Healthy Longevity Global Grand Challenge: 2026 US Grand Prize Phase Winners
The National Academy of Medicine is proud to celebrate the winners of the Healthy Longevity Global Grand Prize on October 20, 2026, during the Catalyzing Healthy Longevity: NAM Global Innovator Summit event.
Award Winners
Grand Prize Winners
IMM01-STEM: A First-in-Class Regenerative Biologic Restoring Muscle Function, Metabolism, and Quality of Life in Aging Adults
Catalyst Sponsor: U.S. National Academy of Medicine
Affiliation: Immunis, Inc.
Principal Investigator
Hans Keirstead
Co Investigators
Gabriel Nistor; Thomas Lane; Nicole Berchtold
Abstract
IMM01-STEM is a first-in-class stem cell-derived secretome biologic with evidence of modulating immune function, stimulating muscle regeneration, and restoring metabolic homeostasis via multiple signaling pathways. IMM01-STEM is designed as a foundational adjunctive therapy for use alongside GLP-1s to preserve and restore lean mass during weight loss, with a longer-term ambition as a standalone treatment for sarcopenia.
GLP-1 therapies are reshaping the treatment of obesity, but they are also accelerating another crisis: treatment-associated loss of lean mass, including muscle. By exacerbating the age-related loss of muscle mass, strength, and function known as sarcopenia, GLP-1s risk compounding a condition already affecting 10-27% of older adults, for which no FDA-approved pharmacological treatment exists.
Two USA FDA-approved clinical trials have evaluated IMM01-STEM in sarcopenic older adults. A Phase 1/2a study in adults with knee osteoarthritis established safety and tolerability, demonstrating no adverse event attributed to drug, and improvements in walking distance, physical function, weight loss and pain without structured exercise. In a Phase 2a randomized, double-blind, controlled sarcopenic obesity trial, the lead cohort showed a 26% improvement in gait speed versus placebo, with an absolute gain of +0.16 m/s at three months, exceeding the clinically meaningful threshold of 0.1 m/s. Fasting glucose levels in treated participants improved from the prediabetic range to normal, another clinically meaningful metabolic benefit. Longitudinal blood analysis tracking of approximately 11,000 circulating proteins revealed coordinated biological changes across immune signaling, tissue repair, and muscle regeneration pathways, providing a molecular window into how the therapy works.
Published preclinical data in GeroScience (PMID: 34427856), Aging Cell (PMID: 38500398), and Obesity (PMID: 41140016) further demonstrate improvements in lean mass, fat mass, muscle fiber quality, physical activity, glucose handling, and liver health in mouse models. IMM01-STEM may become the first approved pharmacotherapy for sarcopenia, a breakthrough applicable to the universal biology of human aging.
MenoGo: Restoring Ovarian Hormone Production to Prevent Menopause
Catalyst Sponsor: U.S. National Academy of Medicine
Affiliation: Massachusetts General Hospital
Principal Investigator
David Pépin
Co Investigators
Marie-Charlotte Meinsohn, Patricia K Donahoe
Abstract
This project aims to transform women’s health by developing a novel non-steroidal approach to ovarian aging and menopause based on the biology of anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH). Currently, menopausal symptoms are treated with hormonal replacement therapy (HRT) that mostly reconstitutes one steroid hormone: estrogen. However, HRT is associated with side effects, fails to restore the full hormonal contribution of the ovary, and only addresses symptoms and not the cause of menopause, the progressive loss of ovarian follicles that ultimately leads to hormone insufficiency. In contrast, AMH functions as a master regulator of ovarian aging, enabling a fundamentally new strategy: suppression of follicle growth and activation of a backdoor follicle-independent pathway of hormonal production that enables long-term preservation of healthspan.
Building on over a decade of foundational discoveries, we have demonstrated that AMH treatment induces potent and reversible follicular preservation across multiple species, including mice, rats, and cats, but maintains full hormone production. AMH treatment is intended to address diverse clinical needs, from fertility preservation in cancer patients, enhancement of in vitro fertilization outcomes, and our ultimate goal of menopause reversal and extension of women’s healthspan.
Our work challenges fundamental dogma in reproductive biology by suggesting that follicle growth may be reversibly paused and that ovarian stromal cells can sustain hormone production independently of follicles. These findings raise the possibility of extending ovarian healthspan and delaying menopause and its negative impact on overall health that are associated with reduced healthspan and lifespan.
