Dr. Vilhelm Bohr is a distinguished molecular biologist renowned for his pioneering research on the molecular mechanisms underlying aging and age-related diseases. He served as Chief of the Laboratory of Molecular Genetics at the National Institute on Aging, part of the National Institutes of Health, where he led investigations into DNA repair and mitochondrial function for over three decades. A medical graduate from the University of Copenhagen in 1978, Dr. Bohr completed his residencies in internal medicine and surgery at Copenhagen University Hospital before establishing his research career focused on genome stability and aging mechanisms. Following his retirement from the NIA Intramural Research Program at the end of 2021, he returned to Denmark where he currently serves as an Affiliate Professor in Genome Instability and Neurodegeneration at the University of Copenhagen.
Dr. Bohr's groundbreaking research has fundamentally advanced our understanding of how DNA damage accumulation, particularly in mitochondria, contributes to the aging process and neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer's disease. His laboratory established critical connections between DNA repair mechanisms, mitochondrial dysfunction, and cellular energy metabolism, pioneering a new framework for understanding age-related cognitive decline. Most significantly, his team demonstrated that nicotinamide riboside (NR), a form of vitamin B3 that boosts NAD+ levels, prevents neurological damage and improves cognitive function in Alzheimer's disease mouse models, revealing a promising therapeutic pathway. These findings, published in high-impact journals including the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, have catalyzed international interest in NAD+ supplementation as a potential intervention for age-related cognitive disorders.
Beyond his laboratory research, Dr. Bohr has been instrumental in shaping the global field of aging research through extensive collaborations with institutions including the Danish Aging Research Center at Aarhus University and the Center for Healthy Aging at the University of Copenhagen. His work has attracted substantial funding from prestigious organizations including the Nordea Foundation, EU Joint Programme-Neurodegenerative Disease Research, and the Novo Nordisk Foundation. Following his NIA retirement, he continues to influence the field through his advisory role on ChromaDex's Scientific Advisory Board, where he guides research on NAD+ precursors for healthy aging. Dr. Bohr remains actively engaged in translating fundamental discoveries about DNA maintenance and mitochondrial biology into potential interventions for combating age-related cognitive decline and neurodegenerative diseases.
