Exclusive: George Church startup will study long-lived animals, humans to find life-extending genes
Matter Bio, a startup co-founded by renowned geneticist George Church, is launching an ambitious project to uncover the genetic secrets of longevity by studying both long-lived animals and human centenarians. Partnering with top researchers, including Nir Barzilai and Tom Perls, the company will analyze DNA from 30,000 individuals, including 10,000 centenarians, as well as from over 300 animal species like naked mole rats, parrots, and Greenland sharks—species known for their unexpectedly long lifespans.
CEO Christopher Bradley says the goal is to discover and engineer life-extending genes inspired by nature, not to copy them directly into humans. Instead, Matter Bio aims to design novel genetic interventions that stabilize DNA and prevent damage, thereby slowing aging rather than reversing it. The company believes protecting DNA integrity may eliminate the need for epigenetic reprogramming.
Founded in 2022, Matter Bio has raised $10 million in seed funding and government grants, alongside a $13 million NIH grant awarded to its academic partners. The company is also developing a proprietary gene editing platform, co-developed with Church, and plans to convert its findings into treatments for age-related diseases, offering a new frontier in genomic medicine and healthy aging.
Source:
https://endpts.com/george-church-startup-matter-bio-will-study-long-lived-animals-humans/
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