More than 160 speakers to present as the world’s largest aging drug discovery conference opens its doors.
In the glorious settings of The University of Copenhagen, the largest conference on aging in the biopharmaceutical industry kicks off its proceedings today, beginning a full week of sessions, speakers and workshops. The 11th annual Aging Research and Drug Discovery conference (ARDD) once again brings together the world’s leading authorities on the science of aging and how to target the aging process in humans to enable healthier and longer lives for all.
In addition to ARDD’s always stellar academic lineup, the 2024 conference boasts an incredibly strong presence from leading biotech companies in the aging field, further boosted by the presence of pharma companies including Lilly, Lundbeck, Novartis, Regeneron and others. Another significant focus of this year’s event is on longevity medicine, with an entire track dedicated to the translation from basic science towards the clinic and the implications for practicing physicians.
Alongside Insilico Medicine boss Alex Zhavoronkov, ARDD is chaired by University of Copenhagen professors Morten Scheibye-Knudsen and Daniela Bakula.
“I’m extremely happy about the program – we have an incredible lineup of world leading speakers,” said Scheibye-Knudsen. “In fact, there are more than 160 speakers and presenters at this year’s meeting. I cannot wait for it to start!”
Echoing her colleague’s enthusiasm for the program, Bakula told us that the conference “promises a deep dive into the fundamentals of aging, potential interventions, the pharma industry’s role, and strategies for getting these interventions to the public.”
“It’s crucial to bridge these areas—understanding the science of aging is just the beginning,” she added. “Translating this knowledge into interventions, with the support of the pharma sector, is where we can truly make a difference.”
In a first for the conference, ARDD is partnering with XPRIZE Healthspan, a $101 million global competition to revolutionize our approach to aging, which will host its first Team Summit at the event.
“As always we try to add new aspects to ARDD in light of the exponentially growing field of aging research,” said Scheibye-Knudsen. “I’m very excited about hosting XPRIZE Healthspan’s summit which is another incentive for the field to perform translational research. I am also very much looking forward to the more theoretical discussion that we will see at the physics of aging workshop.”
Bakula also highlighted the all-new Startup Pitch competition, where early-stage companies will make their case to a panel of industry experts and investors.
“This is a fantastic opportunity for emerging companies to showcase their innovative solutions, gain visibility, and connect with industry leaders for potential partnerships or investment,” she said. “It is going to be an inspiring event full of collaboration and cutting-edge ideas!”
