We had the good fortune of connecting with Aubrey De Grey and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Aubrey, how do you think about risk?
I have taken the risk to pursue my research outside of mainstream academia. I did this in order to escape the constraints that are built into academic funding, which essenaially revolve around sticking to what is already agreed to be sensible. I have also taken financial risks in the form of living hand-to-mouth rather than building up a war chest. Both of these decisions have (by and large!) worked for me.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I lead a non-profit research foundation dedicated to spearheading the medical defeat of aging. The three foundations that I have led over the past 22 years have all set out to be maximally impactful, mostly by doung work that others were neglective for reasons of short-termism. It certainly hasn’t been easy, but I have prevailed by a combination of determination, charisma anf a good deal of luck. I want the world to know that aging is the world’s most serious problem and that we are within striking distance of solving it.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I really don’t work that way. I have a few favourite spots in my local area, but mainly I have a really nice house.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I’ll go with Denham Harman. Harman was the originator of the first truly mechanistic theory of aging, as well as a refinement of it that was actually more important because it was much more ahead of its time. But also, he played an enormous role in defending the longevity movement against the tide of political correctness that submerged most of it in the 1970s and 1980s. My work in both research and communication has been hugely inspired by him.

Website: https://levf.org/

Twitter: aubreydegrey

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutDFW is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.