Our research will validate these mechanisms, advance lead therapeutic candidates toward clinical trials, and establish the translational framework for first-in-human studies. If successful, this program could redefine menopause in women, and offer a novel strategy to mitigate the health impacts of ovarian aging worldwide.
Second Place Winners
AI-Powered Retinal Screening for Early Detection of Chronic Diseases
Catalyst Sponsor: EIT Health (Ukraine)
Affiliation: CheckEye
Principal Investigator
Victoria Chuchina
Co Investigators
Kyrylo Goncharuk, Andrii Korol, Mykhailo Shuranov
Abstract
CheckEye is a Ukrainian HealthTech company that developed an AI-powered cloud platform enabling mass screening for chronic vascular diseases through retinal imaging — beginning with diabetic retinopathy and arterial hypertension, with a roadmap extending to 50+ conditions. The platform allows non-medical staff to perform a 3-minute eye fundus photo at any point-of-care location — pharmacy, primary-care clinic, or health kiosk — instantly analyzed by cloud-based AI algorithms. No specialist ophthalmologist is required.
Diabetic retinopathy is the leading cause of blindness in working-age adults globally, yet ~50% of people with diabetes never receive the annual retinal screening required by clinical protocols. CheckEye directly addresses this gap by making specialist-level diagnostics accessible at population scale.
Since the EIT Health Catalyst Award (2025), CheckEye has screened over 15,000 individuals across five countries (Ukraine, Germany, Austria, Romania, UK), achieving 93–95% sensitivity and 90% specificity in diabetic retinopathy detection. A Ministry of Health of Ukraine pilot (October 2024–March 2025) screened 870+ diabetic patients in Odesa and Chernihiv regions; 25% were referred for immediate treatment. An estimated 90 individuals have had blindness prevented through timely detection. In rural Ukraine, 30% of screened diabetic patients had undiagnosed diabetic retinopathy.
The project has raised over $750,000 from EIT Health, EBRD, Google for Startups, and others, and has been recognized with the EIT Health InnoStars Awards 2024 (first Ukrainian company to win), the Panacea AI Excellence Award (Roche partnership), and Best Poster at the 8th OCT&Retina Forum, Milan. Key partners include the Ukrainian Ministry of Health, Roche, University of Malta, and Plug and Play.
CheckEye’s vision is to make retinal imaging a universal chronic disease risk tool — a single 3-minute test detecting risk across 50+ conditions affecting 2.5 billion people globally, deployable without specialist infrastructure anywhere in the world.
Ryan®: An AI Wellness Ecosystem for Healthy Longevity
Catalyst Sponsor: U.S. National Academy of Medicine
Affiliation: DreamFace Technologies, LLC
Principal Investigator
Mohammad H. Mahoor
Co Investigators
Eshrat Emamian
Abstract
The NEED: By 2050, ~1.6 billion people will be age 65+ (WHO); dementia prevalence will reach 139 million; late-life depression affects ~14% of adults 60+. Roughly 77% of Americans 50+ want to age at home, yet continuous wellness, cognitive, and mental-health support is unavailable outside expensive institutions, and the geropsychology workforce to deliver it is not coming.
The PROJECT: Ryan® is DreamFace’s clinically validated, commercially deployed AI wellness ecosystem built to close that gap for community-dwelling older adults aging in place. Three forms share one tested AI core: the Ryan® V5.0 Wellness Robot (deployed at Eaton Senior Communities, CO, and St. Francis Health Services of Morris, MN); the MyRyan® Mobile App in 12 languages (pilot at Ascent Living Communities); and a forthcoming smart-ring integration for passive sleep, activity, and heart-rate sensing. Ryan® detects early signs of cognitive decline and depression, delivers evidence-based engagement and therapy, and tracks wellness across the ICAA Seven Dimensions.
The EVIDENCE: In the NIH/NIA-funded R44 in-home study (N=18 older adults with early-stage AD/ADRD, 8–10 weeks), Ryan® produced a mean 3.3-point improvement on SLUMS (cognition; higher is better) and 2.88-point improvement on PHQ-9 (depression; lower is better), with 887 voluntary hours (mean 46 min/day) and no novelty effect — comparable to or exceeding Cognitive Stimulation Therapy benchmarks (Cochrane SMD 0.41), delivered autonomously in the participant’s home.
