Keith Comito is a mathematician, computer programmer, and leading advocate for research aimed at extending healthy human lifespan. In addition to developing foundational infrastructure for high-profile media applications such as HBO NOW and Disney+, he is also the inventor of several technologies relating to digital biomarkers, media streaming, extended reality, and decentralized science (DeSci).
Oliver Medvedik, Co-founder of Genspace citizen science laboratory in Brooklyn NY, earned his Ph.D. at Harvard Medical School in the Biomedical and Biological Sciences program. As part of his doctoral work he has used single-celled budding yeast as a model system to map the genetic pathways that underlie the processes of aging in more complex organisms, such as humans. Prior to arriving in Boston for his doctoral studies, he has lived most of his life in New York City. He obtained his bachelor’s degree in biology from Hunter College, City University of New York.
Lilli joined LRI following her postdoctoral fellowship at the University of California, Davis. There, as a USDA NIFA Fellow, she investigated the activation of the embryonic genome in hopes to identify better embryos and eventually improve in vitro fertilization to more efficiently produce cattle for the beef and dairy industries, and improve development rates in clinical embryology settings. She completed her Ph.D. in cellular and molecular biology at the University of Toledo. She led an international team of scientists to discover a second, atypical centriole in human and cattle sperm, which functions during fertilization and development.
Kelly completed her B.S. in Biological Sciences from the University of Maryland in 2017. In 2024, she received her Master of Public Administration with a focus in Public Sector and Nonprofit Management from the University of Baltimore. Kelly feels that her purpose in life is to leave a positive impact on her community and, ultimately, the world.
Christie is a strategic writer and communications consultant with a multidisciplinary background spanning digital marketing, brand development, and science communication. A full-time digital nomad, she brings over a decade of experience supporting mission-driven organizations, startups, and global brands across sectors such as longevity biotech, sustainable living, and adventure travel. Christie is the founder of Delite in Disorder, where she leads projects ranging from brand strategy and media production to event planning and cross-cultural communications.
James Hale serves as the Director of Strategic Partnerships at Lifespan Research Institute. In this role, he spearheads initiatives to cultivate and strengthen strategic alliances with key stakeholders across the longevity biotechnology sector and beyond.
James graduated from the University of Florida, where he developed a profound interest in scientific research and data-driven methodologies aimed at extending healthspan and lifespan.
Throughout his career, James has demonstrated a passion for fostering collaboration and driving innovation to achieve transformative health solutions. His expertise in building impactful relationships and his strategic vision support the advancement of LRI’s mission.
Javier Noris leads the Longevity Investor Network at Lifespan Research Institute.
Javier specializes in investing in early-stage translational science companies working to overcome the “Valley of Death,” with a focus on sectors such as AI, robotics, synthetic biology, medtech, diagnostics, and therapeutics
He also co-founded ScienceVest (YC F3), a pre-seed / seed stage fund for hard-tech and life science companies
Javier has an academic background in biotechnology & economics and is a self-taught software engineer, working for various startups and large firms in Silicon Valley. He has served as judge for multiple startup pitch competitions and frequently writes on a number of topics (science investing, impact investing, pre-clinical drug discovery, learning to code and more).
Steve is an active journalist in the aging research and biotechnology field and has to date written over 600 articles on the topic, interviewed over 100 of the leading researchers in the field, hosted livestream events focused on aging, as well as attending various medical industry conferences. He served as a member of the Lifespan board since 2017 until the org merged with SENS Research Foundation and formed the LRI.
His work has been featured in H+ magazine, Psychology Today, Singularity Weblog, Standpoint Magazine, Swiss Monthly, Keep me Prime, and New Economy Magazine. Steve is one of three recipients of the 2020 H+ Innovator Award and shares this honour with Mirko Ranieri – Google AR and Dinorah Delfin – Immortalists Magazine.
Greg joined LRI managing Human Resources functions for the organization. He brings a background of success in leading HR teams and operations across multiple industries including technology, healthcare, and financial services. Previously supporting multi-state and global organizations, he enjoys the opportunity to support a diverse workforce. Greg completed his MBA in Human Resources Management from the University of Evansville, Hampden and is an active SHRM member.
Dr. Amutha Boominathan is head of the Boominathan Lab at Lifespan Research Institute. She joined LRI in 2013 as a Senior Research Scientist and became the Group Lead for the MitoREPAIR program in 2016. She completed her graduate studies at the National Chemical Laboratory, Pune, India with a PhD in Biochemistry. Subsequently, through an American Heart Association postdoctoral fellowship, she obtained further training at the University of Pennsylvania and Rutgers University where she studied mitochondrial biogenesis with a focus on protein import and the fusion and fission mechanisms in the organelle. She has over 20 years of experience in mitochondrial biology.
Dr. Amit Sharma, head of the Sharma Lab at LRI, was awarded a Master’s degree in Biomedical Sciences from Delhi University, India. He received his PhD in 2009 in Biotechnology from University of Pune for his work demonstrating microRNA regulation of cytokines involved in allergic inflammation in mice models. Dr. Sharma’s postdoctoral research at the Buck Institute, Novato, California involved investigating novel molecular regulatory pathways in regards to genotoxic stress and cellular senescence in invertebrate and mammalian models.
Dr. Sharma joined Lifespan Research Institute as Group Lead in the Senescence Immunology Research Group. His research focus involves studying how aging and senescence affects the immune system and his research group will also investigate strategies to harness the immune system in mitigating deleterious effects of senescent cells with translational focus.
