Dr Lindsay Wu is a co-founder of Life BioSciences and Jump Start Fertility with Harvard based Professor David Sinclair. Dr Wu is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Medical Sciences at UNSW, Sydney and runs the Laboratory for Ageing Research focusing on fundamental mechanisms and interventions that could maintain healthy ageing. The research of this team has immediate applications in other conditions, including slowing the decline in fertility with age and preventing the long-term adverse effects of chemotherapy treatment. 

In an article published by UNSW Dr Lindsay Wu’s team at UNSW in partnership with Professor David Sinclair and Harvard researchers “have identified a critical step in the molecular process that allows cells to repair damaged DNA – and it could mean big things for the future of anti-ageing drugs, childhood cancer survivors and even astronauts.”

“An international team including UNSW researchers has made a discovery that could lead to a revolutionary drug that actually reverses ageing, improves DNA repair and could even help NASA get its astronauts to Mars.

In a paper published in Science today, the Harvard-led team identifies a critical step in the molecular process that allows cells to repair damaged DNA.

Their experiments in mice suggest a treatment is possible for DNA damage from ageing and radiation. It is so promising it has attracted the attention of NASA, which believes the treatment can help its Mars mission. 

While our cells have an innate capability to repair DNA damage − which happens every time we go out into the sun, for example – their ability to do this declines as we age. 

The scientists identified that the metabolite NAD+, which is naturally present in every cell of our body, has a key role as a regulator in protein-to-protein interactions that control DNA repair. 

Treating mice with a NAD+ precursor, or “booster,” called NMN improved their cells’ ability to repair DNA damage caused by radiation exposure or old age. “ 

Having toured the Laboratory for Ageing Research here in Sydney, I was compelled to bring you this fascinating episode in conversation with Dr Wu as we explore the role of NAD+, the future of fertility treatments, the benefits of fasting and the future of regenerative medicine.

Watch the full episode on Ageless By Rescu YouTube Channel here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHQZbnB9XEA