The HUMAN IMPACT: Two months with Ryan® moved depression scores toward minimal and cognition back into the normal range — the difference between continuing to live independently and transitioning to higher care. Delivered without travel, without a specialist, in the participant’s own language, this is a working model of healthy aging in place. With rapid advances in Agentic AI, the Grand Prize would scale Ryan® to support healthy aging in homes worldwide.
Third Place Winner
Optimal Health for the Oldest Old: Redefining Metrics and Translating Healthy Longevity
Catalyst Sponsor: Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences
Affiliation: Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Chinese Academy of Preventive Medicine)
Principal Investigator
Xiaoming Shi
Co Investigators
Chen Mao; Yuebin Lv; Kai Yu
Abstract
Overweight, hypertension and dyslipidemia are prevalent in older adults, but optimal thresholds for the oldest old remain undefined, and key determinants of healthy longevity across aging stages are poorly understood. This project addresses this critical question in the Chinese population and is the first to establish optimal ranges for blood pressure, lipids, and BMI in the oldest-old, correcting misconceptions that led to inappropriate care. The study shows that adopting a healthy lifestyle even in late life directly promotes longevity and reveals an age-dependent shift in its determinants: leisure activities dominate in early old age, while dietary nutrition becomes paramount in advanced old age, providing a basis for age-tailored interventions. The team has led the development of national standards for weight and blood pressure management in the oldest-old, establishing a scientific and feasible paradigm for precision geriatric health management. These achievements have effectively corrected health risk misjudgments for approximately 13 million individuals, yielding annual medical cost savings of approximately 20.45 billion RMB. The team has published over 40 high-quality SCI papers in leading international journals, including BMJ, European Heart Journal and Nature Aging. The work received the First Prize of the Chinese Preventive Medicine Association Science and Technology Award and was named among China’s Important Medical Advances for 2024, providing strong scientific support for the field. The findings have been incorporated into major international guidelines, including the World Health Organization’s World Report on Ageing and Health, European Society of Cardiology’s and International Anesthesia Society’s Blood Pressure Guidelines, and international age-specific BMI cut-offs, advancing global healthy aging practices. Next steps include expanding site coverage for national representativeness, conducting multi-omics studies to uncover aging mechanisms, developing nutritional supplements for older adults, and conducting rigorous clinical trials and implementation studies to extend healthy longevity and integrate proven interventions into community and geriatric care.
Honorable Mention Winners
From Musical Medicine to Adaptive Care Infrastructure: A Longitudinal Ecosystem for Healthy Longevity
Catalyst Sponsor: U.S. National Academy of Medicine
Principal Investigator: Elizabeth Murnane, Dartmouth College
Co-Investigators: Christina Tadin; Karen Fortuna
Abstract: The central challenge of healthy longevity is not necessarily a lack of effective interventions; it is sustaining their use and utility over time. Outside clinical settings, even well-validated therapies lose their impact as adherence falters, care fragments across stakeholders, and tools fail to adapt to evolving needs over time. This project addresses that gap by developing longitudinal, adaptive care infrastructure that delivers, interprets, and coordinates therapeutic support continuously across the full arc of aging. Beginning with a 2021 NAM Catalyst Award, the team designed music-based, movement-oriented interventions that sonify body movement to guide therapeutic exercise. A controlled study of the resulting system, MusicalPT, demonstrated significant improvements in exercise accuracy, movement consistency, and engagement compared to visual feedback and no-feedback control conditions, establishing music as a viable modality for adaptive therapeutic guidance. These findings also revealed a critical limitation: improved engagement within sessions does not guarantee sustained impact over time. This insight motivated development of CareInsights, an AI-enabled infrastructure that passively captures care interactions and generates narrative-based real-time guidance for caregivers and Family In The Loop (FITL), a collaborative platform that synthesizes longitudinal care data into tailored updates for clinical staff and family members. Both systems were co-designed and deployed across seven resource-constrained long-term care facilities over two years, demonstrating expert-comparable AI-generated care summaries, significant improvements in person-centered care scores, and sustained adoption without increased caregiver burden. The team is now integrating these systems into a unified platform with active translation into senior living, home, and community care settings, while extending the platform upstream toward early cognitive detection and outward into peer delivery networks. Overall, these components enable continuous support across the aging trajectory, from early detection through intervention, caregiving, and community engagement, establishing a new model of adaptive, person-centered care with potential for broad global impact on healthy longevity.
