Sebastian Brandhorst, Dr. rer. nat

A fast-mimicking diet delays aging phenotypes by senolytic targeting of p16-positive senescent cells in vivo

Dr. Sebastian Brandhorst will test a century-old idea that short periods of food restriction or withdrawal can have major health benefits. He will investigate whether a periodic low-calorie fasting-mimicking diet (FMD) can restore tissue function by removing senescent, or “old”, cells. These senescent cells accumulate with age while putting off apoptosis (or death at the end of the cell cycle). Specifically he will investigate if a FMD can help clear out the “old” cells and replace them with newly produced younger cells, thereby allowing for tissue rejuvenation and ultimately healthy aging.