In this article, Professor Richard (Rich) Allsopp reviews a new book called Reversal by Dr. Michael Fossell, MD. doctor of medical sciences. Dr. Fossel is an eminent physician-scientist and pioneer in telomere biology. He is also chairman of the biotech company Telocyte, which is developing a telomerase treatment for Alzheimer’s disease.
About the return
Rebound: Science, Medicine, and the Future of Postaging the last work of Dr. Michael FossellMD, PhD.
As a Stanford-trained neuroscientist and former clinical professor of medicine at Michigan State University, Fossel has spent decades at the frontiers of aging science. He is the author of several important texts, including international bestsellers Reversal of human aging and The telomerase revolution (listed by both as one of the best science books of the year The Times London and Wall Street Journal) and the founder Rejuvenation research journal.
In Come backhe claims that we are on the verge of treating aging itself—not just its symptoms—offering practical guidance on lifestyle and therapies, while envisioning a near future in which artificial interventions will significantly extend healthy human lifespans.
Review
Ever since the dawn of modern civilization, mankind has sought immortality. This is as true today as it was thousands of years ago. Come back gives a fascinating description of how we can not only slow down the aging process, but reverse it. It begins by clearly explaining what aging is and is not, and how it differs from age-related diseases. From start to finish, there are many real-world analogies that are very relevant and make it easier to understand more complex concepts related to aging and longevity. Come back also provides an unprecedented and in-depth discussion of the role of telomeres in human aging and makes the case for why altering telomere length can reverse aging in general.
It also provides an excellent description of the strengths and weaknesses of using AI to improve diagnosis in the elderly as well as develop future therapies for healthy aging.
Simply put, Reversal is a must-read for people of all ages who are interested in living a longer, healthier life.
This book is an intellectual adventure that is essential reading for those interested in aging or the future of medicine. Brilliantly written and a comprehensive revision of the aging process, it offers a new perspective on aging and how tremendous advances in many fields, including AI, are enabling new and more promising insights and interventions that have the potential to transform the human experience.
In Newtonian terms, Dr. Fossel points out that the sea of knowledge is opening and that it is worth rethinking the aging paradigm in its entirety.
About Comment
Professor Richard Allsopp holds the position of professor of physiological sciences at Alfaisal University Medical College, Saudi Arabia, and was previously a professor at John A. Burns, University of Hawaii. He holds a BSc (Honours) from the University of Waterloo and a PhD in Biochemistry from McMaster University, where he was one of the first researchers to link telomere shortening to cellular aging.
Rich’s later career included postdoctoral fellowships at the Geron Corporation and Stanford University—where he cloned the telomerase reverse transcriptase gene and studied the role of telomerase in stem cell aging—before moving on to the academic faculty.
His research in Science, Natural medicineand PNASfocusing on telomere and telomerase biology in relation to human aging and longevity, including a long-term NIH-funded collaboration to study Longevity gene FOXO3.
