Vladimir Petrovich Skulachev

Vladimir Petrovich Skulachev
(1935–2023)

A Distinguished Professor of Moscow State University, in 2002 he founded its Faculty of Bioengineering and Bioinformatics there and remained its dean until his death. He was also director of the Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology.

He became known for his research, publications, and public talks aimed at overcoming the ageing of the human body. For instance, on his 70th birthday, in the assembly hall of the Moscow State University main building, Vladimir Petrovich gave a public lecture titled “Ageing as an Atavistic Programme Subject to Cancellation”.

Skulachev also led practical research within the framework of his mitochondrial theory of ageing. With financial support from the Russian billionaire O. V. Deripaska, a class of penetrating antioxidants was developed — “Skulachev ions” (SkQ) — capable of being delivered specifically into mitochondria (intracellular organelles). It did not prove possible to significantly increase average lifespan in experiments on laboratory animals.

Here on this site, Skulachev is mentioned only as an example of one of many dedicated figures and activists whose work was aimed at overcoming a fundamental natural limitation — one that, perhaps, does need to be overcome.