#42- SSD interviews Dr. Nir Barzilai, M.D. | Biology of Aging | Centenarians

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Join Dr. Sandra Cammarata and Dr. Giovanni Campanile as they interview Dr. Nir Barzilai, a distinguished figure in aging research, currently serving as the Director of the Institute for Aging Research at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Holding the prestigious Ingeborg and Ira Leon Rennert Chair of Aging Research, he is also a chaired Professor in the Departments of Medicine and Genetics, playing a pivotal role in advancing the understanding of the biology and genetics of aging.

One major focus of Dr. Barzilai's research is on exceptional longevity, where he explores the genetic factors that contribute to centenarians' ability to delay aging and resist age-related diseases. Through the Longevity Genes Project and LonGenity, he has identified genomic differences associated with longevity, drawing on samples from Ashkenazi Jewish families. His significant contributions extend to a longitudinal study of 1400 subjects, investigating the aging process in relation to their genomes.

In another impactful direction, Dr. Barzilai leads a research program targeting the metabolic decline of aging. His team hypothesizes that the brain plays a key role in this decline, and they have identified central pathways altering body fat distribution and insulin action through the administration of peptides like Leptin, IGF-1, IGFBP3, and resveratrol.

Dr. Barzilai has been recognized with numerous grants, awards, and honors, including the Beeson Fellow for Aging Research, Ellison Medical Foundation Senior Scholar in Aging Award, and the 2016 IPSEN Longevity Prize. He has published over 280 peer-reviewed papers, reviews, and textbook chapters, contributing significantly to the field of aging research.

Born in Israel, Dr. Barzilai has a diverse background that includes serving as the chief medic and physician in the Israel Defense Forces. He completed his medical education at The Ruth and Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine at the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology and pursued fellowships at Yale and Cornell.

In addition to his academic and research roles, Dr. Barzilai is actively involved in global initiatives, advising the Prime Minister of Singapore on aging. He has been featured in major media outlets, including the New York Times, BBC, and PBS' NOVA science now. His influential work is highlighted in the National Geographic film about the Age of Aging, and he authored the acclaimed book "Age Later" in 2019. Dr. Barzilai is at the forefront of an international effort to approve drugs that target aging, exemplified by the Targeting Aging with METformin (TAME) study, aiming to delay multi-morbidities of aging.
Find more of Dr. Barzilai here:
https://www.einsteinmed.edu/faculty/484/nir-barzilai/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nir-barzilai-7a86a7212/
https://twitter.com/nirbarzilaimd?lang=en
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