The Keck School of Medicine of USC will launch a new research initiative focused on extending the human health span with a $10 million transformative gift from R. Rex Parris and his wife Carrol Parris. R. Rex Parris is the founding partner of the Parris Law Firm.

The USC Parris Longevity Accelerator, to be led by Denis Evseenko, MD, PhD, professor of orthopedic surgery and regenerative medicine, will bring together experts from engineering, stem cell research and gerontology to uncover predictive biomarkers of aging and develop early interventions for age-related diseases. Parris and Evseenko have worked together on advancing medical innovations for nearly a decade, and this synergistic partnership led to the concept for the Longevity Accelerator at USC.

Parris is a long-time mayor of Lancaster and a philanthropist, attorney and business leader. He said his interest in longevity research stems from the urgent need to improve quality of life as Americans age. The USC Parris Longevity Accelerator aims to create treatments for major age-associated conditions like osteoarthritis, cardiovascular disease, and neurodegenerative disorders, with the goal of bringing them to clinical trials within a few years.

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