A Bioactive Artificial Saliva Spray to Improve Functional Health and Quality of Life in Older Adults
Catalyst Sponsor: Chile Agencia Nacional de Investigacion y Desarollo
Principal Investigator: Juan Carlos Forero Oliveros, Universidad de Valparaíso
Co-Investigators: Issis Luque Martinez; Paula Santana Sepúlveda; Fanny Guzmán Quimbayo
Abstract: Xerostomia (chronic dry mouth) is a prevalent and underrecognized condition in aging populations, commonly associated with polypharmacy, diabetes, and age-related physiological decline. Beyond discomfort, it impairs chewing, swallowing, and speaking, which are essential functions for nutrition, communication, and daily living. These limitations contribute to reduced quality of life and increased vulnerability in older adults. Despite this impact, current treatments are largely palliative and do not address the biological mechanisms underlying oral dysfunction. This project developed a bioactive artificial saliva in spray format designed to move beyond lubrication by combining hydration, antimicrobial activity, and support for oral tissue integrity. Since receiving the Healthy Longevity Catalyst Award in 2024, the project has advanced from concept to a functional prototype supported by preclinical validation and early clinical evidence. Two short bioactive peptide sequences were identified and incorporated into the formulation, demonstrating antimicrobial effects and promotion of fibroblast migration in vitro.
In a randomized, double-blind, cross-over pilot study in older adults with xerostomia, including participants with diabetes, the functionalized formulation produced greater reductions in xerostomia severity scores than placebo after seven days of use. Clinical observations also indicated improvements in mucosal hydration, reduction of visible oral dryness, and decreased gingival inflammation. The intervention was well tolerated, with high acceptability and no relevant adverse effects. These findings provide early evidence of impact in humans by improving patient-reported outcomes and observable oral tissue condition. By supporting oral function, which is central to nutrition, communication, and independence, this approach has the potential to contribute meaningfully to healthy longevity.
Ongoing work focuses on larger clinical validation and scale-up. This project aims to shift xerostomia care toward a function-oriented strategy with potential for broad implementation in aging populations.
Preventing Avoidable Blindness Through Smart Home-Monitoring of Vision
Catalyst Sponsor: United Kingdom Research and Innovation
Principal Investigator: Pete Jones, City St George’s, University of London
Co-Investigators: David Crabb; Joe Bacon
Abstract: Eye diseases affect 33% of adults aged 50+ (rising to 66% of those aged 80+), and can lead to loss of independence, reduced mobility, and diminished quality-of-life. Many conditions, such as glaucoma and macular degeneration, can be managed effectively. However, treatments depend on regular vision monitoring, currently delivered through resource-intensive hospital services that are becoming increasingly unsustainable as societies age. Hospital delays already contribute to frequent instances of avoidable blindness, highlighting a critical need for more patient-centered solutions.
Our goal is to transform how vision loss is detected and managed by enabling reliable vision assessments outside traditional clinical environments. Leveraging recent advances in digital computing and mobile connectivity, we combine low-cost consumer devices (phones, tablets) with smart, carefully designed software, in order to: minimize unnecessary hospital appointments by monitoring eye patients at home and in community settings; detect eye disease earlier, at a more treatable stage; and improve referral pathways by embedding vision testing within non-eye-care services (e.g., neurology, geriatrics).
Here we detail how, since our 2021 NAM Catalyst Award, we have continued to develop, refine, and expand our vision testing technologies. And how we have worked with a global network of clinicians to design and validate new care pathways: from innovative eye screening programs in sub-Saharan Africa, to rural telemedicine in the Australian outback. From minimizing unnecessary hospital visits for UK care home residents, to understanding the everyday consequences of sight loss in the US. We also describe how in future years we plan to use our portable technologies to improve everyday clinical care at scale, through the creation of a financially self-sustaining, clinically impactful social enterprise.
We are passionate about eye care. And we believe that by improving access to vision assessments we can reduce avoidable blindness and support healthy longevity by preserving people’s independence and quality-of-life.
