Rejuve Therapeutics is a biotechnology company pioneering the next generation of gene-driven rejuvenation therapies. Our work began with the belief: cellular rejuvenation and dedifferentiation—long believed to be inseparable during reprogramming—can in fact be decoupled.
By selectively inhibiting dedifferentiation during reprogramming on our proprietary rejuvenation screening platform, we demonstrated gene-mediated high-magnitude rejuvenation of senescent human arterial endothelial cells that preserves their native identity: the cells reversed hallmarks of aging while remaining endothelial, with no sign of reversion toward pluripotency, conversion to other cell types such as mesenchymal or fibroblast-like cells, or tumor-associated changes. Our long-term aim is to develop simplified, clinically actionable rejuvenation gene cocktails.
Building on this foundation, we are constructing the first longitudinal Human Aging and Rejuvenation Gene Expression Atlas under multiple perturbations, enabling high-resolution mapping of the molecular events that drive aging and its reversal.
We are now working with leading AI scientists to launch the next stage of our platform: AI models built around what only the Atlas provides. The first uses the Atlas’s built-in genetic perturbations for causal inference, distinguishing true regulatory drivers from genes that merely change alongside age. The second separates cell identity from cellular age, so that rejuvenation and identity preservation can be optimized together. Together, these efforts advance our goal of simple, clinically actionable rejuvenation gene cocktails.
The initial clinical translation strategy will focus on two major directions:
Dr. Gordon Ma is a geneticist, stem cell biologist, and biotech founder with over 20 years of experience in epigenetics, gene regulation, and rejuvenation biology. His PhD work produced the first evidence of CDH1 promoter methylation in precancerous tissue—a foundational contribution to modern epigenetics. He completed postdoctoral training at Harvard Medical School and the University of Colorado, where he studied XIST-mediated epigenetic regulation.
At the NIH (NHLBI), Dr. Ma conducted research in embryonic stem cell differentiation and cardiovascular regenerative biology and made key findings on mitochondrial regulation of pluripotency. He later founded several life science companies while continuing NIH research as a special volunteer for nearly a decade.
As Founder and CEO of Rejuve Therapeutics, Dr. Ma is the principal inventor of a patented method demonstrating gene-driven rejuvenation without dedifferentiation. His ongoing work includes large-scale single-cell sequencing studies and the development of the first Longitudinal Human Aging and Rejuvenation Gene Expression Atlas. He is collaborating closely with AI scientists on transfer learning and biological foundation models to identify key regulatory genes driving aging and rejuvenation and to develop clinically viable rejuvenation gene cocktails
Dr. Lipeng Wu is a highly accomplished molecular biologist with over 21 years of experience in molecular biology, cell biology, aging, and cancer research. Dr. Wu completed his research fellowship in molecular biology, epigenetics, and genetics at the University of Michigan and the National Institutes of Health. He has authored over 10 peer-reviewed publications, including four in Molecular Cell and one in Molecular and Cellular Biology. He has specialized in gene editing and therapy, leveraging his expertise in chemistry, molecular biology, and the development of cellular models for disease research. He previously served as a Senior Scientist and Product Manager at OriGene Technologies, Inc., where he played a key role in advancing gene editing technologies. Additionally, he has successfully developed and promoted multiple innovative products in the gene editing industry. As CTO of Rejuve Therapeutics, Dr. Wu leads technology development, virus delivery vehicle development, cellular model development, and translational platform execution, supporting Rejuve’s effort to identify and validate key regulators of aging and rejuvenation and advance optimized gene-based rejuvenation strategies.
Dr. Aibing Wang is a distinguished biomedical scientist with over 23 years of experience in molecular biology, cell biology, oncology, and vaccine development. He earned his Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from Peking Union Medical College and has made significant contributions in both academia and industry. As a former Research Assistant Professor at Georgetown University, Dr. Wang focused on cancer development and drug discovery, pioneering research on TERT’s role in tumorigenesis and screening novel therapeutics for cervical cancer. His expertise extends to developing lipid nanoparticle-based targeted therapies for brain tumors and conducting extensive in vivo studies. With 84 publications, five patents, and three NIH awards, his work has had a lasting impact on biomedical innovation. At Rejuve Therapeutics, with extensive experience in molecular biology, cell biology, oncology, and vaccine development, Dr. Wang focus on the development of packaging and delivery solutions of our new rejuvenation gene cocktails for in vitro and in vivo studies
Dr. Dazhi Lai is a highly accomplished scientist and entrepreneur with expertise in immunology, regenerative medicine, aging, biotechnology, and drug development. He earned his Ph.D. in Biotechnology from the Academy of Military Medical Sciences and completed postdoctoral training at Yale University. His research has spanned virology, immunology, aging, and therapeutic development, leading to significant discoveries, including calcium signaling in innate immunity and transcriptional regulation of immune responses. Dr. Lai has also spearheaded the development of innovative recombinant proteins and monoclonal antibodies for drug discovery. His leadership in translational research has resulted in multiple patents and FDA-approved therapeutics. Passionate about bridging scientific discovery with clinical application, he continues to push the boundaries of biomedical innovation. At Rejuve Therapeutics, Dr. Lai’s leadership and scientific expertise in immunology and regenerative medicine continue to drive innovation in the area of aging and rejuvenation in human immune system.
Derya Unutmaz, M.D., is a Professor at The Jackson Laboratory and an internationally recognized immunologist. His research focuses on understanding the differentiation, activation, and regulation of human T cells in normal immune responses and how these processes are altered during chronic disease and aging.
Dr. Unutmaz’s laboratory has made important contributions to understanding regulatory T cells, human Th17-cell subsets, immune suppression, and the disruption of immune-cell function in diseases such as HIV infection. His research integrates human immunology with genomic, single-cell, and computational approaches to investigate immune-system diversity and dysfunction.
As a member of Rejuve Therapeutics’ Scientific Advisory Board, Dr. Unutmaz provides guidance on human aging biology, cellular identity and function, immune-system interactions, and the scientific and translational development of Rejuve’s cellular-rejuvenation platform.