Anna has completed her masters and Ph.D. in molecular biology at the Institute for Cancer Research in Oslo, Norway. This inspired her to pursue studies in the field of microenvironment and treatment resistance in cancer. With that goal, she joined UCSF as a postdoctoral fellow in 2019 to study mechanosignaling and matrix remodeling in aggressive brain tumors. This experience has led her to appreciate the potent role of systemic tissue changes that enable and promote cancer growth, aging – chief among them. Anna is excited to apply her knowledge from the cancer field to dissect and exploit molecular mechanisms of cellular senescence as a member of the Sharma Lab at LRI.
Anne Corwin is the Facilities Manager at Lifespan Research Institute. She joined LRI full-time in 2011, primarily to repair, maintain, and troubleshoot equipment as well as provide editorial, messaging, and graphics support. Her current responsibilities still include equipment maintenance, however, she now also manages building utilities, safety training, and hazardous materials. Prior to joining LRI, Anne earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, and worked in the aerospace industry for several years as an EE.
Bhavna Dixit earned her Masters in Biotechnology from Amity University, India in 2012. As a Research Scholar at the National Research Center in Plant Biotechnology, India, she worked on gene silencing and transcriptional analysis of pathogenicity genes in wheat leaf rust fungus. She moved to California in 2015 and completed a Professional Certificate Program in Biotechnology in March 2016 from UCSC Extension, Silicon Valley. After working as a volunteer with LRI for 6 months, she became a MitoREPAIR researcher and is working on the allotopic expression of mitochondrial genes.
Esmeralda received her B.S. in Veterinary Science from the University of Arizona in 2018. She has a strong passion for animal care and has volunteered in various wildlife centers over the years. She joined LRI in 2022 to contribute to the research goal of finding viable treatments for age-related diseases. She hopes to implement her knowledge and experience to provide optimal care for the lab animals at LRI.
Kathlene Joyce (Kate) finished her Ph.D. in Genetics and Neuroscience at the University of Alabama at Birmingham in 2022. During that time she collaborated with researchers both at UAB and at Southern Research, a research institute, to understand the mechanisms of transcription factors related to mitochondrial and neuronal programs in order to generate leads for neurodegenerative therapies. This involved RNA-seq, proximity-tagging and mass spec, and follow up on interactors in mouse models. Working at LRI is the next step in a career to find ways to improve people’s lives.
Elena obtained her PhD in microbiology from Institute of Microbiology, Uzbekistan. Her initial research interest was to study entomopathogenic bacteria Bac.thuringiensis and develop bio-insecticide technology. However, her scientific curiosity was far beyond that, and it brought her to the protein crystallography. She spent several years developing technologies of growing protein molecules in light and heavy waters for the experiments in both neutron diffractometers: Bio-C, HANARO, S.Korea and BIX-4, JAEA, Japan. She completed her postdoctoral trainings at KRIBB and KAERI, South Korea.
Gabriel has a BSc in Biotechnology and is finishing an MSc in Molecular Precision Medicine. He has experience working in multidisciplinary international teams in industry and academia. In the past, Gabriel worked synthesizing breast cancer drugs and also testing interventions in glioblastoma. He then shifted to aging by studying the epitranscriptome of senescent cells. His main interests are age-related health decline, cell heterogeneity, and immune-based approaches to leverage the body’s cells to cure.
Sam is currently pursuing a B.A. in Networking and Digital Systems from the University of California, Santa Cruz. He previously worked during the Summer of 2019 as an IT Technician Intern and is pleased to be rejoining the LRI team as the in-office IT Technician.
Josh is a professional editor and programmer.
Michael Rae is the author of seven scientific articles in peer-reviewed journals as well as four book chapters in academic volumes. He is a member of LRI’s Research Development Committee and performs internal scientific reviews and analyses. He is a long-time member and one-time Board Member of the Calorie Restriction Society and its Vice President for Research from 2014.
Anna graduated from the University of Virginia, where she studied genetics in a tiny worm called C. elegans. During graduate school, she became interested in science communication and joined the Genetics Society of America’s Early Career Scientist Leadership Program, where she was a member of the Communication and Outreach Subcommittee. After graduation, she worked as a freelance science writer and communications specialist mainly with non-profit organizations.
Arkadi Mazin is a seasoned journalist and op-ed author with a passion for learning and exploration. His interests span from politics to science and philosophy. Having studied economics and international relations, he is particularly interested in the social aspects of longevity and life extension.
Maria is a radical-change believer and spends most of her multifaceted life working to facilitate disruptive change in how we treat aging. You can find her giving talks about the future of aging, singing live for thousands of people, composing and acting in Hollywood films, or flying an airplane. Her passion for science and technology, combined with her strengths in public relations, led to her role as former Director of Development at Lifespan Research Institute, where she helped build key relationships, raise awareness about its mission, and drive philanthropic support. After more than 20 years in the field, she now continues her commitment to it as Co-Founder of ALSAE (the Alliance for Longevity Science, Arts & Entertainment)—a nonprofit dedicated to uniting science and culture to promote healthier, longer lives for all—while continuing to support LRI in a consulting capacity.
Gary is a creative director with over two decades of experience in design, branding, interactive development, content creation, and video production. His professional passion is empowering disruptive technologies with creativity, and he’s been working with LRI since 2012. Gary received a BS in Finance from the University of Florida in 1993 and graduated from Miami Ad School’s Art Direction program in 1998. Gary is also a licensed pilot.
Mattijs is a professional Communication Consultant and Graphic Designer, based in the Netherlands. He has a Masters Degree in Communications from Radboud University of Nijmegen and holds a Bachelors degree in Digital Communications from the Unversity of Applied Sciences in Groningen.
LRI is at the center of the rejuvenation biotechnology industry and supports the mission to end age-related disease through Research, Education, and Outreach. Make your career something you can believe in – something that can change the world. Visit the Work With Us page to learn about current openings.
