400-Year-Old Sharks, 4,000-Year-Old Corals... Research Begins on the "Ageless Ocean"

KIOST Embarks on Search for Marine-Based Rejuvenation Materials

Salmon-Derived Candidates Show Anti-Aging Effects

Applications Expanded to Cosmetics and Alzheimer's Research

Greenland sharks, which can live for 400 years, and corals, which can survive for thousands of years, demonstrate the incredible resilience of marine life. Research has now begun to seek clues from these sea creatures that might reverse human aging.

The Korea Institute of Ocean Science & Technology (KIOST; President Lee Heeseung) announced on August 6 that Dr. Park Geon-hoo’s research team at the Jeju Bio Research Center has launched the development of marine-derived "rejuvenation" materials utilizing the aging resistance of marine organisms.

This research is being conducted with support from the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries' project for "developing bio-based materials from marine organisms to overcome aging." The team plans to discover functional substances from marine organisms, establish efficacy validation systems, and develop rejuvenation technologies that can be practically applied.

Rejuvenation technology goes beyond simply slowing aging; it restores already aged cells to a healthy state. The field is attracting attention as the next-generation technology in the global bio-industry.

The research team focused on the remarkable vitality of marine life. Some marine organisms show exceptional DNA repair abilities, have high regenerative capacities, and survive in extreme environments such as high pressure and high salinity.

In preliminary research, a candidate material derived from salmon showed up to 56% greater anti-aging effects than metformin—a widely studied anti-aging compound—in cell experiments. Tests on aged skin tissue also showed improvements: wrinkle reduction by 3.8 times, skin elasticity by 3.6 times, and skin density by 2.9 times.

However, the research team explained that since these results were obtained at the cell and tissue levels, further studies—including animal testing and safety assessments—are required before they can be applied to humans.

Looking ahead, the team intends to build a marine-based rejuvenation material library and develop rapid diagnostic technologies to evaluate material efficacy, as well as an "anti-aging index." The secured substances will be used to broaden the scope of applications, including functional cosmetics, wound-healing medical materials, and candidate materials for Alzheimer's treatment.

Dr. Park Geon-hoo stated, "The ocean is a vast laboratory where organisms have adapted to aging for billions of years. Now that we have confirmed the possibilities, we will sequentially validate efficacy and safety to extend healthy lifespans and enhance the competitiveness of the marine bioindustry."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.