Democratizing Cardiovascular Diagnostics: A Portable Lab-on-a-Chip for Healthy Longevity
Catalyst Sponsor: Academia Sinica
Principal Investigator: Jung-Tang Huang, National Taipei University of Technology
Co-Investigator: Jakkrapatr O.Baiyokvichit
Abstract: Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) remain the leading cause of mortality worldwide, disproportionately threatening the physical independence and healthspan of aging populations. The timely detection of acute cardiac events is the most critical factor in patient survival. However, current high-sensitivity diagnostic testing is inherently tethered to centralized hospital laboratories, delaying life-saving interventions by hours and severely disadvantaging rural or under-resourced communities.
To resolve this universal challenge, we have developed a fully portable, sub-$10 Lab-on-a-Chip (LOC) point-of-care system capable of accurately quantifying critical CVD biomarkers (cTnI, CK-MB, BNP) directly from a 10 µL drop of capillary blood in under 10 minutes. By employing a proprietary Magnetic Nanoparticle Swarm (MNPS) to actively concentrate targets, and utilizing the AlphaFold AI program to engineer a novel “”pre-docking”” aptamer architecture, our platform bypasses traditional mass transport limits. This breakthrough achieves sub-picogram sensitivity (< 1 pg/mL) and an ultra-stable electrochemical baseline without the need for expensive cleanrooms or automated pumps.
Having successfully optimized our manufacturing yields (1.8% failure rate) and secured full Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval, the project is currently staged for prospective clinical trial at the MacKay Memorial Hospital Intensive Care Unit. Grand Prize funding will catalyze the final transition of this technology into mass commercialization. Capital allocation will fully finance clinical execution, regulatory clearances (US FDA and TFDA), and a scalable transition to injection-molded thermoplastics for decentralized manufacturing.
Ultimately, this platform is a democratizing solution to achieve healthy longevity equity. By establishing a smartphone-connected, equipment-free diagnostic tool as ubiquitous as the modern glucose meter, we will facilitate a global paradigm shift from reactive, hospital-based treatment to proactive, decentralized health monitoring, ensuring that advanced age and geography no longer limit access to life-saving care.
ConCare: A Multimodal Contactless Sensing System for Early Neurodegenerative Detection and Continuous Elder Care
Catalyst Sponsor: Research Grants Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China, Hong Kong SAR
Principal Investigator: Chenshu Wu, The University of Hong Kong
Co-Investigators: None listed
Abstract: ConCare is a contactless sensing ecosystem for continuous care at clinical precision, designed to secure healthy longevity by addressing the “Rescue Vacuum” of acute falls and the “Data Vacuum” of insidious neurodegenerative decline. By integrating multiple modalities, such as WiFi, mmWave radar, infrared thermal arrays, ConCare provides 24/7, privacy-preserving monitoring without requiring wearables or user interaction. Since receiving the 2022 and 2024 Catalyst Awards, the project has achieved a major technical milestone with TaFall, a balance-informed fall detection system that achieved a 98.26% detection rate with a false alarm rate 1000x lower than the state-of-the-art, maintaining clinical efficacy in high-risk environments like bathrooms where traditional cameras are unacceptable. Beyond immediate safety, ConCare also explores nocturnal respiratory and sleep signatures as digital biomarkers to shift the diagnostic frontier for Parkinson’s Disease (PD). By identifying subtle physiological shifts, ConCare aims to provide an ultra-early warning potentially 5–10 years before overt motor symptoms manifest, creating a critical window for neuroprotective intervention. The project has demonstrated substantial clinical and commercial progress, securing over HK$6.39M in strategic investment and establishing R&D partnerships with West China Hospital and the HKU Sleep Lab. With multiple peer-reviewed publications and patents filed or granted, the team has introduced a fundamental innovation of signal processing-deep learning co-design for enabling continuous, contactless sensing in real-world settings. Ultimately, ConCare will transition geriatric care from infrequent clinical “snapshots” at “benchside” to continuous, home-based trajectories at “bedside”, replacing the reactive vulnerability of aging with a proactive foundation for dignity-filled longevity.
