Genetics professor Dr. Jan Vijg explains how DNA damage causes aging and why human lifespan may be limited to 115 years. Learn about the 100,000 DNA hits your cells take daily, breakthrough research on the DREAM gene complex that could slow mutation accumulation, and whether we can extend maximum lifespan.
In this conversation, Dr. Jan Vijg, Professor and Chair of Genetics at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, explains how genome instability drives the aging process. We explore how your cells sustain 100,000 DNA lesions daily, the difference between DNA damage and somatic mutations, and why mutations accumulate exponentially with age.
Dr. Vijg discusses his controversial 2016 Nature paper arguing human maximum lifespan is capped at 115 years, and why mean lifespan improvements don't translate to breaking this limit. He shares exciting new research on the DREAM gene complex - a potential master regulator that could enhance DNA repair across multiple pathways simultaneously.
Key topics include: how DNA repair systems decline with age, why long-lived species have better repair mechanisms, tissue-specific mutation rates, the role of SIRT6 and NAD in DNA repair, rare genetic variants in centenarians, and whether pharmacological interventions could slow aging at the cellular level.
🌐Links in this video
Dr Vijg's page at Albert Einstein College of Medicine https://einsteinmed.edu/faculty/11318/jan-vijg
Evidence for a limit to human lifespan https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27706136/
The DREAM complex links somatic mutation, lifespan, and disease https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.09.15.676396v1.full
Seeking Health supplements: 10% discount code Richard10 https://crrnt.app/SEEK/-dm0MyrQ, Histamine Nutrients https://crrnt.app/SEEK/EpM7paAO
AX3 Life Astaxanthin 20% discount code MODERN20 https://tinyurl.com/2t3w26nw
https://www.choosemuse.com
Stemregen 15% discount Code MODERN https://tinyurl.com/45z968yr (Only available in the US)
Renue by Science all 10% discount with code MHS https://renuebyscience.com/
Nuchido Time+ 20% discount of first purchase with code MODERN20 https://nuchido.com/MODERN
If you would like to support our channel please consider signing up on patreon https://patreon.com/ModernHealthspan
You can also find us on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/c/modernhealthspan
