Altos Labs Announces Sponsored Research Agreement with Kyoto University's CiRA to Foster Cellular Rejuvenation Programming Research

Altos Labs commits to funding four CiRA research projects for five years

SAN FRANCISCO, June 2, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Altos Labs (Altos) today announced that it has signed a sponsored research agreement with the Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA) at Japan's Kyoto University. Effective May 1 of this year, Altos has committed to fund four CiRA research projects for five years to investigate aspects of cellular rejuvenation programming.

"Altos is eager to support the best researchers around the world to unlock the incredible potential of cellular rejuvenation programming," said Altos Chief Scientist and Founder Rick Klausner. "Altos is deeply committed to a long-term research effort that will identify the foundational biological mechanisms of cellular rejuvenation programming. Through our partnership with CiRA, known already as a world-leading center for stem cell research, we aim to generate new knowledge that contributes to the ability to reverse disease, injury, and the disabilities that occur throughout life."

Under the sponsored research agreement, projects are supervised by Altos Senior Scientific Advisor Shinya Yamanaka, who is also Professor and Director Emeritus at CiRA. He does not receive any remuneration from Altos.

"With the funding awarded by Altos Labs, these research projects will explore several key areas with the help of iPS cell technologies," said Yamanaka. "These projects have the potential to make meaningful contributions to the growing field of cellular rejuvenation programming and, eventually, to aid in the development of new disease treatments."

The research projects will be led by four CiRA researchers:

• Associate Professor Knut Woltjen's project is titled Manipulation of aging through refined epigenetic reprogramming. The study will employ a multi-omics approach to study the unique epigenetic changes in rapidly aging cells of the thymus and placenta. The study aims to enable reprogramming systems that provide improved tissue function, efficient self-healing, and safe regenerative medicine applications.
  
  
• Associate Professor Yoshinori Yoshida's project is titled Targeting the hallmarks of aging for systemic cardiac rejuvenation by using human induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells. The study aims to rejuvenate human cardiac tissue healthily, thereby ensuring its physiological integrity and maintenance of its fitness and health span. Researchers will identify and validate key factors in cardiac rejuvenation.
  
  
• Associate Professor Kazutoshi Takahashi's project is titled Conversion of human fibroblast cells to a younger fate by defined factors. The study will capture and analyze the rejuvenation phenomenon that occurs during reprogramming of human cells toward a pluripotent state. Instead of comparing young and aged somatic cells, the study will adopt a new multi-omics approach for comparing normal somatic cells and rejuvenated cells.
  
  
• Junior Associate Professor Taro Toyoda's project is titled Development of a selective cell rejuvenation tool using epigenetic aging models in iPSC-derived islet cells. The project will seek to develop improved partial reprogramming tools that would decrease the risk of tumorigenic cell rejuvenation and specify rejuvenating factors.

Under the sponsored research agreement, researchers will be free to publish their results following a review in which patent and licensing options will be considered.  

Altos Labs is a new life sciences company focused on restoring cell health and resilience through cellular rejuvenation programming to reverse disease, injury, and the disabilities that occur throughout life. The company comprises a community of leading scientists, clinicians, and leaders from both academia and industry working together towards this common mission. Altos has operations in the San Francisco Bay Area, San Diego, and in Cambridge, UK, with significant collaborations in Japan.

To learn more visit www.altoslabs.com and follow us on Twitter or LinkedIn.

Media Contacts

Morgan Warners
Finsbury Glover Hering 
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Kim James
Finsbury Glover Hering  
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SOURCE Altos Labs