David Sinclair

David A. Sinclair, born on June 26, 1969, in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, is an Australian-American biologist and academic. He earned his Ph.D. in Molecular Genetics at the University of New South Wales in 1995. Following his doctoral studies, he conducted postdoctoral research at M.I.T. with Dr. Leonard Guarente, where he contributed to the co-discovery of a cause of aging in yeast and the role of Sir2 in epigenetic changes. In 1999, Sinclair joined Harvard Medical School, where he has since taught aging biology and translational medicine for aging for over two decades. His early work concentrated on the sirtuins, protein-modifying enzymes influenced by NAD+ levels and caloric restriction.

Sinclair’s research group has made several contributions to the field of aging. They were the first to identify a role for NAD+ biosynthesis in lifespan regulation and that sirtuins are activated by caloric restriction in mammals. His lab identified small molecules that activate SIRT1, such as resveratrol, and proposed the xenohormesis hypothesis in 2006, suggesting organisms evolved to sense plant stress metabolites that activate longevity defenses. Later, his work in 2008 introduced the RCM Hypothesis of Aging, linking DNA breaks and epigenetic factor relocalization to aging. In 2009, he proposed the Mitochondrial Oasis Hypothesis, addressing age-related physiological decline due to mitochondrial-nuclear miscommunication. More recently, in 2019, he developed the Information Theory of Aging, theorizing that aging results from epigenetic changes causing cells to lose their identity, a process he suggests is reversible. He is also the author of the book “Lifespan: Why We Age – and Why We Don’t Have To,” co-written with Matthew LaPlante, published in 2019.

Throughout his career, Sinclair has been involved in the founding of numerous biotechnology companies, focusing on translating his research into therapeutic applications. He co-founded Sirtris Pharmaceuticals in 2004, which worked on sirtuin activators and was later acquired by GlaxoSmithKline. Other ventures include Genocea Biosciences (2006), OvaScience (2011), CohBar (2011), Metro Biotech (2015), Animal Bioscience (2017), and Tally Health (2023). Sinclair has also served on the boards of several companies and co-founded and co-chief edited the journal Aging. His work has been recognized with over 35 awards and honors, including the CSL Prize, The Australian Commonwealth Prize, and being named to TIME magazine’s “Top 50 in Healthcare” and “100 Most Influential People in the World” lists.