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'Delaying ovarian aging can extend healthspan?' Reproductive medicine's new paradigm emerges

From Hankyoreh · () Korean

Translated from Korean, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

In-depth Sources not specified Context piece
  • Researchers are exploring the link between delaying ovarian aging and extending overall healthspan, moving beyond just fertility.
  • A recent international conference highlighted new research connecting reproductive medicine and longevity, viewing the ovaries as regulators of systemic aging.
  • Experts discussed strategies for treating reproductive aging, anti-aging technologies, and extending women's healthspan, emphasizing international collaboration.

A paradigm shift is emerging in reproductive medicine, with researchers increasingly focusing on delaying ovarian aging not just to extend fertility, but to potentially slow down systemic aging and the onset of chronic diseases. This burgeoning field, known as longevity science, is gaining global momentum.

An international conference hosted by CHA Medical Group brought together over 700 experts in reproductive medicine and aging research. The central theme was reframing the ovary's role from solely a reproductive organ to a key regulator of overall aging. Uri Alon, a professor at Israel's Weizmann Institute, presented findings from an analysis of over 300 million lab data points on menopause, emphasizing that future medicine should target aging itself, not just individual diseases like cancer or cardiovascular conditions.

The future of medicine should not stop at treating individual diseases like cancer or cardiovascular disease, but should move in the direction of slowing down aging itself.

— Uri Alon, Professor at Israel's Weizmann InstituteStressing the need for a shift in medical focus from disease treatment to aging intervention.

Presentations at the conference showcased cutting-edge research. Topics included telomere genetics in ovarian aging (Yushin Y. Shin, Columbia University), age reprogramming beyond the ovaries (Guanghui Liu, Chinese Academy of Sciences), and the impact of ovarian inflammation on reproductive and healthspan (Jong-Wei Huang, National University of Singapore).

The ovary should be viewed not as a reproductive organ, but as an organ that regulates systemic aging.

— Conference ThemeSummarizing the core new perspective on the ovary's role presented at the conference.

Discussions also covered expanding fertility treatments, innovation, equity, and global demand (Jared Robins, ASRM CEO), the role of mitochondrial dysfunction in ovarian aging and potential treatments (Paula Amato, Oregon Health & Science University), and the future of anti-aging therapies and reproductive aging interventions (Brian Kennedy, National University of Singapore).

Experts underscored the growing potential of ovarian function as a biomarker for women's healthspan and called for increased international cooperation and research investment. Cha Kwang-Yol, head of CHA Bio Group's global research institute, expressed plans to expand integrated research connecting fertility treatments with systemic aging and healthspan extension.

We plan to actively expand integrated research that connects infertility treatment with systemic aging and healthspan.

— Cha Kwang-Yol, CHA Medical Group and CHA Bio Group Global Research Institute DirectorAnnouncing the future research direction of the CHA Medical Group.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Hankyoreh in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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