Moments in TIME: Fellows Shaping the Future of Aging - Ayush Jain

​​Moments in TIME: A Conversation with Ayush Jain

In this edition of Moments in TIME, we sit down with Ayush Jain, a TIME Fellow and CEO of Syntra, a Y Combinator-backed company. Ayush is blending healthcare, AI, and longevity research in ways that could reshape how we access treatments and analyze clinical data. His work is focused on building tools that could democratize access to aging therapies while accelerating discoveries from clinics across the U.S.

Courtney: Ayush, it’s great to chat with you today! Let’s dive right in. Can you tell us a bit about what you’re working on right now?

Ayush: I’m building a novel electronic health record (EHR) system for private practice doctors. It automates back-office work and makes it easier to uncover insights about treatments used in their clinic. One thing I’m particularly excited about is using this data to run target trial emulations—essentially, finding the best drugs on the market for longevity. Traditionally, accessing and analyzing data from smaller clinics has been difficult, but we’re building a system that solves that.

Courtney: That sounds like a game-changer for healthcare! Why do you think this work is so important for aging biology?

Ayush: Target trial emulation will be crucial for discovering the most effective aging therapies. I want to understand how every pharmaceutical and medical device already approved on the market can best be used to combat age-related diseases. We need better ways to unlock insights from the treatments already being used by smaller clinics, and our system can do that. I hope my work will contribute to democratizing access to aging treatment and unlocking new insights from more clinics in the U.S.

Courtney: That’s a bold and exciting vision! And you’ve already accomplished so much—Syntra, Goldwater Scholar, and publishing at top healthcare AI conferences. What recent milestone are you most proud of?

Ayush: Leading Syntra through Y Combinator has definitely been a highlight. It’s been a challenging but rewarding experience to build and lead a company. I’m also proud of the research we’ve presented at top AI-for-healthcare conferences—seeing our work recognized at that level has been really validating.

Courtney: I love how you’re thinking about both the present and future of aging biology. What first sparked your interest in this field?

Ayush: I believe that focusing on aging as a society will lead to a net-healthier community, one that can continue accelerating human progress. Aging touches everything—our health, our economy, and even our future. It felt like a space where I could make a meaningful impact.

Courtney: It’s inspiring to hear that! What challenges have you faced in your journey, and how has the TIME Fellowship helped you overcome them?

Ayush: It was tough to find other people who were equally interested in aging, and securing funding for my own projects as an undergrad was a struggle. But through the TIME Fellowship, I found an incredible community of friends and mentors who pushed me to be more ambitious.

Courtney: What did you enjoy most about the fellowship?

Ayush: I really enjoyed the fellow-led talks at the retreat ranging from aging mythology to describing what model organisms are best for aging research.

Courtney: The TIME Fellowship really seems to have made an impact. How has the community shaped your perspective on the field?

Ayush: The TIME fellowship pushed what I believed was possible to accomplish at a young age. The community of incredible peers from around the country pushed me to think bigger and be more ambitious and optimistic about the field.