According to the United Nations, the proportion of people aged over 65 now outnumber children younger than 5. The enormous growth in the elderly population is posing a socioeconomic challenge to societies worldwide, and necessitates new sweeping interventions for age-associated diseases.
This year we have an incredibly exciting program with global thought-leaders sharing their latest insights into aging and how we target aging process ensuring everyone lives a healthier and longer life.
Welcome to the 13th Aging Research and Drug Discovery Meeting.
Main Program, October 1-3
Longevity Medicine Forum, October 1
AI in Drug Discovery Forum, October 2
Pet and Animal Longevity Forum, October 3
Virtual Cell in Time: Virtual Aging Cell Forum, October 3
Multiple High-profile Invite-only receptions

Speakers ARDD 2026

Leaders in the aging and longevity field will describe the latest progress in the molecular, cellular and organismal basis of aging and our search for interventions.

    More speakers to be announced

    ARDD 2026 Sponsors

    Tier 1 Sponsors
      Tier 3 Sponsors
        Tier 4 Sponsors
          Tier 5 Sponsors
            Sponsorship is available in multiple tiers, including customized options.
            Inquiries: jpoganik@bwh.harvard.edu.

            Watch the presentations from the largest aging research and drug discovery meeting free at your own pace

            Chairs
            • Vadim Gladyshev
              Executive Chair
              Harvard Medical School
            • Jesse Poganik
              Co-Chair
              Harvard Medical School
            • Alex Zhavoronkov
              Co-Chair, Longevity Medicine Co-Chair
              Insilico Medicine
            • Morten Scheibye-Knudsen
              Co-Chair
              The University of Copenhagen
            • Daniela Bakula
              Co-Chair
              The University of Copenhagen
            • Evelyne Bischof
              Longevity Medicine Co-Chair
              Sheba Longevity Center
            • Maximilian Unfried
              AI in Drug Discovery Track Co-Chair
              National University of Singapore
            ARDD 2026
            Sole Knowledge Partner
            The McKinsey Health Institute is collaborating with leading scientific convenor ARDD – Aging Research & Drug Discovery – as its exclusive knowledge partner to advance evidence-based dialogue on healthy longevity. This collaboration between ARDD and MHI supports advancing healthy longevity across pharmaceutical and consumer innovation pathways, and enables continued engagement of these important stakeholders in the effort to help people live both healthier and longer lives.
            ARDD 2026 Organizer
            ARDD 2026 Media Partners
              ARDD 2026 Supporting Organizations
              People
              • Morten
                Scheibye-Knudsen
                with the ARDD team since 2016
              • Daniela Janina
                Bakula
                with the ARDD team since 2019
              • Alex
                Zhavoronkov
                with the ARDD team since 2014
              • Evelyne Yehudit
                Bischof
                with the ARDD team since 2021
              • Max
                Unfried
                with the ARDD team since 2022
              • Stephanie
                Tsang
                with the ARDD team since 2022
              • Vadim
                Gladyshev
                with the ARDD team since 2026
              • Jesse
                Poganik
                with the ARDD team since 2026
              Recommended Reading
              ARDD Quotes
              • Really enjoyed the breadth of talks and discussions.
                Michael Levitt
                Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2013
                Stanford
              • Phenomenal conference in the Rejuvenation Field.
                Steve Horvath
                Principal Investigator
                Altos Lab
              • Where one can learn about aging scientifically, clinically and in real life.
                Xingli Wang
                Fosun Global Partner
                Fosun Pharma
              • The ARDD event pioneers the future of healthy aging, driving breakthroughs in longevity research while opening a new era of cosmetic innovation
                Luc Aguilar
                Chief Scientific Officer
                L’ORÉAL R&I
              • The Aging Research and Drug Discovery Meeting was a great opportunity to see where the world is in terms of cutting edge research focused on the biology of aging and mechanisms that could help treat or prevent age-related disorders. It’s perhaps the preeminent meeting of this kind.
                David Glass
                Vice President, Research
                Regeneron
              • The ARDD 2024 conference was the ultimate go to meeting for ageing research, covering a broad range of topics from genetics, genomics, proteomics, basic molecular and biological mechanism to interesting validation of concepts in cellular systems and animal systems. The question underpinning the conference is gigantic and existential for mankind; how to prolong lifespan with maintained quality of life.
                As the head of R&D for Lundbeck, a pharmaceutical company focusing on diseases of the nervous systems, I find it challenging, still very intriguing and highly interesting to engage in the scientific community on the very topic of aging with maintained brain health. I am therefore very much looking forward to the 2025 ARDD conference, as another opportunity to build scientific networks and learn about the most recent research on longevity.
                Johan Luthman
                Executive Vice President, R&D
                Lundbeck
              • The ARDD conference has become the premier meeting in Europe to learn the latest advances in the biology of aging and development of medicines to delay it
                David Sinclair
                Harvard Medical School

