On October 1st, 2025, Nature published new research co-authored by multiple AFAR Grantee Omer Yilmaz, MD, PhD, exploring how the amino acid cysteine may have rejuvenating effects in the small intestine.
In a related MIT News article, Dr. Yilmaz highlighted the potential of these findings: “The study suggests that if we give these patients a cysteine-rich diet or cysteine supplementation, perhaps we can dampen some of the chemotherapy or radiation-induced injury.”
This research was advanced in part thanks to his 2015 Glenn Foundation for Medical Research and AFAR Grant for Junior Faculty and 2022 Glenn Foundation for Medical Research Breakthroughs in Gerontology (BIG) Award from AFAR.
Read “Dietary cysteine enhances intestinal stemness via CD8+ T cell-derived IL-22” here.
Read the related MIT News article here.
Read more about Dr. Yilmaz’s AFAR-supported research in our 2024 Annual Report here.
