Why DNA Damage is Central to Aging — Christopher Bradley, CEO of Matter Bio

Christopher Bradley is a serial entrepreneur who has dedicated himself to solving aging after his last startup Mana Health was acquired by NBC Universal. His company Matter Bio is developing therapies to enhance DNA damage repair to slow the rate of aging, and to treat cancer through novel bacterial delivery mechanisms. In today’s conversation we discuss the theory of aging as information loss, which Chris contends is primarily mediated through DNA damage, how to unlock new approaches for longevity through large scale genomics studies, and the evolving business of biotech. 0:00 Intro 2:13 Largest study ever of genes for longevity 06:49 DNA damage as a driver of aging 14:10 Counter-arguments against the DNA thesis 25:16 Cancer isn't aging 27:53 How Matter Bio is targeting DNA damage to extend lifespan 35:15 Stem cell therapies 41:03 Different pathways for managing DNA damage 50:28 Sex ed (or what we can learn from germline rejuvenation) 55:14 What to expect from Matter Bio in the future 57:36 How to make longevity therapies as visual as rocket launches 1:00:35 The business of biotech 1:06:47 The importance of longevity as a moonshot 1:09:31 Sequencing techniques 1:12:02 What is it like working with co-founder George Church 1:16:02 Navigating the volatile industry of biotech