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MOSCOW: Russian scientists are conducting research involving thousands of ageing monkeys in a bid to uncover the secrets of longevity and eternal youth, reportedly driven by President Vladimir Putin’s ambition to live to 150.
The research is being led by 80-year-old Mikhail Kovalchuk, a prominent scientific adviser to Putin. The Daily Mail reported the development.
Kovalchuk heads the Kurchatov Institute, one of Russia’s leading scientific institutions, which houses more than 7,000 monkeys belonging to 22 different species. Some of the animals are over 30 years old.
Scientists are examining the blood, brains and internal organs of these monkeys in detail to understand the secrets of longevity.
Speaking at a scientific forum in Moscow, Kovalchuk said researchers were screening elderly monkeys to observe different stages of ageing. They are assessing animals aged between 18 and over 30 years.
He added that a range of tests, including biochemical analyses, vascular studies and brain scans, were being conducted. The research could serve as a foundation for developing methods to extend human lifespan, he said.
Scientists have also established a special blood bank using samples collected from exceptionally old monkeys. The project is being conducted in collaboration with the Petrovsky Russian Scientific Centre of Surgery.
The centre’s director, Konstantin Kotenko, said the samples would help researchers understand the biological processes of ageing.
Kovalchuk’s 74-year-old brother, billionaire Yuri Kovalchuk, is one of Putin’s closest associates and is often described as the Russian president’s ‘personal banker’.
Alongside Mikhail Kovalchuk, Putin’s 41-year-old daughter, endocrinologist Maria Vorontsova, is also reportedly leading the project.
Recently, Vorontsova discussed plans for anti-ageing treatments and medicines aimed at ‘conquering death’ on Russian state television. She acknowledged that the fear of death was a major driving force behind longevity research.
Putin’s interest in extending human lifespan reportedly came into the spotlight during his visit to Beijing last year. A microphone captured a conversation between him and Chinese President Xi Jinping about organ transplants and the possibility of humans living to 150.
Putin reportedly told Xi that advances in organ transplantation could gradually make people younger and potentially even lead to immortality.
He also suggested that the longer people lived, the younger they could become. Later, at an AI conference, Putin said living to 150 might be possible, although he added that even such a lifespan would not be enough.
Meanwhile, Russia is accelerating research into 3D-printed living tissues. Scientists are also working on growing human organs inside pigs.
Putin’s scientists are reportedly developing what could be the world’s first drug to delay ageing by blocking the RAGE gene.
