Through the power of the human mind, we have been able to achieve anything we have dreamt

of. From wireless communication to electric self-driving cars. From smartphones to rockets. You
name it and we have made it. But there’s one thing we have not been able to obtain. And that
ladies and gentlemen is time.

Time has been a variable in everyone’s life. Most people do not dream of a life beyond 80 years.
And even if they do, the image that presents itself is one of a decrepit person who can barely
walk or talk. Only 1.9 percent of the world population reaches the age of 80 to 99.

So, what if I told you, that you could live up to more than 120 years. And that your body would
be better looking and healthier than it is now. Most of you would think that it is impossible, its
madness, its not scientifically possible. But, ladies and gentlemen, let me tell you right here and
right now, that we, have found a way.

Ladies and gentlemen today I’m going to be sharing with you the 3 breakthroughs that will allow
us to accomplish giving humans a longer healthier life. These breakthroughs are Stem cells,
Exosomes and VSEls.

STEM CELLS
Okay lets start off with stem cells.

A stem cell is a cell with the unique ability to develop into specialized cell types in the body.
Basically, it’s a cell that has no function on its own but can transform into other cells in the body,
say a muscle cell or a blood or nerve cell. Stem cells provide new cells for the body as it grows
and replace specialized cells that are damaged or lost due to disease or age. Did you know that
the lining of your intestine is replaced completely after just 4 days thanks to stem cells.

Stem cells basically have two unique properties that enable them to do their function:

 They can divide repeatedly to produce new cells.

 As they divide, they can change into the other types of cells that make up the
body.

Scientists are currently using stem cells to treat different diseases. leukemia which is a form of
bone cancer that affects RED blood cell production is being treated by method of injecting stem
cells into the affected bone. The stem cells divide and transform into red blood cells that are used
by the patient’s body.

KINDS OF STEM CELLS

Scientists have 3 kinds of stem cells at their disposal for medical treatment and research. These
are :

 Adult or tissue specific

 embryonic stem cells
 And lastly Induced pluripotent.

Adult or tissue specific stem cells can only divide into the type of cell of the tissue in which they
are present. Simply put if they are present in a muscle tissue they can only divide into muscle
cells.

Embryonic stem cells on the other hand have the ability to divide into any type of cell. Thus
they are called as “pluripotent”. These cells are found in embryos and are obtained by scientists
from leftover embryos donated willingly by patients from fertility clinics.

Lastly, we have the included pluripotent cells. These are regular cells of the body that have been
modified by scientists to behave like stem cells. As the name suggests they can become any type
of cell in the human body.

Stem Cells all in all are used to cure different diseases like Parkinson’s disease or diabetes and
heal injuries suffered by body organs. Stem cells replace the injured or malfunctioning cells. So
by studying the mechanism used by body to form new tissues scientists can develop patient
specific medicine and develop patient specific tissues to heal injuries.
The main topic of our conversation however was how to reduce old age. The tissues in our
bodies that have been worn out due to old age like the kidneys or pancreas can simply be made
healthier by replacing the old cells with healthy stem cells. Scientists are even working on ways
to replace entire orangs using stem cells with minimal risk or compatibility issues involved.

ADVENT OF INDUCED PLURIPOTENT STEM CELLS

Stem cell therapy gained notoriety in 2006 when scientists Shinya Yamanaka, together with
Kazutoshi Takahashi, discovered that it is possible to reprogram multipotent adult stem cells to
the pluripotent state. Thus the Induced pluripotent Stem cells came into the spotlight. Because
pluripotent cells can propagate indefinitely and differentiate into any kind of cell, they can be an
unlimited source, either for replacing lost or diseased tissues. IPSCs bypass the need for embryos
in stem cell therapy. Because they are made from the patient’s own cells, they are autologous and
no longer generate any risk of immune rejection.

The best stem cell source appears to be the fibroblasts, which is more tempting in the case of
logistics since its stimulation can be fast and easily controlled.

EXOSOMES
If I had to describe exosomes, I would say they are nanoscale messengers in our body.

Exosomes were discovered in 1983 and are miniscule “bags” that are secreted by cells in order
for intercellular communication. Exosomes are about one thousandth the size of an average cell.
They also play a role in tissue homeostasis and cell differentiation as well as organ development
and remodeling.

Exosomes were first identified as extremely small spheroidal single membraned vesicles secreted
from maturing reticulocytes (slightly immature red blood cells).

Exosomes are produced when proteins, micro-RNA and messenger RNA enter into an endosome
and form the exosome within the endosome. The exosomes are then secreted out of the cell
membrane. Exosomes were originally thought to be cellular garbage bags that exported waste
material from the cell.

Exosomes carry important cargo to other cells. Research has shown that exosomes help in neural
communication and boost our immune system. They also stimulate tissue regeneration, wound
healing and prevent infections. But sometimes the exosomes can malfunction. Cancer exosomes
have been found in body fluids like urine, blood and saliva in patients with cancer. These then
carry cancerous DNA and signals to other non-cancerous cells.
Moving on we have the many potential roles of exosomes to reduce life threatening diseases that
lower the chances of people living beyond their 70s.

