The failure of “engineered rejuvenation”: laboratory genomics do not translate into precision anti-aging therapies

Abstract

There is a general failure of reductionist and mechanistic approaches to rejuvenation biomedical technologies which aim at providing treatments against aging (defined as “time-dependent dysfunction”). Importantly, it is becoming increasingly recognised that genomic research findings in animals may not adequately be translated into effective human anti-aging therapies. There exist translational impediments, which although individually formidable, can theoretically be overcome. However, the combined effects of these obstacles render this reductionist avenue of quest unattainable, at least for the foreseeable future. Some of the clinical problems of physical and genomic-based therapies against aging include side effects, interactions, inter-subject variability, compliance, patient self-reporting of data, motivation, administrative issues, infrastructure, etc. A systematic review spanning over the past 5 years, describes these problems and identifies novel approaches. New and emerging disciplines and concepts such as molecular pathological epidemiology, social genomics and other “systems-thinking” methods provide a more comprehensive view of the entire subject of aging, and study its indivisible bonds with the environment, society and culture. The so-called “fountain of youth” cannot be found in a physical item.

Keywords

Reductionism / rejuvenation biotechnologies / genomic research / translation / systems-thinking / molecular pathological epidemiology

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