California Mayor Rex Parris Donates $10 Million to Launch Groundbreaking Longevity Accelerator at University of Southern California

New Initiative Aims to Propel Breakthroughs in Age-Related Disease Prevention and Treatment

LOS ANGELES, May 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- As global interest in longevity science continues to surge, R. Rex Parris, JD; Mayor of Lancaster, Calif.; and co-founder of regenerative medicine company ReParris, has donated $10 million to the University of Southern California ("USC") to launch the USC Parris Longevity Accelerator (the "Accelerator"), a new initiative designed to deepen scientific understanding of aging and accelerate the development of treatments to delay or prevent age-related diseases.

The Accelerator will bring together world-class researchers from multiple disciplines such as engineering, regulatory science, artificial intelligence, gerontology and clinical medicine to uncover the biological drivers of aging and develop proactive strategies to preserve long-term health. For its first major research effort, USC scientists will leverage data from recent studies to accelerate the identification of aging subtypes and high-risk patient profiles. Such insights could inform personalized, preventative care strategies in humans and shift the current healthcare model from reactive treatment to early intervention.

"Age-related diseases continue to cost our healthcare system trillions of dollars. Now is the time to act to not only help people live longer but also to improve their quality of life," said Mayor Parris. "The USC Parris Longevity Accelerator will provide the critical resources needed to unite experts from various disciplines, foster innovation and pave the way for new therapies targeting the root causes of aging and its prominent role in disease progression."

A lifelong advocate for health, education and innovation in Southern California, Mayor Parris has a strong track record of philanthropy. In 2014, he and his wife Carrol established the Parris Institute for Professional Formation at Pepperdine University to help law students cultivate purpose, professionalism and personal wellbeing. R. Rex Parris High School in Palmdale, Calif., also bears Mayor Parris's name in recognition of his ongoing commitment to youth education.

"For far too long, we've thought about and approached age-related diseases at the point of crisis with expensive, late-stage interventions," added Denis Evseenko, MD, PhD; founding director of the USC Parris Longevity Accelerator; professor of orthopaedic surgery, stem cell research and regenerative medicine, at USC; senior fellow of the National Academy of Inventors; and co-founder of ReParris. "Our team already has a well-documented track record of successful translation of scientific breakthroughs into the early stage preventive therapeutics and clinical trials. The Accelerator is shifting that mindset by investing in the science needed to detect the earliest biological signs of aging, understand why some people decline faster than others and develop targeted strategies to intervene before disease takes hold."

The Accelerator will also collaborate with industry partners to help transform innovative research into practical, scalable solutions for age-related diseases. By fast-tracking the translation of scientific breakthroughs into real-world therapies, the initiative aims to create a seamless pipeline from academic discovery to public health benefit.

About ReParris
ReParris is a regenerative medicine company developing novel small-molecule therapies to treat and prevent age-related diseases. Founded by Mayor R. Rex Parris, JD, and Dr. Denis Evseenko, MD, PhD, ReParris is dedicated to advancing treatments that target the biological mechanisms of aging. The Company's work prioritizes inflammation-driven conditions, including pulmonary fibrosis and sepsis, as well as longevity studies in canines, with the goal of extending and improving patients' lives. Positioned at the forefront of the longevity biotech revolution, ReParris is committed to providing accessible, lifesaving therapies to all patients in need.

Media Contacts

Raquel Cona / Michaela Fawcett
KCSA Strategic Communications
[email protected] / [email protected] 

Laura LeBlanc
Keck School of Medicine of USC
[email protected]

SOURCE ReParris