EXOSOMES AS DRUG DELIVERY SYSTEM TO COMBAT BRAIN DISEASES

Exosomes can be used as targeted drug delivery systems. Scientists have presented and proved
this hypothesis by using immature dendritic cells (DCs). They used DCs derived from the bone
marrow of mouse as a source of exosomes and these exosomes were devoted as stimulatory
molecules. They purified the exosomes by ultracentrifugation method and used as cargo for
siRNA delivery both in in vitro and in vivo studies. They selected brain as a target tissue in body,
because it is believed that blood brain barrier (BBB) is the major obstacle in drug delivery to
central nervous system. Sealed functions of BBB are due to the capillary endothelial cells that
are tightly sealed by junctions and regulate the barrier functions. For ensuring targeted delivery
of exosomes, scientists used the novel strategy by utilizing an exosomal surface protein, that
display the targeted peptide on its surface. In this way Exosomes may be used to cure brain
diseases like Alzheimer’s and Multiple Sclerosis and brain cancer.

EXOSOMES AND PROTECTING THE HUMAN HEART FOR A LONGER LIFE

Exosomes are being used for cardiac protection. According to the world health organization the
world’s biggest killer is ischemic heart disease, responsible for 16% of the world’s total deaths

The adult human heart has limited regenerative capacity; hence, stem cell therapy has been
investigated as a potential approach for cardiac repair. However, a large part of the benefit of the
injection of stem and progenitor cells into injured hearts is mediated by secreted factors that is
exosomes. Exosomes released from mesenchymal stem cells, cardiac-derived progenitor cells,
embryonic stem cells, induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), and iPSC-derived cardiomyocytes
exhibit cardioprotective, immunomodulatory, and reparative abilities. Exosomes released from
stem and progenitor cells, particularly cardiac-derived progenitor cells, have demonstrated
therapeutic efficacy in preclinical models of ischemic heart disease. Exosome-based approaches
offer major theoretical advantages over cell therapies, suggesting a possibility that exosome
enriched fractions could supplement stem cells as therapeutic agents.

EXOSOMES AND CURING CANCER

Exosomes can be “injected” with the specific targeted molecules that target cancer cells and
destroy them. This would prove useful in the fight against cancer and since the exosomes will be
examined from the patient the medication will be personalized and more efficient. The exosomes
that target the cancer cells will also do no harm to the normal body cells.

Exosomes can also provide information about the content of the cell they came from. Using this
it can be determined if the parent cell is a normal or malignant cell.

Lastly, we have the VSELs:

VSELs
VSELs surprisingly stands for “Very small embryonic-like stem cells”. They are smaller than red
blood cells hence the name. They are the intermediate between embryonic stem cells (which are
considered morally unethical to use ) and fully developed cell. They are simply early
development stem cells.

It has been proposed that VSELs originate from cells related to the germ line, are deposited in
developing organs during embryogenesis, and play a role as a backup population for monopotent
tissue-committed stem cells. VSELs are quiescent but are activated during stress situations and
mobilized into the circulation.

So, what can we do to activate them from their quiescent state? The natural way through which
VSELs are activated is through extreme experiences like starvation, being in hot or cold
environment or doing strenuous exercise. But for activation in a clinical setting something else
must be done.
For this purpose lasers are being used. The laser is shined into the plasma and the VSELs are
activated.

The number of these cells decreases with age

So why use VSELs. You see embryonic stem cells have a risk of teratoma formation and life-
threatening arrhythmias and their potential histoincompatibility with unrelated patients. Similarly
Induced Pluripotent Stem cells have also been found to be at a risk of teratoma formation and
immunologic rejection and demonstrate genomic instability.
VSELs are extracted from the patient’s blood and then they are activated using light(laser) and
temperature. These then become adult pluripotent stem cells and are injected back into the
patient’s body along with powerful growth factors. This method has helped with inflammation
and autoimmune diseases such as Rheumatoid Arthritis and Ankylosing Spondylitis to name just
two. It has caused a significant reversal in Osteoporosis (which can be considered an
autoimmune disease) in less than a year of treatment.

AID IN TELOMERE EXTENSION

Another very interesting and important aspect about these cells is that they trigger the secretion
of Telomerase, the enzyme that restores the DNA telomere ends.

Telomeres are these caps like structures , much like ones on the end of shoe laces, on the end of
your chromosomes and get shorter each time a cell divides. The shortening of these telomeres
has been associated with aging and diseases linked with aging. Short telomeres are associated
with many different diseases ranging from cancer, osteoarthritis, diabetes, and many neurological
conditions including Alzheimer’s Disease.

Research has shown that VSELs properly extracted, concentrated, activated, and enriched with
the correct growth factors have yielded cells with increased telomere length, measured on white
blood cell leukocytes for up to six months after treatment. This is a repeatable procedure as well.

CROSSING THE BLOOD BRAIN BARRIER

VSELs are also small enough to pass through the blood brain barrier and can be used to treat
brain diseases.

ADVANTAGES OF VSELs

Unlike embryonic regenerative cells, however, they do not have known cancer-causing
properties. Also, they are found in infants, children and adults, rather than embryos. As such,
they present an ethical and potentially safer alternative to embryonic regenerative cells.

CONCLUSION
Having discusses these innovations in the world of medicine , I would like to conclude by saying
that no matter how good the quality of treatment is, there’s also another factor on which the
success of the treatment depends and that is how well do you take care of yourself.

The healthy habits you adopt and the healthy diet you take along with keeping up with the latest
breakthroughs in health and longevity is what the biohacker summit and university is all about.

All the talented and aspiring speakers of this event are part of the biohacker university, which is
a community of like minded individuals coming together to share and learn the best ways to love
longer healthier and more productive lives.

Thank you!