Discover the hidden biology behind how our bodies age over time - and the cutting-edge therapies that could transform the process.
This lecture was recorded at the Ri on 11 October 2025.
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Carina introduces the Blueprint Theory of Ageing, a new way of understanding why our cells and organs start to fail as we get older, giving rise to a range of diseases from Alzheimer’s to cardiovascular conditions. She explains how her team uncovered a key biological “node” in these cascades of change called necrosis- a process where cells break down in a chaotic way- and how stopping it could help protect our organs from deterioration and extend healthy life.
This talk unpacks the latest research and challenges the way we think about ageing, resilience, and longevity - both on Earth and in Space exploration, where degeneration is accelerated in astronauts.
It also explores how Artificial Intelligence (AI) can help tackle the complexities of aging - from the challenges we face to how AI could uncover new "system-wide" drugs and treatments that protect the whole body - ushering in the next era of medicine (Medicine 2.0).
Join us as we explore whether science is on the cusp of unraveling one of life’s greatest mysteries and what that could mean for the future of medicine and healthcare.
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Dr. Carina Kern is the CEO and scientific founder of LinkGevity, a pioneering biotech company advancing the future of drug discovery for aging and resilience loss. With a distinguished background spanning Molecular Biology, Evolutionary Biology, Neuroscience, and Genetics, Dr. Kern is internationally recognized for her groundbreaking research on the mechanisms of aging and lifespan extension.
From her laboratories at the Babraham Research Campus, affiliated with the University of Cambridge, Dr. Kern leads a multidisciplinary team at the frontier of longevity science and pharmaceutical discovery.
She is the architect of the Blueprint Theory of Ageing - an integrative framework that unites evolutionary principles, genetic pathways, molecular mechanisms, and clinical medicine. This theory forms the foundation of LinkGevity’s AI-driven discovery platform, guiding the search for next-generation therapeutics that target the root causes of cellular decline.
Under her leadership, LinkGevity has developed Anti-Necrotic™: a first-in-class drug designed to prevent cellular degeneration and reinstate healthy physiology. Now preparing to enter clinical trials, Anti-Necrotic™ represents a potential breakthrough treatment for aging, funded by the UK Government, the Francis Crick Institute (Europe's largest biomedical research institute), and the European Union’s Horizon programme. The innovation has also been selected as one of only 12 global technologies for NASA’s Space Health program and has also received funding from the UK Space Agency to transport it into space, recognizing its promise to counteract accelerated aging in astronauts during long-duration space missions.
Driven by science, vision, and the pursuit of maintaining human health and wellbeing, Dr. Carina Kern and LinkGevity are redefining what it means to extend not just lifespan - but healthspan - for humanity on Earth and beyond.
You can find out more here:
LinkGevity: www.linkgevity.com
LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/company/linkgevity
X: @CarinaCarlaKern
Research papers: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41388-025-03431-y
https://www.preprints.org/manuscript/202310.1387
#RoyalInstitution #Ageing #Aging #Longevity #Healthspan #SpaceHealth #SpaceMedicine #Artificial Intelligence #Innovation #Medicine #LinkGevity #BlueprintTheory #CarinaKern
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