Japanese scientists have simultaneously made significant progress at the two forefronts of basic anti-aging research and the clinical application of cell therapy, paving a new path for extending healthy lifespan and curing chronic diseases.

The Potential of Kuroho Protein: According to a study published in October 2025 by a research team at the International Medical University, supplementing Kuroho protein can effectively reverse signs of cellular aging in aldosterone–salt hypertensive model rats. Kuroho demonstrated significant potential as an anti-aging therapeutic molecule by alleviating oxidative stress, mitochondrial damage, and kidney fibrosis through the inhibition of aging-related signaling pathways.

Diabetes treatment using iPS cells: Meanwhile, in April 2025, Kyoto University Hospital began a clinical trial in which insulin-secreting cells were created from induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells derived from healthy donors and transplanted as a 'cell sheet' onto the abdomen of patients with type 1 diabetes. This technology aims to restore the insulin secretion function of the patients themselves and ultimately to cure the disease, with the goal of practical application of this method by 2030.