**Introduction to Engineered Negligible Senescence (SENS)**:
– Coined in the early 1990s by Aubrey de Grey.
– Aubrey de Grey introduced Engineered Negligible Senescence in 1999.
– SENS aims to eliminate age-related diseases through periodic medical interventions.
– SENS program includes controversial proposals.
**Criticism and Challenges of SENS**:
– In 2005, 28 biogerontologists criticized SENS for being overly optimistic.
– Basic research was preferred over the goal-directed SENS approach.
– Postponing human illnesses was seen as a plausible goal.
– SENS proposals may require decades of work.
**Evaluation of SENS by Experts**:
– MIT Technology Review published a critical article on SENS in 2005.
– The Methuselah Foundation co-founder funded a $20,000 prize competition for SENS Challenge.
– Judges found no submission met the challenge criteria, considering SENS highly speculative.
**SENS Research Foundation**:
– Non-profit organization founded by Michael Kope and Aubrey de Grey.
– Based in California, United States, conducting SENS-based research programs.
– Aims to promote interest in related research.
– Co-authors of the book ‘Ending Aging’ associated with the foundation.
**Scientific Concepts and Developments in Anti-Aging Research**:
– SENS compared to Hallmarks of Aging categorization.
– Mitochondrial Free Radical Theory of Aging by Aubrey de Grey focuses on countering mitochondrial damage.
– Potential anti-aging research breakthroughs with a lifespan extension of up to 25 years.
– Challenges in biomedical rejuvenation therapies, including translational and pharmacological barriers.
– Critiques and responses in aging research, addressing the feasibility of longevity interventions.
Strategies for engineered negligible senescence (SENS) is a range of proposed regenerative medical therapies, either planned or currently in development, for the periodic repair of all age-related damage to human tissue. These therapies have the ultimate aim of maintaining a state of negligible senescence in patients and postponing age-associated disease. SENS was first defined by British biogerontologist Aubrey de Grey. Many mainstream scientists believe that it is a fringe theory. De Grey later highlighted similarities and differences of SENS to subsequent categorization systems of the biology of aging, such as the highly influential Hallmarks of Aging published in 2013.
While some biogerontologists support the SENS program, others contend that the ultimate goals of de Grey's programme are too speculative given the current state of technology. The 31-member Research Advisory Board of de Grey's SENS Research Foundation have signed an endorsement of the plausibility of the SENS approach.