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David Sinclair
United States
Net Worth
$25M+
Source of Wealth
Harvard Genetics / Longevity Research
Global Rank
#136 of 157
About David Sinclair
David Sinclair is a professor of genetics at Harvard Medical School, co-director of the Paul F. Glenn Center for Biology of Aging Research, and one of the world's leading scientists in the field of aging and longevity. His book Lifespan: Why We Age — and Why We Don't Have To became a New York Times bestseller and presented the revolutionary thesis that aging itself is a disease — and one that can be treated.
Born and raised in Sydney, Australia, Sinclair earned his PhD from the University of New South Wales before moving to MIT as a postdoctoral researcher in the laboratory of Leonard Guarente, where he co-discovered the role of sirtuins — a family of proteins that play a critical role in aging and cellular health. This work launched his career as one of the most cited and influential aging researchers in the world.
At Harvard, Sinclair's laboratory has published groundbreaking research on NAD+ (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) precursors, resveratrol, and epigenetic reprogramming. His work on the Information Theory of Aging — the idea that aging is caused by the loss of epigenetic information, not just genetic mutations — has fundamentally shifted how scientists think about why we age and what can be done about it.
Sinclair was named to Time magazine's list of the 100 Most Influential People in the World and has been recognized with numerous awards including the NIH Director's Pioneer Award. He has co-founded multiple biotechnology companies, including Sirtris Pharmaceuticals (acquired by GlaxoSmithKline for $720 million) and Life Biosciences, to translate his research into therapies that could extend healthy human lifespan.
Key Achievements
Co-Discovered the Role of Sirtuins in Aging
At MIT, co-discovered that sirtuin proteins play a fundamental role in aging and cellular repair — a breakthrough that opened entirely new fields of longevity research and drug development.
Sirtris Pharmaceuticals: $720M Acquisition
Co-founded Sirtris Pharmaceuticals, which developed sirtuin-activating compounds including resveratrol analogs, and sold the company to GlaxoSmithKline for $720 million in 2008.
Lifespan: New York Times Bestseller
Published Lifespan: Why We Age — and Why We Don't Have To (2019), a New York Times bestseller that made the case to a mainstream audience that aging is a treatable disease, not an inevitable fact of life.
Time's 100 Most Influential People
Named to Time magazine's list of the 100 Most Influential People in the World for his contributions to aging research and his advocacy for treating aging as a medical condition.
Pioneered the Information Theory of Aging
Developed the Information Theory of Aging, proposing that aging is driven primarily by the loss of epigenetic information — a paradigm shift from the traditional focus on genetic mutations.
Notable Quotes
“Aging is a disease, and that disease is treatable.”
— David Sinclair
“There are no biological or physical laws that say life must end. We are the first generation that can do something about it.”
— David Sinclair
“The way to think about aging is that it's a loss of information — the epigenetic information that tells cells what to be and how to function.”
— David Sinclair
Key Decisions
Completed his PhD at the University of New South Wales and moved to MIT to work in Leonard Guarente's aging laboratory — a decision that placed him at the birth of modern aging research.
Joined the Harvard Medical School faculty, establishing his own laboratory focused on the molecular mechanisms of aging and potential interventions.
Published landmark research on resveratrol's ability to activate sirtuins and extend lifespan in yeast, sparking worldwide interest in anti-aging compounds.
Co-founded Sirtris Pharmaceuticals to develop sirtuin-activating drugs, translating his academic research into potential human therapies.
Sirtris Pharmaceuticals was acquired by GlaxoSmithKline for $720 million, validating the commercial potential of aging research.
Published Lifespan, bringing his scientific vision — that aging is a disease that can be treated — to a mainstream global audience.
Published research demonstrating epigenetic reprogramming could reverse aging in mouse cells, providing experimental support for the Information Theory of Aging.
Early Life
Born June 26, 1969, in Sydney, Australia, David Sinclair grew up in a Hungarian immigrant family. His grandmother, who survived World War II and communism, instilled in him a determination to make the most of life. He studied biochemistry at the University of New South Wales, where he completed his PhD on the genetics of aging in yeast, before moving to MIT for postdoctoral research that would launch the modern sirtuin field.
Life Lessons & Insights
Challenge the Fundamental Assumptions
Everyone assumed aging was inevitable. Sinclair questioned whether it had to be. By reframing aging as a disease rather than a fact of life, he opened the door to entirely new approaches to treating it.
Translate Research Into Impact
Academic papers change knowledge; companies change lives. Sinclair's willingness to co-found companies alongside his academic work means his discoveries have a path from laboratory to patient.
Practice What You Preach
Sinclair follows his own longevity protocols — NMN supplementation, resveratrol, metformin, intermittent fasting, cold exposure, and regular exercise. He treats his own aging as seriously as he treats the research.
Think in Centuries, Not Quarters
Aging research requires patience measured in decades. Sinclair has committed his career to a problem whose ultimate solution may take a century — but every step moves humanity closer.
Deep Dives
Go deeper into what makes David Sinclair exceptional.
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