Aging research is going mainstream.

Such a transformation in public perception cannot be attributed to a single factor and I would point to at least a couple:

(1) A messaging shift in the community from longevity to healthspan: while the former may still be a goal, to the public it always felt like a concept that only the "death-is-optional" uber-wealthy care about. On the other hand, the underlying objective of healthspan is relatable for everyone: spending our later years in relatively good health, not zombie-like until 150. Understanding, addressing and preventing the diseases of aging for ALL is the strategy.

(2) High quality science coming out of academic and biotech labs, with a spectacular de facto spokesperson in the Buck Institute for Research on Aging's Eric Verdin. I can't list all the superb scientists in the field, just look at the speakers list from the annual Aging Research and Drug Discovery Meeting (agingpharma.org) in Copenhagen (and of course Insilico Medicine's Alex Zhavoronkov is an instigator!).

As a result, funding has been coming to the field, from VCs established and emerging (NFX, Lux Capital, Flagship Pioneering, ARCH Venture Partners, LongeVC, LifeX Ventures, the OG The Longevity Fund and now age1, Longevity Vision, Healthspan Capital, BlueYard Capital), foundations (Hevolution Foundation of course!) and public agencies (National Institute on Aging (NIA), and now Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H): link) and more.

Congratulations Renee Wegrzyn, Andrew Brack, you are shaping the future of healthspan!