Beyond Longevity

AI, Biomarkers and the Future of Longevity Medicine, with Elio Verhoef, Co-Founder of LongevAI

In this episode, Daphna sits down with Elio, co-founder of LongevAI, a platform using artificial intelligence to help longevity clinics analyse biomarker data, streamline documentation, and build personalised client plans.With a background in computer science and a lifelong passion for health optimisation, Elio offers a grounded, honest perspective on what AI in longevity medicine can do today, and where the limits still lie.______________What We Cover• How LongevAI was founded and what problem it solves for longevity clinics• What it means to automate clinical documentation without removing the clinician from the process• How AI interprets biomarker data, and why speed and accuracy both play a role• The hallucination problem: what it is, why it happens, and how it is being managed• Data privacy, GDPR compliance, and anonymisation in clinical AI tools• The importance of human oversight, why the clinician must always approve before anything reaches the client• How AI and clinicians can learn from each other in a feedback loop• Wearable integration and the role of continuous vs snapshot data• Where AI in longevity is heading in two to five years, including gene therapy modelling and whole-cell simulation• Why younger people are beginning to engage with longevity, and what still holds them backAbout the GuestElio is the co-founder of LongevAI, a software platform built for longevity clinics. He holds a double bachelor's degree in Computer Science and Information Science, and has been focused on health optimisation and AI since his teens. He co-founded LongevAI in December 2024 alongside Cosmina Druica, whom he met through a longevity meetup community in the Netherlands.🔗 longevai.comEnjoyed this episode? Please subscribe, leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, and share with anyone curious about the future of longevity medicine.Beyond Longevity is hosted by Daphna Stern · beyond-longevity.co.ukIn this episode:00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro01:52 Elio Background and Origins04:01 What Lev AI Does05:06 Automating Clinic Workflows07:52 Speed vs Accuracy11:45 Oversight and Patient Trust12:57 Privacy and GDPR Security13:56 How the Model Improves15:06 Limits Data and Hallucinations21:37 Training and Integrations23:45 Personal Biomarker Walkthrough28:34 Explaining LLMs to non-tech people33:38 Future of AI and Longevity35:32 Young People and Longevity39:56 Rapid Fire Questions43:45 Wrap Up and Key Takeaways

Why Do We Age? Dr Bradley Elliott on Biomarkers, Muscle, and What Longevity Science Still Doesn’t Know