              Amy Morgan

              University of Salford

              This was a great event which brought together academics and industry to find out about the latest developments the field of ageing.

              Peter Lidsky

              City University of Hong Kong

              It was an excellent meeting!

              Steve Austad

              University of Alabama at Birmingham

              The finest aging meeting there is for bringing diverse stakeholders together.

              Fabrizio d'Adda di Fagagna

              IFOM & CNR

              best aging meeting of the circuit

              Max

              Gero

              Just great

              Xiaodong Liu

              Westlake university

              Everything was perfectly arranged.

              Christoph Kuppe

              RWTH Aachen University

              Without doubt this conference is the BEST in ageing and longevity research!

              Pierre Jacob

              Heidelberg University

              Probably the best week of the year for me...

              Max Wilson

              University of California Santa Barbara

              ARDD was a unique mix of industry and academia where the cutting edge aging researchers were able to exchange ideas with biotech and pharma luminaries working on translation of these discoveries.

              Geoffrey West

              Santa Fe Institute

              By combining practitioners with basic research, particularly with physics in aging this was both a unique and a very stimulating meeting which I very much enjoyed.

              Trevor Archer

              Longevience

              Ageing insights

              Michael Schaeffler

              Cfm Oskar Tropitzsch GmbH

              It has been my first ARDD - but for sure not my last. - Great organisation!!!!

              Fedor Galkin

              Insilico Medicine

              The biggest event not just in aging research, but perhaps, in biomedical science in general

              Shahaf Peleg

              FBN Dummerstorf

              Fantastic conference - the meeting is a window showcasing the state-of-the art of aging research. It is THE annual event that brings the people in the field together, but also brings new people into the field.

              Marco Demaria

              European REsearch Institute for the Biology of Ageing (ERIBA)

              What I loved about ARDD 2025? Brilliant science, thought-provoking panels, and the kind of networking that turns colleagues into collaborators (and occasionally into late-night debate partners). A truly inspiring meeting -- thanks to the organizers!

              Tomas Lenz

              Longevience AB

              Very good service and a many interesting lectures

              Naveh Raz

              Weizmann Institute of Science

              ARDD had great speakers, great atmosphere and awesome vibes. I learned a lot, connected and just had fun.

              Wenting ZHAO

              Nanyang Technological University

              Dynamic interactions among academics, clinicians, and industry professionals. Lots of stimulating discussion. Really enjoyable!

              Bartlomiej Piechowski-Jozwiak

              Institute for Healthier Living Abu Dhabi

              I truly appreciate being a part of ARDD 2025 and meeting world leaders in the field of healthy longevity

              Anonymous

              Unique opportunity for industry and academic research to come together

              Joao Pedro Magalhaes

              University of Birmingham

              ARDD has become the premier event in longevity pharmacology, drawing hundreds of participants with tremendous enthusiasm and energy.

              Lingyan Shi

              University of California, San Diego

              To advance anti-aging and rejuvenation technology, we need to focus on reality, as Nature and time can't be fooled.

