The Biology of Time: From Embryos to Aging Cells

Leading biologists Ruth Lehmann and Siniša Hrvatin share their groundbreaking research on how living systems persevere, pause, and adapt across generations. Lehmann’s lab studies germ cells—the extraordinary cells that form eggs and sperm, carry genetic material forward, and resist aging and disease—revealing how they migrate, transform, and endure over time. Hrvatin’s lab investigates how animals use daily torpor and hibernation to slow the effects of time, exploring how these suspended states protect against tissue damage, disease, and aging, with the potential to inform new approaches to human health.

After their presentations, Antonio Regalado, senior editor for biomedicine at MIT Technology Review, will moderate a discussion and audience Q&A. A reception will follow.