The Longevity Forum was set up by Professor Andrew Scott, Dafina Grapsi-Penny and Chairman of Juvenescence Jim Mellon which recently released a report on progress in hypoimmunogenic; the following is an excerpt on Mellon’s thoughts about progression of longevity in a discussion with Longevity Technology.
The mission of the forum is to educate people about the fact they are going to be living longer lives which are expected to increase to 110-120 year within the next 20-30 years, this will result in everything changing; forum agenda is to get this message across to influencers such as politicians and other people of importance who must recognize that society has to make some important fundamental changes.
This is the first event of its type in the world, and it is the focal point of the London Longevity Week which has a number of other events taking place around the forum as well as other chapters around the world, to bring together scientists, social influencers, and politicians from around the globe with a key point to influence governments to take action on the longevity we will be experiencing over the next few decades.
Small molecules may be the first line of attack in the scientific progress that will keep us alive longer than we otherwise would have lived, and because we are the first generation for whom bioengineering is possible, subsequently stem cells, organs and tissue regeneration, and gene editing are the things which will keep humans alive to reach 110-120. While these technologies are already here, gene editing may be the reason why the first human lives to reach 150 is already living amongst us today.
Economies have enormous opportunities to capitalize on anti-aging and extended longevity technology, if you look at the UK economy it is the second prominent centre for longevity therapies in the world behind America. The UK longevity market is still behind the American market, but it is starting to catch up, for example the UK Government has taken a proactive approach, and Professor of Medicine at Oxford, Sir John Bell has a 300 million war chest to devote to the space of longevity.
Oman will host a longevity forum next year, meaning that other countries are starting to get the message of anti-aging and longevity is not just science fiction, and there is ample room for economic opportunities from scientific advances that can be translated into commercial success; the UK is one of the leaders in this respect. Anti-aging and longevity technology is here now and could be available soon, society will have to make serious changes to adjust to extended health and lifespans.
