Andrew Mendelsohn

 

Positions
President, Research Director, and Professor

 

 

 

Research
Dr. Mendelsohn’s  current research in regenerative, systems, and synthetic biology spans a broad range of interests from understanding the basic mechanisms that underlie aging, to characterizing the differences between regenerative capabilities in humans and “immortal” organisms like planaria that have essentially unlimited ability to regenerate their body, due to the presence of somatic pluripotent stem cells to the development of chassis (organism) independent standardized parts for synthetic biology. The goal of Dr. Mendelsohn’s research is to amelerioate aging processes by using synthetic and computational biology, especially artificial intelligence and machine learning, to engineer enhanced human regeneration and rejuvenation. Development of appropriate dynamic computer simulations of aging biological systems is ongoing. At the heart of his approach is the creation and insertion of new biological programs into cells to augment pre-existing incomplete regeneration mechanisms. Dr. Mendelsohn is focused on research to advance the goals of the AMRITA Initiatiative.  To that end, he is investigating ways to restore youthful epigenetic signatures to aged cells as well as designing regenerative mechanisms to advance the intrinsic repair capabilities of mammals.

Biography
Dr. Andrew Mendelsohn has been deeply interested in the biology of aging and regeneration for many years pursuing basic research into the role that epigenetic drift plays in maintaining cell state in aging mammalian differentiated cells. He founded the 501(c)(3) non-profit Regenerative Sciences Institute in 1994 to pursue research at the interface of aging, regeneration, and what is now called synthetic biology.  He is an early proponent of synthetic biology, before the field was officially named and recognized, having the engineereed autolysing cell-penetrating bacteria for in-vivo gene transfer to mammalian cells in 1989-1990 and developing the central idea for protein-protein based logic circuits in yeast in 1997 in an early key synthetic biology paper.  Beyond a keen interest in understanding and creating native and synthetic “programs that alter biological state,”Dr Mendelsohn was in pursuit of the master regulatory proteins that were later identified by Shinya Yamanaka in the early 2000’s.  Dr. Mendelsohn is currently pursuing the application of customized artificial intelligence systems to predict the key molecular changes needed to reprogram differentiated cells into more youthful states. His current research goes beyond merely trying to reset DNA methylation clocks, but to reset the fundamental differentiation state of cells by a process of dedifferentiation and redifferentiation.

Dr. Mendelsohn has also been involved in the biotechnology sector for 20 years  and is a co-founder of several biotech startups   He holds patents on novel detection systems for registering protein interactions and functional relationships and on engineering protein fusions.  He has been awarded numerous NIH small business administration SBIR grants, and managed more than a dozen others to translate basic research discoveries into therapeutics.  He recognizes both the potential and limitations of the commercial sector in fostering creative solutions to unsolved major medical problems, such as aging and its associated diseases.

Education
BA, Biophysics, University of Pennsylvania
PhD, Molecular, Cell biology and Biochemistry, Brown University

Postgraduate

Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Molecular Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital
Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Genetics,Harvard Medical School
Research Fellow, Molecular Sciences Institute, Berkeley,CA

 

 

Publications

 

Mendelsohn AR, Yu B, Fertala J, Larrick JW, Fertala A. 2026. Development of a Humanized Anti-Fibrotic Antibody Targeting Extracellular Collagen Assembly to Reduce Post-Traumatic Scarring. bioRxiv. 2026 doi:10.64898/2026.04.20.719618.

Rojas M, Heuer LS, Zhang W, Sweeney N, Ramirez-Santana C, Leung PSC, Lam A, Kamat S, Mendelsohn AR, Huang M, Yu B, Ackerman P, Wei Q, Larrick JW, Chen YG, Ridgway WM. 2025. Alternate splicing converts human CD137 from costimulatory to immunosuppressive function. J Autoimmun. 2025 157:103498.

Heuer LS, Sweeney N, Rojas M, Zhang W, Mendelsohn AR, Huang M, Yu B, Ackerman P, Wei Q, Herr AB, Larrick JW, Ridgway WM. 2025. Higher order receptor clustering due to the IgG3 subclass is necessary for TLR4 signaling and tolerance induction by novel human anti-TLR4 antibodies. MAbs. 2025 17:2515415.

Yu B, Drelich A, Hsu J, Tat V, Peng BH, Wei Q, Wang J, Wang H, Wages J, Mendelsohn AR, Larrick JW, Tseng CT. 2023. Protective Efficacy of Novel Engineered Human ACE2-Fc Fusion Protein Against Pan-SARS-CoV-2 Infection In Vitro and in Vivo. J Med Chem. 2023 66:16646-16657.

