Professor David Weinkove, Chair of the British Society for Research on Ageing (BSRA), will be representing the Society at Nutra Healthspan Summit on the 12th-13th November in London, an international gathering bringing together scientists, industry leaders in the nutrition space, and innovators working to extend healthy human lifespan. His attendance signals an important step in advancing the BSRA’s vision: to encourage and support research that will ultimately help people slow biological ageing and thereby remain healthier and free of disease for longer
For the BSRA, engaging with industry and translation-focused events such as the Nutra Healthspan Summit is one way that we realise our vision. Representing the basic scientific advances of our membership to industry audiences enables opportunities for collaboration amongst commercial partners and is one of the pillars of the Society’s strategy. As the field of ageing science increasingly intersects with nutrition, wearables, biotechnology, and consumer health, these dialogues are essential for ensuring that robust, evidence-based research guides innovation. The BSRA’s involvement helps to keep scientific integrity at the centre of discussions that can sometimes become dominated by hype. David Weinkove, Chair of the BSRA said “By representing the Society at events like the Nutra Healthspan Summit, the BSRA continues its commitment to ensuring that conversations about ageing interventions are grounded in sound science, and helping industry and the public hear the voices of our scientific community”.
The Summit also presents an opportunity to advocate for funding, academia-industry links, and policy support for ageing research. A diverse group of speakers include representatives from the UKRI, Buck Institute, Nestle, and L&G Insurance, and representatives for multiple investment funds. As Weinkove notes, “Developing relationships across academia and industry not only enriches the research ecosystem but also allows researchers from both areas to work together to achieve common goals, such as keeping people healthier for longer”.
By participating in the Nutra Healthspan Summit, Professor Weinkove will not only represent our BSRA community but also reinforce its broader mission to bring scientists together, enable translation, advocate for research funding, and support evidence-based education about ageing biology. These engagements also help build relationships within the ageing space, so we can work together to solve the grand challenges of an ageing society.