              Laura Niedernhofer

              UMN

              The science is phenomenal and represents state-of-the-art research in healthspan extending research globally from academic and industry leaders. There is a magical, collaborative atmosphere.

              LEMAITRE

              INSERM

              ARDD 2025 delivered a unique rigorous and forward-looking program. It is an excellent meeting to challenge ideas and initiate new collaborations

              Thomas Guttenberger

              Metacoder AI

              Outstanding event which delivers a huge volume of educational content on the state of the art in aging and drug discovery research. ARDD offers great opportunities to network with established leaders and rising stars in the field over meals and beverages, which were all generously provided for. Returning for the second year, seeing familiar faces, and making lasting connections was a pleasure and I am very glad to have participated once again. I highly recommend this event for medical researchers, entrepreneurs, or enthusiasts alike.

              Marija Cvijovic

              Mathematical Sciences, University of Gothenburg

              The ARDD conference was exceptionally well organized, with a thoughtfully curated program that brought together cutting-edge topics at the intersection of aging research, drug discovery, and AI. It was inspiring to see how the event set an example for how industry and academia can engage productively, bridging perspectives to drive innovation forward. ARDD truly demonstrated how conferences can not only share knowledge but also shape the future of the field.

              Sharon Rosenzweig-Lipson

              Life Biosciences

              ARDD is an invaluable meeting that bridges basic science with clinical translation, making it a leading forum for advancing aging research and drug discovery. It’s an incredible opportunity to engage with a global community of scientists and industry leaders who share the goal of extending healthspan by targeting the biology of aging. I was proud to present Life Biosciences’ progress in cellular rejuvenation, and as an ARDD sponsor, we were able to highlight our pioneering work while fostering relationships that will help move the entire field forward.

              Sarah Aubrey

              Maxwell Biosciences

              I am VERY impressed with the quality of people and diverse range of ARDD attendees: academics, companies, medical doctors, investors, longevity enthusiasts, research scientists, thought leaders. Everyone attending was fully invested in absorbing the event content, having fun and forming lasting connections. This was by far the most engaged conference audience I've come across. Being surrounded by the energy of so many brilliant minds all invested in creating lasting change in the world for five days and nights provides a unique bonding experience. I am excited to see what the future holds as this amazing community works together to create long-term health & wellness globally!

              Andrea Heinz

              Department of Pharmacy, University of Copenhagen

              The conference featured an outstanding lineup of speakers, each offering novel insights and innovative perspectives into the field of aging research. The audience was highly engaged, representing a diverse range of research fields, which provided an excellent networking opportunity. Taken together, ARDD offers a unique chance to connect, share ideas, and stay at the forefront of current aging research. I look forward to the next ARDD.

              Adam Antebi

              Max Planck Institute for BIology of Ageing, Cologne, Germany

              ARDD 2024 was one of the most exciting meetings I have ever been to. It brought together great scientists from academia, biotech, and pharma, it promoted positive interactions for funding opportunities and startups,and created a great forum for brainstorming and hearing about transformative technologies in the workshops. And Alex’s proposal to Dominika most memorable!

              Albert-László Barabási

              Northeastern University

              We are at a pivotal moment. The stars have aligned to make real progress in understanding aging and ultimately extending longevity. I found ARDD to be the nexus where diverse perspectives converge, accelerating this progress.

              Alireza Haghighi

              Harvard Medical School

              Attending for the first time, I found the ARDD conference to be a remarkable forum for exchanging groundbreaking ideas and accelerating the science of healthy longevity. The collective commitment to pushing the boundaries of research and making a lasting impact is truly inspiring

              Andrea Maier

              National University of Singapore

              The ARDD is THE state-of-the-art event for entrepreneurs, scientists, clinicians and investors to shape the future of health optimization. It is not only scientifically stimulating, but also the most important meeting to build social interconnections within our field.