Liu HM, Rayner A, Mendelsohn AR, Shneyderman A, Chen M, Pun FW. 2024. Applying Artificial Intelligence to Identify Common Targets for Treatment of Asthma, Eczema, and Food Allergy. Int Arch Allergy Immunol. 2024 185:99-110.

Huang MTF, Sharma V, Mendelsohn A, Wei Q, Li J, Yu B, Larrick JW, Lum LG. 2022. Broad reactivity and enhanced potency of recombinant anti-EGFR x anti-CD3 bispecific antibody-armed activated T cells against solid tumours. Ann Med. 2022 54:1047-1057.

Mendelsohn AR, Larrick JW. 2022. Antiaging Vaccines Targeting Senescent Cells. Rejuvenation Res. 2022 25:39-45.

Mendelsohn AR, Mendelsohn AR, Lei J. 2022. Advances in Stem Cell Biology. Academic Press. 2022 :571-587.

Mendelsohn AR, Larrick JW. 2021. Stem Cell Rejuvenation by Restoration of Youthful Metabolic Compartmentalization. Rejuvenation Res. 2021 24:470-474.

Larrick JW, Mendelsohn AR. 2021. Modulation of cGAS-STING Pathway by Nicotinamide Riboside in Alzheimer’s Disease. Rejuvenation Res. 2021 24:397-402.

Larrick JW, Larrick JW, Mendelsohn AR. 2021. Response to Hypoxia in Cognitive Decline. Rejuvenation Res. 2021 24:319-324.

Larrick JW, Mendelsohn AR, Larrick JW. 2021. Beneficial Gut Microbiome Remodeled During Intermittent Fasting in Humans. Rejuvenation Res. 2021 24:234-237.

Kamat SM, Mendelsohn AR, Larrick JW. 2021. Rejuvenation Through Oxygen, More or Less. Rejuvenation Res. 2021 24:158-163.

Mendelsohn AR, Larrick JW. 2021. Metabolic Reprogramming Rejuvenates Aged Myeloid Cells Restoring Cognition. Rejuvenation Res. 2021 24:65-67.

Larrick JW, Larrick JW, Mendelsohn AR. 2020. SUMO Wrestles with Mitophagy to Extend Lifespan. Rejuvenation Res. 2020 23:527-532.

Larrick JW, Larrick JW, Mendelsohn AR. 2020. Contribution of Ferroptosis to Aging and Frailty. Rejuvenation Res. 2020 23:434-438.

Larrick JW, Mendelsohn AR. 2020. Eosinophils and White Fat: Protection from Worms and Inflammaging. Rejuvenation Res. 2020 23:349-352.

Larrick JW, Mendelsohn AR. 2020. Exercise Partially Rejuvenates Muscle Stem Cells. Rejuvenation Res. 2020 23:262-265.

Larrick JW, Mendelsohn AR. 2020. Supplementation with Brush Border Enzyme Alkaline Phosphatase Slows Aging. Rejuvenation Res. 2020 23:171-175.

Mendelsohn AR, Larrick JW. 2020. The Danger of Being Too Sympathetic: Norepinephrine in Alzheimer’s Disease and Graying of Hair. Rejuvenation Res. 2020 23:68-72.

Larrick JW, Mendelsohn AR. 2019. Increased REST to Optimize Life Span? Rejuvenation Res. 2019 22:529-532.

Mendelsohn AR, Larrick JW. 2019. Epigenetic Age Reversal by Cell-Extrinsic and Cell-Intrinsic Means. Rejuvenation Res. 2019 22:439-446.

Mendelsohn A, Larrick J. 2019. Response to Rizza and Filomenia re: “Regulation of S-Nitrosylation in Aging and Senescence”. Rejuvenation Res. 2019 22:362-363.

Larrick JW, Mendelsohn AR. 2019. Roads to the Fountain of Youth? Rejuvenating Intestinal Stem Cells. Rejuvenation Res. 2019 22:342-347.

Mendelsohn AR, Larrick JW. 2019. Interacting NAD(+) and Cell Senescence Pathways Complicate Antiaging Therapies. Rejuvenation Res. 2019 22:261-266.

Larrick JW, Mendelsohn AR. 2019. Regulation of S-Nitrosylation in Aging and Senescence. Rejuvenation Res. 2019 22:171-174.

[Authors not listed in source] 2018. URINARY LEVELS OF MARINOBUFAGENIN AND ANGIOGENIC FACTORS IN PREECLAMPTIC PATIENTS. J Investig Med. 2018.

