |
| Jan 14, 2024 | Deep Dive: Telomeres, Senescence & Cellular Aging How do telomeres influence cell aging and senescence? What roles do these processes play in overall aging? Can interventions in these areas potentially extend healthy lifespan? Readings: – Telemore Effect by Blackburn – Research papers (TBD) |
| Feb 11, 2024 | Deep Dive: Genetics & Epigenetics How do genetics and epigenetics differ and interact? What role does epigenetics play in gene expression? Can lifestyle and environment alter our genetic destiny? Readings: – She Has Her Mother’s Laugh by Zimmer – Research papers (TBD) |
| April 14, 2024 | Deep Dive: Metabolic Pathways, Mitochondrial Health & Inflammaging How do metabolic pathways and mitochondrial health influence aging? What is inflammaging and its impact on cellular function? Can these processes be optimized for better aging? Readings: – Mitochondria and the Future of Medicine by Know – Inflammation Spectrum by Cole – Research papers (TBD) |
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