Gene therapy screening to discover aging targets (Martin Borch Jensen -  Gordian Biotechnology)Gordian Biotechnology is a San Francisco Bay Area biotech company that has created the first in vivo therapeutic screening platform aimed at drug development for complex diseases of aging. Co-founder and Chief Science Officer, Dr. Martin Borch Jensen joins the show today to discuss Gordian’s unique in vivo pooled screening in animals, as well as which indications they are targeting, their strategy to bring drugs to market, and how Gordian is currently tackling the challenges inherent to animal models. Martin also speaks about his passion from an early age to help fight age-related disease, and making the transition from academia to entrepreneurship, giving up a K99 fellowship at the Buck Institute for Research on Aging to make the jump into biotech.You’ll also hear about Martin’s involvement in multiple efforts to promote longevity science and bring new people into the field, including his apprenticeship program, the newly announced Longevity Impetus Grants program, and recording his “Science of Aging” seminar. Next, Martin shares what’s next for Gordian as they get ready to scale to the next level, which areas of longevity science he is most interested in but not currently working on, and how he predicts the field will evolve over the next five to ten years. For more information on Martin’s apprenticeship program and Impetus Grants application process, please visit MartinBorchJensen.com or follow him on Twitter.Episode Highlights:Dr. Martin Borch Jensen is the co-founder and CSO of Gordian BiotechnologyGordian Biotechnology created the first in vivo therapeutic screening platform to radically improve drug development for complex diseases of agingMartin is also involved with an apprenticeship program and a newly announced grant program to catalyze rapid progress in aging researchHow Gordian’s unique in vivo pooled screening in animals worksThey’re focused on removing the diseases of aging, beginning with their three lead indications, NASH (nonalcoholic steatohepatitis or fatty liver), osteoarthritis and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosisHow Gordian compiles their gene librariesWhile other companies start with in vitro models and then figure out ways to test them in living animals, Gordian starts with the second step They deliver hundreds of gene therapies at once to a single animalThe drugs that they ultimately develop won't necessarily be gene therapy, but instead whatever is most appropriate to pursue the indication once they know the target (small molecule drugs, antibodies)What a cell needs depends on what a cell isGene therapy has plenty of advantages, but the cost is very highHow Gordian is overcoming challenges that are inherent to animal modelsOlder mice are much more expensive and are rarely used in aging researchAnimal models can actually be useful if the animal has progressively developed a disease in the same way humans do, and has similar biologyExample of studying osteoarthritis in horses, because the load-bearing structure of their joints is much more similar to humans, as is their cartilage thicknessGordian’s strategy to bring drugs to marketMartin’s transition from academic to entrepreneur and what inspired him make the jump to biotechHe gave up a K99 fellowship at the

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