Pushing the Limits of Ageing: Earth and Beyond

We all grow older—there’s no stopping the candles on the birthday cake. Patient advocate and healthy ageing expert Leslie Kenny explores the “Hallmarks of Ageing”—the interconnected biological processes that drive how we age. Discover how supporting just one pathway can ripple across the entire system, and why cellular “spring cleaning” (autophagy) is key to keeping our bodies youthful. Learn how spermidine, a natural compound found in plants and even within our own biology (can you guess where?), can rejuvenate cells, including ageing immune cells. Expect surprising science, practical tips, and a fresh perspective on what it means to stay young as we grow older.

Grace Frost (MSc, Oxford) and Declan Moran (MSci, KCL) are doctoral students at the University of Oxford Space Innovation Lab, studying how the environment of space affects the human body. Astronaut studies have shown that spaceflight can lead to muscle and bone loss, immune changes, and even vision and cognitive decline, changes that mirror aspects of ageing on Earth but occur over a few months instead of years. In this talk, they explore whether space can act as an “accelerated” model of ageing, and how studying “mini organs” onboard the International Space Station (ISS) could help us better understand, and ultimately treat, age-related diseases.