Dr Bradley Elliott — physiologist, university lecturer, and a trustee and Communications Lead at the British Society for Research on Ageing — joins host Daphna for a refreshingly honest conversation about what longevity science actually knows and what we still cannot explain.This episode cuts through the certainty. We talk about biomarkers and biological age, why many measurements may be tracking effects rather than causes, we discuss extracellular vesicles and the surprising limit of science. Dr Bradley discusses some of his papers and related research, and our conversation challenges much of the conventional wisdom in the longevity space.What we cover:-Why we still do not know what fundamentally causes ageing — and why every “root cause” often leads to something deeper-What biomarkers really measure, what they can and cannot tell you, and which markers are most worth tracking right now-Biological age vs chronological age: where the concept is useful, and where it gets overclaimed-Why muscle is one of the most underrated “health organs” in ageing — and what it supports beyond strength-Exercise for longevity: the evidence-based basics, plus what matters most for consistency and adherence-“It is not too late”: what studies in very old adults suggest about strength gains later in life-Extracellular vesicles: the hidden communication system between cells, and why it is getting so much attention-Wearables: why they can still be useful even when the numbers are not perfectly accurateThis is a fascinating episode with someone who knows how to communicate science and make it relatableLinks to Dr Bradley Elliot:- https://www.westminster.ac.uk/about-us/our-people/directory/elliott-bradley- https://bsra.org.uk/bradley-elliott-2/- https://www.bradelliott.online/Papers & Research Referenced• Perri et al. (2025) — Delphi review identifying 14 biomarkers of ageing for use in human research (co-authored by Dr Elliott)' https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39708300/• Lady V Barrios-Silva et al. — Activin subfamily peptides and prediction of age and physical function (undergraduate-led research, University of Westminster)https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30178598/• Dr Yvoni Kyriakidou (PhD) — Exercise-induced muscle damage in young and old men; extracellular vesicle characterisation post-exercisehttps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34650440/• Dr Niharika Duggal (University of Birmingham) — Masters athletes and immune function; older athletes vs. age-matched non-athleteshttps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29517845/• Stephen Harridge (King's College London) — Resistance training in 90+ year olds; gains in muscle strength and mass in the oldest oldhttps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10398199/• Science paper on genetic contribution to longevity — updated estimate shifting genetic contribution to ~50% (noted with editorial by Dr Elliott)https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adz1187https://theconversation.com/what-new-twins-study-reveals-about-genes-environment-and-longevity-274763https://www.ukbiobank.ac.uk/If you enjoyed this episode, we'd love it if you took 60 seconds to leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. It genuinely helps more people find the show and means we can keep bringing you honest, science-backed conversations like this one. Thank youhttps://beyond-longevity.co.uk/Chapters:00:00 Why We Age01:52 Meet Bradley Elliot03:07 From Sports Science05:32 Defining Ageing07:03 Mechanisms And Theories09:29 Biomarkers Explained13:02 Delphi Biomarker List16:59 Myostatin Study Story21:25 Actionable Biomarkers26:07 Wearables And Accuracy27:38 Endocrine Fingerprints30:11 Muscle And Healthy Ageing33:21 Athletes And Immunity34:26 Muscle Mass And Healthspan36:36 Exercise Dose Guidelines39:42 Resistance Training Plateau40:42 Lifestyle Versus Genetics42:42 Muscle Damage Study44:44 Extracellular Vesicles Explained46:49 Young Blood Controversy50:08 Dream Research With Omics56:55 What People Misjudge58:43 It’s Never Too Late01:02:41 Rapid Fire And Wrap01:04:31 Final Takeaways

Dr Brendan Khong on Inflammaging, Regenerative Aesthetics and Skin Health

In this episode, I sit down with Dr Brendan Khong, a London-based aesthetic physician and regenerative medicine advocate, for a practical conversation about what it really means to age well, starting with the skin, but quickly expanding into whole-body biology.The central theme is a shift now reshaping aesthetic medicine: moving away from surface-level fixes and toward addressing the underlying drivers of visible ageing. A key driver, Dr Brendan explains, is inflammaging, a chronic, low-grade inflammation that builds over time and accelerates both skin ageing and broader physiological decline.He breaks down why some conventional aesthetic approaches can backfire, particularly repeated high-heat energy treatments, which may contribute to fibrosis, uneven pigmentation, and a dull, “waxy” skin texture over time. His approach favours smarter, gentler interventions, including an anti-inflammatory 1064nm Nd:YAG laser, targeted resurfacing that can be safer across a wider range of skin types, and calming injectables such as Meso-Wharton (a peptide product derived from Wharton’s jelly) used in practice to support skin quality, texture and fine lines.But this is not just a conversation about devices and injectables. Dr Brendan argues that better results start with better assessment and the need to factor in gut health, supplement use, stress load, and cortisol patterns before reaching for a needle or a laser. He is also candid about timelines: collagen remodelling takes time, and unrealistic expectations are one of the biggest problems in aesthetics.For day-to-day longevity habits that support skin health, he highlights fundamentals that are often overlooked: exercise, stress management, avoiding very hot showers, and finding a retinoid your skin can consistently tolerate. Dr Brendan Khong | London's Most Sought-after Aesthetic DoctorDr Brendan Khong (@drbrendankhong) • Instagram profile 00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro02:06 Brandon’s Medical Journey03:36 Skin as an Inflammation Mirror07:19 Supplements and Gut Health10:15 Overtreatment and Inflammaging14:47 Anti-Inflammatory Laser Approach17:39 Regenerative Injectables Peptides21:36 Personalised Protocols and Expectations25:18 Why Glanine Stands Out25:57 Microspheres Not Clumps26:55 Anti-Inflammatory Collagen27:47 Safety Profile Focus28:45 Building Patient Protocols30:25 Longevity Over Quick Fixes32:17 Future Of Aesthetics33:41 Gentler Treatment Philosophy34:49 Quantum Magnetic Resonance36:18 Healthy Beauty Trends37:25 Daily Longevity Skin Tips40:10 Rapid Fire Longevity Qs45:14 Final Takeaways And Wrap

