Putin’s ₹2.47 lakh crore anti-ageing project:Work begins on growing human organs inside mini-pigs; aim is to slow ageing

Russian President Vladimir Putin has launched a major government project worth 26 billion dollars, or around ₹2.47 trillion, aimed at preventing ageing and physical weakness. The programme, called New Health Preservation Technologies, will focus on methods such as growing human organs inside mini-pigs, a specially bred type of pig. According to a Wall Street Journal report, the project will also explore gene therapy, lab-grown human organs and extremely low-temperature cryotherapy. The Russian government says the mission aims to slow the ageing process and save the lives of around 175,000 people by the end of this decade. Attempt to stop cell ageing through gene therapy Russia’s Deputy Science Minister Denis Sekirinsky said in April that scientists are developing gene therapies that could slow the ageing of the body’s cells. He described this as one of the most important areas of anti-ageing research. A major part of the project is based on bioprinting. This technology uses 3D printers to create living tissues and organs. Russian scientists claim they have already produced human cartilage and a rat’s thyroid gland. Their aim is to fully replace human organs by 2030. Alongside this, Russia is also working on growing human livers, kidneys and hearts inside genetically modified mini-pigs. Scientists believe this could help solve future shortages of donor organs for transplants. Putin has been taking cryotherapy and peptide therapy Putin has reportedly been using cryotherapy and peptide therapy for a long time. Russian scientist Vladimir Khavinson used to provide him with special peptides made from calf tissue and supported anti-ageing treatment through peptide therapy. He claimed humans could live up to 120 years. Putin also uses cryotherapy to maintain his health and youthfulness. In this treatment, the body is exposed to temperatures of around minus 112 degrees Celsius for a short period. Former Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz had said that during a meeting at the Kremlin in 2018, Putin explained the benefits of this therapy to him in detail. Discussion with Xi Jinping about ‘living for 150 years’ Last year, during a military parade in Beijing, a conversation between Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping also drew attention. In a hot-mic recording, Putin was heard discussing life extension through organ replacement and the possibility of humans living up to 150 years. At the time, it was seen as a normal conversation between two elderly leaders. However, it is now being linked to Russia’s government-backed longevity programme. 73-year-old Putin presents himself as a fit leader Putin, now 73, has long projected himself as a strong and physically fit leader. Images of him riding horses, playing ice hockey, hunting and riding motorcycles have often appeared in public. Many of Putin’s close associates are also now over the age of 70. Because of this, the anti-ageing mission is being seen not only as a scientific project but also as something linked to the personal concerns of Russia’s top leadership. The average life expectancy for men in Russia is only 68 years, which is much lower than in the United States at 76 years and in Europe at 80 years. Putin’s daughter also involved in this project Putin’s ambitious project is being overseen by his daughter, Maria Vorontsova, and close scientist Mikhail Kovalchuk. Maria Vorontsova is an endocrinologist, a doctor specialising in hormones and diabetes, and is linked to several government genetics programmes in Russia. Another key figure is Mikhail Kovalchuk, head of the Soviet-era Kurchatov Institute. He is regarded as the main ideological face of this anti-ageing mission. Kovalchuk has repeatedly said that science will soon give humans the ability to continuously replace and repair body parts. Scientists raised questions Many questions are also being raised about this Russian project. Alexander Ostrovsky, a scientist involved in bioprinting research, said that if research findings are not published in major international journals, it becomes difficult to fully trust such claims. Ostrovsky said that Western sanctions have largely cut Russian scientists off from the global scientific community. He added that it is difficult to make scientific progress while working in isolation, and it is possible that Putin is being told what he wants to hear in order to secure funding. Meanwhile, reports suggest that Russia’s anti-ageing research is based on studies that face less scrutiny compared with those in Western countries. However, scientists involved in the project are considered highly powerful and influential in Russia.