              Andreas Beyer

              University of Cologne

              ARDD2024 has been a very inspiring, high-quality scientific event

              Anthony Schwartz

              VitaDao

              ARDD was a wonderful conference that highlighted many recent advances in aging research. It was also great to see aging research translating into potentially life-saving and life-extending treatments for many age-related illnesses

              Arkadi Mazin

              Staff writer at Lifespan.io

              ARDD has a very particular vibe. It manages to be a hardcore longevity conference and at the same time, a lot of fun. Here, it’s easy to catch up with the latest research and breakthroughs in the field, have some quality time with old friends, and make new ones. For me as a journalist, ARDD is also a major source of stories that packs my interview schedule for months ahead.

              Björn Schumacher

              University of Cologne

              The ARDD2024 once again showcased the thrives that the field of the biology of aging has been making from discovery science to medical translation. For the first time we can now target the mechanisms of aging such as genome instability, which drives aging at the very root cause, while at the same time we can now quantify biological age thus enabling clinical testing of geroprotective interventions

              Brian Kennedy

              National University of Singapore

              Once again, ARDD has proven to be the best longevity conference of the year - diverse attendees with varied expertise, exciting talks and a perfect atmosphere. I am already looking forward to next year to see what they think of next.

              Christina Camell

              University of Minnesota

              As a first time attendee, the diversity of excellent research, and the ability to interact with companies or investors or the scientists performing work at the bench, that could be found at ARDD, provided a unique opportunity for me. I have never encountered this breadth of individuals at a conference. It was a wealth of new data, and included good conversation about my own research. I am already in conversation about experiments with international colleagues that I couldn't have met without attending ARDD.

              David Furman

              Buck Institute

              ARDD is the "must go" conference for aging science and longevity. It brings together world-renowned experts in the field of aging, as well as longevity investors and practitioners. The venue is outstanding, and the activities planned by the organizers are super fun!

              Ed Boyden

              MIT

              As an inventor, it was wonderful to learn about many open challenges in the fields of aging and longevity, for which we could build new tools. Great technologies should be driven by great questions and problems, and aging and longevity tie to many of the core questions and problems at the heart of diseases, human suffering, and human well-being.

              Emad Moeendarbary

              University College London

              ARDD continues to impress me with its interdisciplinary approach, bringing together cutting-edge research from across fields. This year was particularly remarkable, with scientists from diverse disciplines, such as bioengineering (organs-on-chips/ organoid fields), AI life models, and genetic medicine, all contributing invaluable insights. The synergy at the intersection of these fields was inspiring and essential for advancing our understanding of ageing and future longevity developments. I am honoured to be part of such a transformative event.

              Fedor Galkin

              Insilico Medicine

              ARDD2024 is probably one the best organized events I have ever attended. It was great to meet so many top anti-aging researchers in person, some of whom originally inspired me to start working in this field

              Filipe Cabreiro

              University of Cologne

              Presenting at the conference this year was a profound reminder of the power of collaboration and innovation. The exchange of ideas between Academy and Industry ignited a collective enthusiasm in the ageing field that will undoubtedly drive our future endeavors. It's inspiring to see how we can transform challenges into opportunities when the two worlds collide.

              Georg Fuellen

              Universität Rostock

              By a wide margin, the ARDD is the perfect place to meet both scientists and entrepreneurs who want to foster longevity science. So if you want long and healthy lives, ARDD is the conference to attend.

              Gil Blander

              InsideTrackers

              ARDD is the premier conference for anyone seeking the latest updates in aging research, science, and technology. I’ve attended for the past three years and plan to return next year. The event has helped me build valuable connections and friendships, as well as generate numerous leads. I highly recommend it to anyone in the field!

