The quest for longevity has long been a driving force in medicine, inspiring kings, scientists, and pharmaceutical companies to explore new ways to extend life. Now, a team from the Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology (IIIT-Delhi) has made a significant breakthrough using Artificial Intelligence (AI) to identify molecules that promote healthy aging.
Researchers at IIIT-Delhi have developed AgeXtend, a cutting-edge AI-powered platform designed to accelerate the discovery of compounds with geroprotective (anti-aging) properties. Traditional research methods typically take years to identify promising candidates, but AgeXtend has drastically shortened this timeline. The team screened over 1.1 billion compounds over two years, resulting in several promising molecules validated through experiments on yeast, worms (C. elegans), and human cell models. Less than 1% of these compounds were found to have potential anti-aging properties.
AI at the Core of AgeXtend
According to Gautam Ahuja, one of the study’s authors from the Department of Computational Biology at IIIT-Delhi, AgeXtend uses AI to predict and identify compounds with anti-aging potential, assess their safety, and understand their biological effects. The platform analyzes the structure of new molecules to determine if they possess geroprotective qualities. What sets AgeXtend apart from other AI tools is its ability to explain the rationale behind its predictions. It reveals the mechanisms that make certain compounds effective against aging, providing valuable insights for further research and guiding future experiments.
Dr. Ahuja likens the tool to a GPS for researchers navigating the vast “chemical space” of potential compounds. He noted that AgeXtend had even identified well-known compounds like metformin and taurine for their anti-aging effects, despite having no prior knowledge of their properties.
A Major Leap in Longevity Research
The study, published in Nature Aging, is among the largest in the field, scanning a total of 1.2 billion molecules—a significant milestone. The compounds analyzed include those from commercial drugs, Chinese medicine, Ayurveda, and FDA-approved molecules.
Sakshi Arora, a PhD scholar at IIIT-Delhi and lead author of the paper, described AgeXtend as “a discovery engine unlocking new possibilities for promoting health and longevity.” The research team has made the platform’s code and data available as open source, allowing researchers and students to access it for free. For companies, the platform is available at a charge.
Moving forward, the IIIT-Delhi team is collaborating with pharmaceutical companies to explore the promising anti-aging compounds identified by AgeXtend, hoping to open up new avenues in the fight against aging.
This breakthrough marks a significant step forward in the use of AI in biotechnology and offers fresh hope for advancing the science of healthy aging.