The Posterior Fulcrum Support Strategy: A Novel Paradigm for the Reduction and Global Promotion of Geriatric Hip Fracture Care
Catalyst Sponsor: Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences
Principal Investigator: Liangyuan Wen, Beijing Hospital
Co-Investigators: Ze Zhang; Fengpo Sun
Abstract: Geriatric hip fractures are a catastrophic threat to healthy longevity, with one-year mortality reaching 30%. The clinical bottleneck lies in a dangerous trade-off: conventional closed reduction often fails to correct complex sagittal displacements, while traditional open reduction—relying on invasive prying and clamping—inflicts massive “surgical hits” (blood loss and soft tissue disruption) that fragile elderly patients with multiple comorbidities often cannot survive.
To break this dilemma, we introduce the Posterior Fulcrum Support Strategy (PFSS). This is a fundamental paradigm shift from passive manual struggle to active mechanical correction. Utilizing a proprietary Rotating Crank Mechanism, PFSS establishes an extra-corporeal fulcrum that provides a calibrated, static mechanical lift to neutralize sagittal displacement. This de-couples the reduction phase from fixation, transforming a high-risk, experience-dependent “”art”” into a standardized, minimally invasive mechanical protocol.
Validated by over 300 clinical cases, PFSS significantly preserves physiological reserve by reducing operative time and blood loss, directly facilitating immediate post-operative mobilization and functional independence.
With the support of this Grand Prize, we will uniquely catalyze the transition from a clinical technique to a globally scalable digital infrastructure. We will integrate high-precision strain sensors to quantify reduction forces and develop an AI-driven surgical planning platform. This uniquely enables surgeons in low-resource settings to replicate elite-level precision, providing a cost-effective, hardware-agnostic solution to reduce global disability and fulfill the mandate of high-quality healthy longevity.
From Cath Lab to Bedside: A Non-Invasive AI Platform That Brings Intracardiac Pressure Measurement to Every Older Adult with Heart Failure
Catalyst Sponsor: EIT Health (Sweden)
Principal Investigator: Andrew J. Sauer, BJC Saint Luke’s
Co-Investigator: Kasper Bourdette, Filip Peters
Abstract: Heart failure affects millions of people worldwide and is a leading cause of hospitalisation, morbidity, and premature death. Accurate assessment of cardiac filling pressures – a cornerstone of heart failure management – has historically required invasive right heart catheterisation (RHC), limiting its routine use and contributing to delayed or suboptimal treatment decisions.
CAPTURE-HF (Evaluation of a novel maChine leArning model’s Performance for non-invasive inTracardiac pressURE monitoring in Heart Failure) is a prospective, multi-site, two-phase observational study conducted by Acorai to validate a non-invasive, AI-powered multi-sensor platform capable of estimating intracardiac hemodynamic parameters. The study enrolled 1,600 patients across 20 clinical sites in six countries, with over half recruited from U.S. centres. Phase 1 (n=1,300) provided data to train the machine learning algorithm, while Phase 2 (n=300) constituted a prespecified, prospectively validated cohort benchmarked against simultaneous RHC with blinded core laboratory oversight — representing the largest international study of its kind.
Topline results, presented as late-breaking science at the Heart Failure Society of America Annual Scientific Meeting in September 2025, demonstrated strong diagnostic performance. For elevated pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP >15 mmHg), the device achieved an AUC of 0.821, sensitivity of 86%, and a negative predictive value (NPV) of 90%. For elevated right atrial pressure (RAP >10 mmHg), AUC reached 0.852, sensitivity 87%, and NPV 97%. Performance remained stable across subgroups, including varying ejection fraction and patient demographics.
These results position Acorai’s platform as a clinically meaningful point-of-care tool for ruling out haemodynamic congestion, supporting safer discharge decisions, and enabling personalised therapy titration, without the risks and cost of invasive procedures. By democratising access to hemodynamic data, CAPTURE-HF advances the prospect of proactive, data-driven heart failure management, with direct implications for extending healthy longevity in an ageing global population. Regulatory submissions to the FDA and European authorities are planned for 2026.
