Future of Health Grant Conference 2024: Can Longevity Make Prevention Sexy?
On August 27, 2024, the Future of Health Grant Annual Conference brought together leading experts and innovators to explore how science, technology, and collaboration are shaping the future of longevity—the pursuit of longer, healthier lives. The key takeaway? The future of aging well starts with one crucial element: prevention. Here are the highlights from this year’s event.
1. Prioritizing Healthspan Over Lifespan
All speakers stressed the importance of focusing on healthspan—the years lived in good health—as opposed to only extending lifespan. While humans may live up to 120 years, the challenge is ensuring those additional years are spent in vitality. Lifestyle factors like exercise, nutrition, sleep, and social connections play a pivotal role in extending healthspan. According to Dr. Anna Erat (Director of Longevity Center Europe), “The best sport in terms of lifespan prognostic is… Tennis”.
2. New Molecules and Biomarkers Are Redefining Aging
The event showcased advances in understanding aging at the molecular level and how the different hallmarks of aging are interconnected and associated with age-related diseases. Among novel interventions, Urolithin A, for example, is emerging as a key player in improving muscle health and mitochondrial function. Innovations in biomarkers and genomic data are enabling early detection and intervention to prevent age-related diseases before they develop.
3. Prevention and Self-Monitoring Are Essential for Healthy Aging
A major theme of the event was that prevention is essential to longevity. Tools like epigenetic testing, highlighted by Semira Gonseth Nusslé from Genknowme, allow individuals to understand how different factors impact aging, empowering them to make targeted lifestyle changes. Panelists underscored that early intervention through self-monitoring and regular health assessments will be critical to keeping people healthier for longer.
4. Digital Health Tools Empower People to Take Control of their Health
AI-powered platforms, wearables, and digital health tools are reshaping how we approach aging. Individuals can track health markers in real time and take preventive actions. These technologies offer personalized insights that help individuals take control of their own health. Techniques like gamification are also boosting engagement and commitment to healthier lifestyles.
5. Engaging in Multi-Party Collaborations for Scientific Validation
The panel, featuring Philomena Colatrella (CEO of CSS) and other industry leaders, emphasized that the future of longevity lies in collaboration between academia, healthcare, and technology sectors. Colatrella noted that while some longevity-related products are promising, scientific validation and proven effectiveness are necessary to integrate these innovations into healthcare systems.
6. The Swiss Startups and Ecosystem is at the Forefront
As Keynote speaker Dany Bach (Partner at +ND Capital) noted, “Switzerland, with its world-class pharma, medtech, diagnostic, nutrition, ingredients and manufacturing companies, is ideally suited to capture part of the market aimed at empowering longevity with vitality”. Pioneering Swiss startups such as Amazentis, Mindmaze, and Sophia Genetics are at the forefront of developing cutting-edge solutions in digital therapeutics and healthspan-enhancing interventions. The Fall 2024 cohort of the Future of Health Grant presented innovative technologies ranging from AI-powered diagnostics to digital platforms for managing chronic diseases.
Looking Ahead: The Future of Longevity
The event closed with optimism about the future of healthcare. Advances in personalized, preventive medicine and digital health tools are transforming how we age. The next decade promises significant progress in extending healthspan, and the Future of Health Grant community is poised to lead the way. But this leaves one final question: How long would you want to live if you could stay healthy?
Watch the Event Replay
Missed the event or want to revisit some key moments? Check the video recordings of the conference on our YouTube channel.