              Jan Vijg

              Albert Einstein College of Medicine

              I greatly enjoyed ARDD2024! This was certainly the best Geroscience meeting I ever attended. I liked especially the combination of basic science and applied research, the latter often by start-up companies. One major effect of ARDD is that many basic scientists now begin to take an active interest in translating and commercializing their own research. It is this what makes Geroscience blossom into a future of improved health span

              Jesse Potanik

              Harvard Medical School

              ARDD is one of the most important and exciting conferences in the aging field. The combination of speakers and attendees from across academic, pharma, biotech, and other sectors that the organizers achieved is truly unique, and the programs have been consistently excellent since I began attending. Notable features of the 2024 conference were the expanded representation by pharma and the dedicated sessions on XPRIZE healthspan, physics in aging, and longevity medicine. I am already looking forward with excitement to see what ARDD has in store for 2025.

              Jessica Davis Plüss

              Journalist at SWI swissinfo.ch

              This is a great event to find out about some of the early breakthroughs in aging research without the marketing spin and hype. I appreciated the mix of researchers from different countries as well as the reality check from pharma companies on how hard it is to bring aging drug discoveries to people. I would recommend having a media event that helps summarize some of the key discoveries or themes for a wider audience.

              Mar de Miguel

              Staff writer at BioWorld

              The ARDD conference is a unique high-level scientific meeting in aging research that facilitates discussions with the world’s leading experts in the field. Both at the preclinical level and for clinical trials, academics and start-ups present their work and outline new directions for the sector. In its latest edition in 2024, the organizers included workshops where researchers and company representatives discussed their methods and results in detail in a friendly atmosphere, similar to a lab meeting with team members. Everything takes place in beautiful Copenhagen, which is a plus!

              Matthew Key

              University of Southern Denmark

              The 11th ARDD meeting brought together the best of academia, industry, and innovative discourse under one roof, with the goal of advancing healthy aging for all. I am grateful for the organisers’ commitment to creating an inclusive platform, where researchers and entrepreneurs of all career stages can present diverse views on leading developments in the aging field

              Max Shokhirev

              Tally Health

              ARDD is a wonderful conference because it brings together researchers, clinicians, industry leaders, investors, and even big pharma to discuss longevity and aging against the beautiful backdrop of Copenhagen! We loved absorbing cutting edge science, catching up with colleagues, and establishing novel collaborations with new friends!

              Michael Ringel

              BCG

              ARDD is a premiere event in what is going to be the most important space for biomedical research in the future—how to extend healthspan and lifespan for everyone. It brings together a spectacular set of basic researchers, biotech entrepreneurs, investors, and large pharmaceutical company representatives to develop solutions and build connections for how we advance this cause

              Mogens Høgh Jensen

              University of Copenhagen

              The ARDD2024 was a fantastic event bringing the worlds leading researchers in the aging field together to a konference on the highest international level. As an invited speaker in the session 'Physics in Aging Biology' I experienced presentations with very high quality which put the scale for physical modelling on the highest level. The konference as a whole was excellently organized on the beautiful premises of Copenhagen University

              Naisha Shah

              BioAge

              The ARDD2024 conference was a fantastic opportunity to witness groundbreaking aging research and the translation of ideas into action, with participation from leading pharma, biotech, and academic experts. The event was brilliantly organized, not just for absorbing insights from top minds in the field but also for meaningful conversations and networking. I went home refreshed and buzzing with excitement about the future of aging research.

              Nicole Sirotin

              Institute for Healthier Living Abu Dhabi

              If I could describe my experience in one word, it would be connection. Witnessing the commencement of a shift towards a new clinical specialty called "healthy longevity medicine", we can see how applying systems thinking in biology and in technology can bring the latest evidence can be linked to actionable insights today. From the interrelation between AI technology and medicine to in-depth discussions on geroscience and senolytics, it is these connections that will allow us to achieve the future of healthy longevity medicine.