Development and Clinical Application of Ostrich-Derived Freeze-Drying Small Diameter Decellularized Vascular Graft
Catalyst Sponsor: Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development
Principal Investigator: Atsushi Mahara, National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center Research Institute
Co-Investigators:Yamaoka, Tetsuji; Yamanaka, Hiroki; Morimoto, Naoki; Ide, Junichi
Abstract: Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) affects over 200 million people globally, and for thousands of older adults each year, complete arterial occlusion below the knee leads to major limb amputation simply because they lack a usable donor vein for bypass surgery. With a five-year post-amputation mortality exceeding that of many aggressive cancers, this represents a catastrophic loss of healthspan. Currently, no clinically viable vascular graft exists for vessels smaller than 4 mm: synthetic grafts thrombose rapidly, and tissue-engineered alternatives demand months of cell culture or cryogenic logistics that exclude frail, diabetic, dialysis-dependent, rural, and low-income patients.
This project, led by Dr. Atsushi Mahara at Japan’s National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center, has developed the world’s first dry, off-the-shelf, small-caliber vascular graft, engineered from food-grade ostrich carotid arteries and functionalized with a patented nano-peptide that recruits the patient’s own endothelial cells to form a living luminal lining. Shipped at room temperature, electron-beam sterilized, and ready to suture within one hour of bedside rehydration, the graft eliminates the cold-chain barriers that have kept regenerative vascular medicine out of reach for most of the world.
Since the NAM Catalyst Award, the team has achieved 100% acute patency in mini-pig femoral artery replacements without anticoagulation, completed ISO 7198, ISO 10993, and JIS T0806-2 validation, secured funding, published four peer-reviewed papers in 2025, filed a joint packaging patent with JMS Co. Ltd., established raw-material supply through Yoshinoya/SPEEDIA, and incorporated the spin-out Dicelink Bio Inc. (October 2025) to drive first-in-human trials by 2027.
By 2035, the platform aims to treat over 100,000 patients across four regions, halve major amputations in eligible populations, and contribute more than 100,000 years of independent, mobile, dignified life—directly advancing healthy longevity for the world’s aging population.
Multi-Tissue Platform for Next-Generation Mechanistic Dissection and Therapeutic Targeting of Sarcopenia
Catalyst Sponsor: Ministry of Health and National Research Foundation of Singapore
Principal Investigator: Teh Bin Tean, National Cancer Centre Singapore
Co-Investigators: Hong Xiang Frederick Koh; Min Wen Jason Chua; Chak Ming Leung; Ching Ann Tee
Abstract: Sarcopenia is a progressive and under-recognised condition characterised by decline of skeletal muscle mass, strength, and regenerative capacity, contributing to frailty, loss of independence, and reduced healthspan in ageing populations. It is strongly associated with ageing and is exacerbated by metabolic disease, chronic illness, and physiological stress. Current clinical approaches remain largely reactive and fail to address underlying mechanisms, highlighting a need for predictive, biology-driven strategies for healthy longevity. Although sarcopenia is a multi-tissue disorder involving skeletal muscle, adipose tissue, cartilage, and bone driven by complex inter-tissue signalling, most studies remain single-tissue focused, limiting mechanistic understanding and therapeutic translation. A key gap exists in integrating multi-tissue molecular interactions to define drivers of functional decline and identify interventions that preserve tissue function during ageing. This proposal integrates multi-omics, next-generation multi-tissue cell banking, AI/ML, and advanced 3D organoid and organ-on-chip modelling to address this gap. We will generate multi-omics datasets from patient-derived skeletal muscle and adipose tissues and integrate them using AI/ML frameworks to reconstruct inter-tissue networks, identify molecular signatures of degeneration, and prioritise longevity-associated targets. To enable validation, we will establish a first-ever, serum-free sarcopenia biobank of muscle, adipose, and cartilage cell lines, supported by a defined induction roadmap for reproducible control of developmental states, leveraging automated high-throughput screening, spent media analysis, and ML-enabled in silico screening of large virtual libraries. These platforms will enable development of reproducible 3D organoids and multi-tissue organ-on-chip systems that recapitulate ageing-associated interactions in physiologically relevant conditions, supporting mechanistic validation and therapeutic screening of phytochemicals. Collectively, this programme establishes an integrated multi-tissue framework to decode mechanisms of musculoskeletal ageing and enable next-generation interventions aimed at preserving function, extending healthspan, and advancing healthy longevity. This will accelerate translation towards precision strategies for ageing intervention and multi-system healthspan optimisation in human populations at scale over time globally.