Mendelsohn AR, Larrick JW. 2018. Cellular Senescence as the Key Intermediate in Tau-Mediated Neurodegeneration. Rejuvenation Res. 2018 21:572-579.

Mendelsohn AR, Larrick JW. 2018. Prevention of Senescence in Vasculature Through Quiescence. Rejuvenation Res. 2018 21:477-481.

Mendelsohn AR, Larrick JW. 2018. Mitochondrial-Derived Peptides Exacerbate Senescence. Rejuvenation Res. 2018 21:369-373.

Larrick JW, Mendelsohn AR. 2018. Finally, a Regimen to Extend Human Life Expectancy. Rejuvenation Res. 2018 21:278-282.

Qiu F, Shin Y, Chen D, Cheng R, Chen Q, Zhou K, Larrick JW, Mendelsohn AR, Ma JX. 2018. Anti-angiogenic effect of a humanized antibody blocking the Wnt/beta-catenin signaling pathway. Microvasc Res. 2018 119:29-37.

Mendelsohn AR, Larrick JW. 2018. Telomerase May Paradoxically Accelerate Aging of the DNA Methylome. Rejuvenation Res. 2018 21:168-172.

Larrick JW, Larrick JW, Mendelsohn AR. 2018. ATP Synthase, a Target for Dementia and Aging? Rejuvenation Res. 2018 21:61-66.

Larrick JW, Mendelsohn AR. 2017. Mesenchymal Stem Cells for Frailty? Rejuvenation Res. 2017 20:525-529.

Mendelsohn AR, Larrick JW. 2017. Epigenetic Drift Is a Determinant of Mammalian Lifespan. Rejuvenation Res. 2017 20:430-436.

Mendelsohn AR, Larrick JW. 2017. Inflammation, Stem Cells, and the Aging Hypothalamus. Rejuvenation Res. 2017 20:346-349.

Li B, Xu L, Tao F, Xie K, Wu Z, Li Y, Li J, Chen K, Pi C, Mendelsohn A, Larrick JW, Gu H, Fang J. 2017. Simultaneous exposure to FcgammaR and FcalphaR on monocytes and macrophages enhances antitumor activity in vivo. Oncotarget. 2017 8:39356-39366.

Mendelsohn AR, Larrick JW. 2017. The NAD+/PARP1/SIRT1 Axis in Aging. Rejuvenation Res. 2017 20:244-247.

Nguyen V, Mendelsohn A, Larrick JW. 2017. Interleukin-7 and Immunosenescence. J Immunol Res. 2017 2017:4807853.

Mendelsohn AR, Larrick JW, Lei JL. 2017. Rejuvenation by Partial Reprogramming of the Epigenome. Rejuvenation Res. 2017 20:146-150.

[Authors not listed in source] 2016. Anti-MBG antibodies attenuate MBG-induced anti-proliferative and anti-angiogenic milieu in cytotrophoblast cell model. FASEB J. 2016.

Mendelsohn AR, Larrick JW. 2016. Pharmaceutical Rejuvenation of Age-Associated Decline in Spatial Memory. Rejuvenation Res. 2016 19:521-524.

Larrick JW, Larrick JW, Mendelsohn AR. 2016. Reversal of Aged Muscle Stem Cell Dysfunction. Rejuvenation Res. 2016 19:423-429.

Larrick JW, Larrick JW, Mendelsohn AR. 2016. Uncoupling Mitochondrial Respiration for Diabesity. Rejuvenation Res. 2016 19:337-40.

Mendelsohn AR, Larrick JW. 2016. Preclinical Reversal of Atherosclerosis by FDA-Approved Compound that Transforms Cholesterol into an Anti-Inflammatory “Prodrug”. Rejuvenation Res. 2016 19:252-5.

[Authors not listed in source] 2016. Correction to: Rejuvenation Res 2016;19:90–93. Rejuvenation Res. 2016 19:270-270.

Mendelsohn AR, Larrick JW. 2016. Rejuvenating Muscle Stem Cell Function: Restoring Quiescence and Overcoming Senescence. Rejuvenation Res. 2016 19:182-6.

Mendelsohn AR, Larrick JW. 2016. Thymus Maintenance and Regeneration by Specific Molecular Factors. Rejuvenation Res. 2016 19:90-3.

Wang JQ, DeChalus A, Chatterjee DN, Keller ET, Mizokami A, Camussi G, Mendelsohn AR, Renzulli Ii JF, Quesenberry PJ, Chatterjee D. 2015. Extracellular Vesicle-Mediated Reversal of Paclitaxel Resistance in Prostate Cancer. Crit Rev Oncog. 2015 20:407-17.

