Research summaries
Plain-English synopses of the published evidence behind longevity peptide biology. Each entry surveys the literature around a single research thread — mechanism, key papers, current gaps and the practical implications for laboratory research.
The research summaries here are deliberately positioned between the individual peptide profiles and the broader ageing-biology literature. A peptide page covers one compound across its full mechanism, evidence and regulatory arc; a research summary cuts across compounds to address a single research thread — telomere biology, mitochondrial peptides, the GH-axis paradox, immunosenescence, the Khavinson short-peptide programme, the UK regulatory framing of research-only compounds. The goal in each case is the same: a 600–800 word treatment that someone unfamiliar with the field could read and emerge with an accurate mental model.
We try to be honest about the state of evidence in each thread. The Khavinson short-peptide programme is internally consistent and contains substantial reproducible preclinical work, but independent replication outside the original research group is limited and the proposed DNA-binding mechanism remains contested. The mitochondrially-derived peptide field is unusually rich in mechanistic detail but thin on completed clinical-stage translation. The GH-axis intervention case for healthspan is strong on body-composition outcomes and weak on long-term lifespan implications. Each summary aims to identify these load-bearing limitations rather than glossing over them.
New summaries appear roughly monthly under the quarterly review cadence described in the editorial standards page. Existing summaries are revisited at each quarterly pass and the "Last reviewed" date is rolled forward when the substantive evidence has been re-checked against new publications. If a recent paper materially changes the state of a thread, the affected summary is rewritten rather than appended to.
For comparative reading, see the comparison index. For the underlying peptide profiles, see all peptides. For the protocol-by-use-case framing, see research protocols.
Telomere biology and the case for AEDG-class peptides in 2026
Telomere shortening remains one of the more clearly characterised hallmarks of ageing. Where does the AEDG short-peptide programme sit in the current evidence picture?
Mitochondrial peptides: state of the evidence in 2026
Three compounds dominate the mitochondrial peptide literature in 2026: Humanin, MOTS-c and SS-31. Where does each one stand?
GH-axis peptides and the IGF-1 longevity paradox
GHRH-axis peptides restore youthful IGF-1 profiles in older adults. But lower IGF-1 is associated with longer lifespan. How do we reconcile?
Immunosenescence and the case for thymic peptide research
Immunosenescence is one of the more clearly characterised ageing hallmarks. Thymic peptides — particularly Thymosin Alpha-1 — are among the few clinical-stage interventions on the table.
The Khavinson short-peptide programme: 40 years on
Four decades of Khavinson-group short-peptide research. The programme stands at a curious junction in 2026.
UK regulatory status of research peptides — a practitioner's reference
A practical reference on UK regulatory status of research peptides in 2026: MHRA, Medicines Regulations, the 'research chemical' framing.
Cellular senescence and the slow arrival of senolytic peptides
Small molecules lead senescent-cell clearance research by a wide margin. Peptide-based senolytics are a newer, narrower strand of the same hallmark.
NAD⁺ decline in ageing: where peptides fit a small-molecule-dominated field
NAD⁺ decline is one of the most heavily funded ageing-biology targets, but the leading interventions are small molecules, not peptides. Where does the peptide catalogue actually contribute?
Exercise-mimetic peptides: MOTS-c, SS-31 and the irisin question
Exercise remains the most robust intervention in ageing biology. A small set of peptides partially reproduce specific exercise-induced pathways — the evidence for each differs sharply.
Peptide half-life, delivery routes and the bioavailability problem
Peptide research is as much a delivery problem as a biology problem. Half-life, route of administration and chemical modification determine whether a promising mechanism ever becomes a usable protocol.
Autophagy, mTOR and the scarcity of direct peptide activators
Autophagy is a central hallmark of ageing biology, but the peptide catalogue offers no direct activator. The indirect routes are worth understanding on their own terms.
Peptide quality, purity and third-party testing for UK research contexts
A peptide's biological mechanism is irrelevant if the vial does not contain what the label claims. Quality verification is a research-integrity issue, not a marketing detail.
The MHRA Yellow Card scheme and pharmacovigilance for research contexts
The Yellow Card scheme is the UK's central adverse-event reporting mechanism. Its scope for unlicensed research substances is narrower and more specific than is often assumed.
Mitokines and the mitochondria-as-endocrine-organ model
Mitochondria were long understood purely as bioenergetic organelles. A growing catalogue of mitochondrially-derived peptides suggests a parallel signalling role — the mitokine model.