Science: They reversed time in a 53-year-old woman

Scientists in Britain reprogrammed the skin cells of a 53-year-old woman so that they not only looked like those of a 23-year-old, but also behaved like them.

They are optimistic that in the future they will be able to do something similar with other tissues in the body, such as muscles, liver, and blood cells. The ultimate goal is to develop anti-aging therapies for age-related diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, neurological disorders, etc.

Some envision an «elixir» of youth in the form of an anti-aging pill that will rejuvenate the entire body—something that is certainly still a long way from becoming a reality (if it ever does).

They are optimistic that in the future they will be able to do something similar with other tissues in the body, such as muscles, liver, and blood cells.

Researchers at the Babraham Institute at the University of Cambridge, led by Professor Wolf Reike, who published their findings in the journal eLife, expressed their hope that the technique will one day be used to help people stay healthy for as long as possible, so that the ever-increasing life expectancy is combined with a healthier life.

However, according to scientists, the research is still in its early stages and many obstacles must be overcome (among other things, the method increases the risk of cancer) before the technology can leave the laboratory and be used safely in clinical practice.

However, the new study shows that cell rejuvenation is possible in principle. ’I remember the day I got the results and couldn't believe that some cells were actually 30 years younger than they should have been. It was an exciting day,« said Reik. As he said, one of the first applications is expected to be the development of drugs that will rejuvenate the skin of the elderly, especially those who have suffered damage due to burns or cuts.

Other scientists, such as Professor Robin Lovell-Badge of the Crick Institute in London, according to the BBC, are more cautious, believing that the obstacles to even the simplest practical medical application will be far from negligible. Reversing aging is a huge scientific challenge for the broader field of regenerative biology and medicine—and a gold mine for whoever succeeds first.

Several researchers who worked on the British Babraham Institute's research have already left for the US to work for the new Altos Labs company in Silicon Valley, California. This ambitious company has been funded with £2.2 billion from wealthy investors and has recruited several Nobel laureates to its team, with the ultimate goal of «slowing down» aging and the diseases that accompany it.