This method to reverse cellular ageing is about to be tested in humans

Ledford, Heidi

3 min read Original article ↗

A burgeoning field is launching its first clinical trial to find out whether dialling back cell development can safely refresh aged tissues and organs.

Close-up portrait of an elderly woman during a funeral ceremony, Indonesia with young child's face in the background.

Technologies to refresh ageing tissue have become attractive targets for investors. Credit: Jean-Christophe Plat/Gamma-Rapho/Getty

Yuancheng Ryan Lu could barely breathe while he waited for his labmate to adjust the microscope focus.

Nature 652, 291-293 (2026)

doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-026-01024-7

Updates & Corrections

  • Correction 21 April 2026: The graphic in this article had an inaccurate label for the Yamanaka factor SOX2.

References

  1. Lu, Y. et al. Nature 588, 124–129 (2020).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Takahashi, K. & Yamanaka, S. Cell 126, 663–676 (2006).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Singh, P. B. & Zacouto, F. J. Biosci. 35, 315–319 (2010).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Ocampo, A. et al. Cell 167, 1719–1733 (2016).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Doeser, M. C., Schöler, H. R. & Wu, G. Stem Cells 36, 1216–1225 (2018).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. de Lázaro, I. et al. Mol. Ther. 27, 59–75 (2019).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Chen, Y. et al. Science 373, 1537–1540 (2021).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Rodríguez-Matellán, A. et al. Stem Cell Rep. 15, 1056–1066 (2020).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Macip, C. C. et al. Cell Reprogram. 26, 24–32 (2024).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Berdugo-Vega, G. et al. Neuron 114, 1102–1116 (2026).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Subjects

Latest on: