UCLA alumnus Dr. Valter Longo (Ph.D. ’97, Biochemistry, Valentine), a prominent researcher in the field of aging, longevity, and nutrition, was recently featured in an extensive article in the New York Times.

The article, titled “To Live Past 100, Mangia a Lot Less: Italian Expert’s Ideas on Aging”, was featured in the March 25, 2024, issue of the New York Times.

The article discusses Longo’s efforts in Italy to address the challenges of an aging population by implementing his research findings on nutrition, fasting, and healthy aging. It highlights Longo’s collaboration with Italian policymakers and local communities to promote healthy lifestyle changes and preventive measures against age-related diseases. The article also examines Italy’s unique cultural attitudes towards aging and health, and how Longo’s work is influencing public health initiatives in the country.

Longo earned his bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry from the University of North Texas and his Ph.D. in Biochemistry from UCLA in 1997 under the mentorship of Professor Joan Valentine and Dr. Edith Gralla. He then pursued postdoctoral research at the Andrus Gerontology Center, Neurobiology, at the University of Southern California, working with Professor Caleb E. Finch.

Currently, Longo holds the position of Edna M. Jones Professor of Gerontology and Biological Sciences and serves as the Director of the Longevity Institute at the University of Southern California – Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, Los Angeles, a leading center for research on aging and age-related diseases. Additionally, he is the Director of the Longevity and Cancer Program at the IFOM Institute of Molecular Oncology in Milan, Italy. Longo has authored numerous scientific papers and books on the subject of longevity.

 

Penny Jennings, UCLA Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, penny@chem.ucla.edu.