              Omer Karin

              Imperial College London

              The energy in this meeting was incredible. It was especially nice to see the engagement from interdisciplinary scientists, as success in this field will clearly require experimental, technological, and conceptual breakthroughs

              Reghav Seghal

              Healthy Longevity Clinic

              In the field of Aging and Longevity, most conferences tend to be either overly theoretical or heavily focused on business. ARDD stands out as one of the few meetings that strikes the ideal balance between academic translation and industrial scientific rigor. And this is why as a scientist and as an investor I thoroughly enjoy ARDD because it brings together the most diverse and distinguished group of leaders to discuss, deliberate and drive the field of aging and longevity forward

              Robin Mansukhani

              Deciduous Therapeutics

              ARDD continues to be one of the most enriching and scientifically exhilarating conferences in the healthspan community. It attracts some of the best academic and start-up talent in the world and is a beacon to understanding the advancements taking place in the longevity community

              Sara Hääg

              Karolinska Institute

              The ARDD conference keeps developing for each year and the ARDD2024 version was a great experience with the addition of different parallel sessions. I also enjoyed meeting so many friends and colleagues from around the world and the networking opportunities are endless. From now on, it is one of the essential yearly conferences for me!

              Sebastien Thuault

              Chief Editor of Nature Aging

              Not only does ARDD feature some cutting-edge research but it's also a great opportunity to meet and connect with various stakeholders, including newcomers, and sample views and opinions from different corners of the field. ARDD has a really positive vibe and I always end that last week of August in the beautiful city of Copenhagen feeling energized in spite of the long sessions and the intensity of the meeting! ARDD is one of those events in the aging and longevity space that you don't want to miss.

              Steve Horvath

              Altos Lab

              I will never forget the ARDD conference in Copenhagen in August 2024. The phenomenal talks by leading scientists on promising rejuvenating interventions made me very hopeful for the future.

              Tae Seok Moon

              Professor at J. Craig Venter Institute

              I attended ARDD2024 for the first time because I was invited to give a talk. As a synthetic biologist who entered the field of aging research in 2024, I learned tremendously from the presentations and discussions. Life is short, and longevity research is long, so why don't we start it now by learning from and attending ARDD2025?

              Thomas Rando

              Stanford University

              ARDD has just become a go-to meeting in the aging and longevity space. No other meeting brings together such a diverse array of experts, ranging from academic research, the investment community, and the start-up/biotechnology world.

              Tzipi Strauss

              Sheba Medical Center

              It will be a pleasure for me to say that ARDD is by far the most educative academic and serious conference in the world of longevity and I hope more to come.

              Uri Alon

              Weizmann Institute of Science

              The Physics of Aging session was the first of its kind – truly revolutionary

              Vera Gorbunova

              University of Rochester

              ARDD is my favorite conference! The quality of the science was top notch, topics were exciting, and the atmosphere was inspiring and energizing.

              Vittorio Sebastino

              Turn.bio

              ARDD is one of the most remarkable conferences in the field. It brings together several reputable KOLs giving a deep and broad perspective of where the science is and soon will be and the clinical implementations of such discoveries. ARDD is a think tank and a must for those who want to make a tangible difference in healthy aging research

              Yuta Lee

              Accelerated Biosciences

              What I love about ARDD is the breadth of strategies, depth of scientific knowledge, and the consistency of supportive and collaborative people that attend this meeting. No matter what strategies you believe in, for this one week in Copenhagen, we are united in spirit to strive for healthspan and lifespan. It is a truly inspiring event.

              Zoe Du

              Buck Institute

              ARDD was an exceptional event, uniting leaders from science, business, investment, and healthcare to accelerate progress toward living better, longer.

              Andrii Buvailo

              Co-founder & publisher BioPharmaTrend.com

              It was my first ARDD event and I've immediately become a fan of this yearly series! It was very unlike a typical conference, Instead, it was like a scientific and business club of the highest caliber. People shared cutting edge research, ideas, networked and conducted business, but also had a lot of fun in such a natural way and so relevantly, it felt like the whole event was designed to be a thematic party.
              But the true value was the level of insight. The organizers managed to strike a rare balance between strategic or even educational presentations, and deeply technical ones, sharing cutting edge advances in science and tech. You can judge the quality of the event when you attend the last lecture of the day at 20.30 and the hall is literally packed...Not a typical thing at a conference"