Longevity Is a Planning Topic: Wealthspan, Risk and Business in a Longer-Life Future with Nadine Esposito

What happens to your financial plan when you live to 100?Most pension systems were built around an ~80-year life expectancy. Much of today’s financial advice still follows a linear life-stage model. And many businesses have not yet reckoned with the fact that both their customers and their workforce are ageing in ways that will reshape everything. In this episode of Beyond Longevity, I am joined by Nadine Esposito, founder of Wellthspan Advisory and a senior risk management professional, to unpack why longer lifespans are not just a medical story — they are a planning and financial one, with major implications for strategy and society. Nadine’s path into longevity came not through medicine, but through risk, ESG, and a deep interest in the health–wealth connection. She introduces the concept of wealthspan planning: moving away from rigid life stages towards a model that accounts for career pivots, caregiving gaps, health shocks and the very real risk of outliving your money and any affordable care options. We coverThe health–wealth connection — why “health is wealth” works both ways and how financial stress and poor health reinforce each other over a longer life What businesses need to wake up to — ageing customer bases are changing consumption patterns across housing, travel, mobility and services The workforce challenge — flexibility, lifelong learning, the rise of the “sandwich generation,” and why simply raising retirement age misses the point Risk in longevity startups — data security, AI-driven health apps, sensitive personal data, and income regulations (including EU AI Act transparency obligations around human–AI interaction) Longevity and inequality — why longer lives may widen the gap without smarte intervention and access Key takeawaysWealthspan planning replaces linear life-stage models with something far more dynamic and realistic The two-way link between health and finances means you cannot plan one without the other Businesses should start with a longevity maturity and gap assessment — and test whether products and services actually work for older customers Investors should ask harder questions about IT security, regulatory readiness and risk management — not only financial fundamentals Health and financial literacy, prevention, and employer/insurer incentives are among the highest-leverage policy priorities LinksLinkedIn (Nadine): https://www.linkedin.com/in/nadine-esposito-b1804415/ Wellthspan Advisory (LinkedIn): https://www.linkedin.com/company/wellthspan-advisory Website: https://www.wellthspanadvisory.com/ Longevity Readiness Diagnostic Tool: https://www.longevityreadinessdiagnostic.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nadine.esposito_/ Beyond Longevity is hosted by Daphna. New episodes every Monday. Subscribe and listen at https://beyond-longevity.co.uk/listen Timestamps00:00 Welcome to Beyond Longevity + Why Longer Lives Change Money 01:40 Nadine’s Path: From Risk & ESG to the Longevity Space 03:45 From Biohacking Curiosity to the Pension Reality Check 06:42 Wealthspan Planning: Where Health and Wealth Collide 08:42 De-Risking Longevity: Individuals, Employers, and Startups 11:25 Health Data & Cybersecurity Risks in Longevity Tech 17:54 AI in Health: What Users Should Know Before Sharing Data 21:17 Investor Checklist: Security, Regulation, and Risk Appetite 26:08 Longevity’s Business Impact: Aging Customers, Products, and Cities 30:04 Mobility, Social Connection & the Rising Cost of Aging 30:57 New “Life Events” After Retirement: Property, Divorce & Starting Businesses 32:45 The Aging Workforce: Lifelong Learning, Flex Work & Employee Resilience 34:22 Rethinking Retirement Age: Reskilling, Career Resets & Hiring Barriers 39:25 What Policy Should Change First? Financial + Health Literacy & Prevention 45:26 Will Longevity Widen Inequality? When Wealth Becomes Health 46:50 Personal Playbook: Healthspan Over Lifespan & Building Sustainable Habits 49:03 How Any Business Can Prepare: Longevity Maturity Checks & Accessibility 51:48 Key Takeaways + Rapid-Fire Q&A (Sleep, News, Fasting Myth) 58:09 Final Wrap: Longevity Is a Planning Topic (Money, Work, Risk)

