Within the research into ageing, also known as longevity, a new player has launched with an ambitious approach. The Thalion Initiative is a non-profit organisation that focuses on fundamentally understanding ageing. This is important because effective solutions for healthy ageing are only possible once we first precisely know how the ageing process works.
Thalion focuses on long-term research spanning more than a decade. They concentrate on five key research areas, such as studying ageing in various animal species and developing new research equipment. An important project is collecting extremely comprehensive data from 200 mammal species to gain insight into differences in lifespan. These in-depth data help scientists to find the underlying causes of ageing.
The initiative is not aiming for quick commercial results, but is first building a solid knowledge base. In doing so, Thalion also pays a lot of attention to improving measurement methods, for example by developing advanced microscopes. These techniques make it possible to better observe changes in cells and thus study the ageing process more accurately.
A special focus is placed on the idea that it is not ageing itself, but the body's ability to repair damage, that lies at the core of the problem. This repair process, also known as homeodynamics, deteriorates as we get older, thus leading to diseases and problems at a later age. Thalion uses novel mathematical models for this in order to better understand how this process unfolds.
For everyone interested in healthy ageing, this initiative offers hope. Through fundamental research and the development of new techniques, better opportunities may arise over time to improve the quality of life in older age.
Source: Arkadi Mazin
