From Dogs to Humans: Matt Kaeberlein on Translational Aging Insights | Longevity Summit Dublin 2025

How do we translate breakthroughs in the biology of aging from model organisms into real-world impact for both pets and people?

At Longevity Summit Dublin 2025, Dr. Matt Kaeberlein (CEO, Optispan; Affiliate Professor, University of Washington; Co-Director, Dog Aging Project) shares insights from two decades of work in geroscience.

He takes us from the Dog Aging Project — the largest longitudinal study of canine aging, including the first randomized rapamycin trial in companion dogs — to the next frontier: Medicine 4.0, a framework for rigorous, evidence-based healthspan medicine in humans.

Key highlights:

Why companion dogs are powerful models for human aging

Surprising insights on feeding frequency, cognitive decline, and dementia risk in dogs

The TRIAD rapamycin trial: design, progress, and outcomes so far

Challenges in today’s longevity medicine (supplements, biological age tests, uneven standards)

What “Medicine 4.0” could mean for scalable, ethical, and rigorous healthspan care

Matt’s vision connects rigorous science, translational models, and healthcare innovation — aiming to move from lifespan to true healthspan.

🔗 Learn more:
Dog Aging Project → www.dogagingproject.org
Optispan → www.optispan.life

Chapters
00:00 – Opening remarks & framing translational aging
01:00 – From yeast, worms, and mice to companion dogs
01:55 – Founding the Dog Aging Project
03:10 – The lightbulb moment: rapamycin in dogs
04:01 – Scaling up: NIH funding, database, and 45,000+ dogs
05:57 – Why dogs? Biology, diversity, and shared environments
07:36 – The DAP structure: Pack, Foundation, Precision, Brain Health, TRIAD
09:10 – Open science & public engagement
09:44 – Insights: feeding frequency and age-related disease
10:30 – Cognitive decline, dementia, and body size effects
12:13 – Epigenetic clocks, transposable elements & microbiome data
14:00 – TRIAD rapamycin clinical trial design & progress
16:30 – Current numbers & challenges in the trial
16:51 – Transition to human healthspan: Optispan & Medicine 4.0
18:06 – Why Medicine 2.0 & 3.0 are insufficient
19:43 – Creating Medicine 4.0: rigor, AI, gero-science
21:13 – Scaling healthspan medicine: affordability & ethics
22:30 – Tools that work today (bloodwork, imaging, lifestyle pillars)
24:02 – Tools that don’t work yet (biological age tests, microbiome kits)
25:40 – The gray zone: supplements, peptides, experimental therapies
27:04 – The need for better data, independent oversight & discovery science
28:11 – Closing reflections & future vision

#Longevity #Healthspan #DogAgingProject #Medicine4.0 #Rapamycin