Nearly two decades ago, my colleague Lennart Mucke and his team at Gladstone pursued an unconventional idea. While much of the Alzheimer’s field focused on amyloid plaques, they showed that reducing levels of another brain protein, tau, could prevent memory problems and normalize lifespan in mouse models of the disease.
This summer, a Phase 2 clinical trial of an experimental tau-lowering drug showed signs of slowing cognitive decline in people with early Alzheimer’s. Larger studies are still needed, but the results offer encouraging early evidence that lowering tau could benefit patients.
We are also marking 20 years since Gladstone scientist and Nobel Laureate Shinya Yamanaka discovered how to reprogram adult cells into induced pluripotent stem cells. The discovery transformed the possibilities for regenerative medicine. TIME recently recognized Shinya as one of its 2026 Longevity Leaders as scientists explore how cellular reprogramming could be used to address aging and disease.
As a physician-scientist, I find these long arcs of discovery especially meaningful. Ideas pursued decades ago are now opening new possibilities for patients. The discoveries highlighted below make me equally excited to imagine what today’s bold ideas could mean for patients 10 or 20 years from now!
With gratitude,
