our story
We want to create a world where people live longer, healthier lives. As we grow older, the likelihood we experience debilitating age-related disease increases as well, but we have the power and tools to intervene.
Our goal is to inspire the next generations of leaders who believe that science can help us better understand and extend healthy, human lifespan. The Time Initiative addresses one of the major bottlenecks in the field -- a shortage of talent to be the next generation of leaders. Join us and be a part of the movement to change the way we age!
Our Motivation
The world’s population is aging rapidly, and age is the greatest risk factor for nearly every chronic disease. Over a billion people worldwide suffer from age-related disease and that number is growing steadily. This demographic shift has significant public health and economic implications. In the U.S. two-thirds of adults over the age of 65 have two or more chronic conditions. The geroscience promise hinges on the idea that by increasing our understanding of how the aging processes contributes to disease, we can apply that knowledge to slow the progression of age-related diseases and disabilities.
Aging research is a field born of novel thinking, fresh ideas, and new perspectives. The field of aging biology is currently in a transformative period with many opportunities for scientific progress and discoveries, but progress relies on supporting exceptional talent early. We need to build the field. That’s where you come in.
Our Team
Courtney Hudson-Paz Founder and Program Director
Meet Courtney, a biologist and passionate science communicator with a PhD in Biology of Aging from the Buck Institute. Committed to inspiring the next generation of scientists and promoting the study of aging biology, she founded the Time Initiative, a network of undergraduate leaders in aging biology. Through this initiative, she catalyzes students' interest in aging biology, fosters community, and connects them to the resources they need to make a meaningful difference in the field.
Risa Starr Advisor | Executive Director Academy for Health and Lifespan Research
Risa Starr is the Executive Director of the Longevity Biotechnology Association and The
Academy for Health and Lifespan Research. She has a background in technology marketing and sales at Apple Computer and IBM. She also worked to help launch a cytokine development unit at Sandoz Pharmaceuticals and to grow and develop the Migraine Research Foundation. She was a member of the NYC Test and Trace Team, developing policy, resources and strategic plans to combat COVID-19 in NYC. Risa holds a BS from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, and an MBA and MPH from Columbia University and is based In New York City.
Alex Colville Advisor
Alex joined Laura Deming to build the next evolution of Longevity Fund, called age1, as General Partner. Previously he was Chief of Staff of Amaranth where he built out the longevity focus of the family office. Alex completed his PhD at Stanford University in Tom Rando's lab studying the biology of aging after having worked in Boston in management consulting at Putnam Associates, a boutique life sciences firm.
Laura Deming Advisor
Laura’s work focuses on human life extension and using biological research to reduce the effects of aging. Laura took graduate coursework at UCSF before going to MIT to study physics, which she eventually dropped out of to become a Thiel Fellow. She’s worked in the Kenyon, Guarente, Weiss and Firestein labs on a number of topics, including aging and synthetic biology. Laura founded the Longevity Fund, the first VC firm dedicated to funding high-potential longevity companies, which raised $26M and backed Unity Biotechnology, Precision Biosciences, Metacrine, Navitor, and Alexo Therapeutics.
The Time Initiative is grateful for the generosity and leadership of our funders and partners.
Our Sponsors & Partners
The Academy for Health & Lifespan Research
The Academy for Health & Lifespan Research is a dynamic non-profit organization that plays a pivotal role in the aging ecosystem. As a hub of established researchers and scientists, the Academy is dedicated to empowering scientific endeavors in developing treatments and drugs for aging-related conditions. By acting as a catalyst and idea incubator, it accelerates groundbreaking research in laboratories worldwide, ensuring longevity initiatives receive the attention and funding they merit. The Academy fosters collaboration among top scientists, academic institutions, and drug companies, aiming to make longevity research breakthroughs accessible to all. It targets aging as the root cause of age-related disorders, supporting research for a longer, healthier life, advocating for aging as a treatable condition, and engaging the public and upcoming scientists in the field of aging.
James Fickel Visionary Circle Sponsor
Mr. Fickel is the founder of Amaranth, a company that assembles a group of luminaries in longevity biotech to source and evaluate grant proposals covering the aggregome, brain aging, computational genomics, and immune system replacement. He has also staffed 6 consultants to push forward projects in the longevity field, including road mapping, bottleneck compilation, outreach, and technical due diligence. He joined the AFAR Board of Directors in 2023. Through the Fickel Family Foundation, he has helped launch and support two new strategic initiatives for AFAR: the SuperAgers Family Initiative, Amplifying Geroscience Initiative, and the Time Initiative.
Christopher Carlino Gold Ally Sponsor
To support the TIME financially, please use our online donation form or contact us at Courtney@timeinitiative.org for other ways to contribute.
The Time Initiative was launched in 2023 under the guidance of the American Federation for Aging Research (AFAR), whose mission is to advance and support healthy aging through biomedical research. The Time Initiative is grateful for AFAR’s early and important advisement and management. Learn more about AFAR’s programs at www.afar.org.
