Frank Madeo

At a glance

• Frank Madeo is a German molecular biologist and professor at the University of Graz in Austria. He studies how cells age and die.
• In the late 1990s he showed that even single-celled yeast has a form of programmed cell death, making yeast a useful model for ageing research.
• He is best known for research on spermidine, a natural compound that stimulates autophagy. In mice, extra spermidine extended lifespan and improved heart function (Nature Medicine, 2016).
• In a population study in South Tyrol, higher dietary spermidine intake was associated with lower mortality. Such an association does not yet prove a causal effect.
• He has also studied alternate-day fasting in healthy people (Cell Metabolism, 2019) and works closely with Guido Kroemer.
• For longevity, his work matters because it links a concrete nutrient to a basic ageing mechanism.
• Takeaway: spermidine is found in wheat germ, soy, mushrooms, legumes and aged cheese, among others; supplements are not proven in humans.