Dr. Nir Barzilai is a world-renowned molecular geneticist and pioneering leader in the field of aging research. He currently serves as the Ingeborg and Ira Leon Rennert Chair of Aging Research, Professor of Medicine and Molecular Genetics, and Director of the Institute for Aging Research at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Additionally, he directs the Paul F. Glenn Center for the Biology of Human Aging Research and the NIH's Nathan Shock Centers of Excellence in the Basic Biology of Aging. Dr. Barzilai earned his medical degree from the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology in 1985 and completed research stints in the United States before joining Albert Einstein College of Medicine in 1993 where he discovered a unique cohort of exceptionally long-lived Ashkenazi Jews that would become central to his groundbreaking research program.
His research has revolutionized understanding of human longevity through the identification of genetic determinants that protect against age-related diseases. Dr. Barzilai's Longevity Genes Project, which has studied over 2600 individuals including approximately 670 centenarians primarily from Ashkenazi Jewish families, led to the discovery of several key longevity genes including CETP and APOC3 variants involved in cholesterol metabolism, ADIPOQ and TSHR related to metabolic regulation, and IGF1R associated with growth pathways. These genetic variants confer protection against major age-related conditions such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, type 2 diabetes, and dementia while maintaining exceptional healthspan. His work has established that centenarians often possess these protective genetic factors alongside favorable metabolic profiles, including unusually high levels of HDL cholesterol, which delay the onset of aging-related pathologies.
Beyond his genetic discoveries, Dr. Barzilai has pioneered translational approaches to target aging itself, founding CohBar, Inc. to develop mitochondria-based therapeutics for age-related diseases. He has received numerous prestigious honors including the Nathan Shock Award from the National Institute on Aging and the Senior Ellison Foundation award for his transformative contributions to aging biology. Currently, Dr. Barzilai is leading the first clinical trial of metformin as a potential intervention to slow aging processes, aiming to establish aging itself as a treatable condition. His ongoing research continues to shape the field by investigating central pathways that regulate body fat distribution and insulin action through brain-mediated mechanisms, positioning him at the forefront of efforts to extend human healthspan and redefine the medical approach to aging.