Professor David Weinkove, Chair of the BSRA, on C.elegans research and evidence-led longevity science

What can a tiny worm tell us about human ageing, and could gut bacteria hold the key to a longer, healthier life?In this episode of Beyond Longevity, we sit down with Professor David Weinkove: Chair of the British Society for Research on Ageing (BSRA), Professor at Durham University, and Co-founder and CSO of Magnitude Biosciences. David's lab uses the short-lived nematode C. elegans to run fast, rigorous experiments looking for interventions that extend healthspan and lifespan, and the results are pointing in some surprising directions.We cover how Prof David moved from physics into experimental molecular biology, how his team discovered that bacterial strains and metabolites can dramatically alter how long worms stay active, and what inhibiting bacterial folate synthesis reveals about the biology of ageing. He also explains how worm movement is a practical proxy for healthspan and why that matters for scaling up research.The conversation gets into the thornier questions, too: when do you need mice, and when might you skip straight to human-relevant models? How do you fund prevention research when the payoff is decades away? And what are the real risks of mandatory folic acid flour fortification, a policy Prof David argues deserves more scrutiny, given potential microbiome effects we don't yet fully understand.Prof David also unpacks what the BSRA does day-to-day: from connecting researchers and lobbying government to running small grants and building bridges with clinicians and industry, and why he thinks the longevity field's biggest enemy isn't scepticism, it's overpromising.Plus, we discover the most extreme longevity idea he's ever come across (involving spare parts — we'll leave it there).Links:https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/david-weinkove/Home - Magnitude BiosciencesHOME PAGE - BSRAhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/david-weinkove-bab807b In this episode:00:00 Welcome to Beyond Longevity + Meet Prof. David Weinkove02:40 From Physics to Bioscience: Career Origins & Model Organisms04:29 The Breakthrough: How Bacteria (and Folate) Can Extend Worm Lifespan09:12 Measuring Healthspan in C. elegans: Movement, Decline & New Tech10:38 Why C. elegans? Fast Ageing, Whole-Organism Biology & Screening Power12:19 Worms vs Mice: Similarity to Humans, Ethics, Cost & Experimental Variability15:35 Translating Worm Findings to Humans: Microbiome Links, Exercise Paper & Next Steps17:52 Funding the Science: UKRI, MRC vs BBSRC, and the Reality of Grant Constraints20:52 Why Longevity Research Struggles for Support: Messaging, Hype & Prevention28:39 BSRA’s Mission & the Five Pillars: Public Engagement, Advocacy, Fundraising, Translation32:01 Breaking Down Silos: Making Longevity Research Useful (and Public)34:07 Prevention Mindset: Why “Healthier for Longer” Isn’t Instant Gratification36:15 When to Start Interventions: Metformin, Timing, and Trial Design Challenges39:39 Why Magnitude Bioscience Exists: Fast Whole-Organism Ageing Screens41:12 What Companies Test in Worms: From Candidate Drugs to 1,000-Compound Screens42:48 Folic Acid Fortification & the Microbiome: A Potential Unintended Consequence45:55 Should Government Engineer Health? Autonomy, Risk, and Public Policy Trade-offs52:37 Ageing Demographics & the Case for Prevention-First Healthcare Investment55:59 Making Longevity Matter to Everyday People + Rapid-Fire Q&A01:01:47 Final Takeaways, Thanks, and Episode Wrap-Up