Mendelsohn AR, Lei JL, Chatterjee D. 2015. Epigenetic/Genetic Mismatch: Using Transdifferentiation as a Potential Cancer Therapy to Exploit the Cell Type Specificity of Cancer. Crit Rev Oncog. 2015 20:519-35.

Suter B, Zhang X, Pesce CG, Mendelsohn AR, Dinesh-Kumar SP, Mao JH. 2015. Next-Generation Sequencing for Binary Protein-Protein Interactions. Front Genet. 2015 6:346.

Mendelsohn AR, Larrick JW. 2015. Aging Stem Cells Lose the Capability to Distribute Damaged Proteins Asymmetrically. Rejuvenation Res. 2015 18:581-4.

Mendelsohn AR, Larrick JW. 2015. Telomerase Reverse Transcriptase and Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor gamma Co-Activator-1alpha Cooperate to Protect Cells from DNA Damage and Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Vascular Senescence. Rejuvenation Res. 2015 18:479-83.

Mendelsohn AR, Larrick JW. 2015. Stem Cell Depletion by Global Disorganization of the H3K9me3 Epigenetic Marker in Aging. Rejuvenation Res. 2015 18:371-5.

Larrick JW, Mendelsohn AR. 2015. Telomerase redux: ready for prime time? Rejuvenation Res. 2015 18:185-7.

Larrick JW, Mendelsohn AR, Sharma V, Wang J, Fang J, Huang M, Wages JM, Wright SC. 2014. Inflammation, Advancing Age and Nutrition: Research and Clinical Interventions. Elsevier/Academic Press. 2014 :333-344.

Mendelsohn AR, Larrick JW. 2014. Systemic factors mediate reversible age-associated brain dysfunction. Rejuvenation Res. 2014 17:525-8.

Mendelsohn AR, Larrick JW. 2014. Prolonged fasting/refeeding promotes hematopoietic stem cell regeneration and rejuvenation. Rejuvenation Res. 2014 17:385-9.

Mendelsohn AR, Larrick JW. 2014. Paradoxical effects of antioxidants on cancer. Rejuvenation Res. 2014 17:306-11.

Mendelsohn AR, Larrick JW. 2014. Partial reversal of skeletal muscle aging by restoration of normal NAD(+) levels. Rejuvenation Res. 2014 17:62-9.

Mendelsohn AR, Larrick JW. 2013. Medical Implications of Basic Research in Aging. Eosynth. 2013.

Mendelsohn AR, Larrick JW. 2013. Sleep facilitates clearance of metabolites from the brain: glymphatic function in aging and neurodegenerative diseases. Rejuvenation Res. 2013 16:518-23.

Mendelsohn AR, Larrick JW. 2013. Trade-offs between anti-aging dietary supplementation and exercise. Rejuvenation Res. 2013 16:419-26.

Mendelsohn AR, Larrick JW. 2013. Rejuvenation of aging hearts. Rejuvenation Res. 2013 16:330-2.

Mendelsohn AR, Larrick JW. 2013. Dietary modification of the microbiome affects risk for cardiovascular disease. Rejuvenation Res. 2013 16:241-4.

Mendelsohn AR, Larrick JW. 2013. Rejuvenation of adult stem cells: is age-associated dysfunction epigenetic? Rejuvenation Res. 2013 16:152-7.

Mendelsohn AR, Larrick JW. 2013. The DNA methylome as a biomarker for epigenetic instability and human aging. Rejuvenation Res. 2013 16:74-7.

Mendelsohn AR, Larrick JW. 2012. Fibroblast growth factor-21 is a promising dietary restriction mimetic. Rejuvenation Res. 2012 15:624-8.

Mendelsohn AR, Larrick JW. 2012. Dietary restriction: critical co-factors to separate health span from life span benefits. Rejuvenation Res. 2012 15:523-9.

Mendelsohn AR, Larrick JW. 2012. Ectopic expression of telomerase safely increases health span and life span. Rejuvenation Res. 2012 15:435-8.

Mendelsohn AR, Larrick JW. 2012. Dissecting mammalian target of rapamycin to promote longevity. Rejuvenation Res. 2012 15:334-7.

Mendelsohn AR, Larrick JW. 2012. Epigenetic-mediated decline in synaptic plasticity during aging. Rejuvenation Res. 2012 15:98-101.

Mendelsohn AR, Larrick JW. 2011. Overcoming the aging systemic milieu to restore neural stem cell function. Rejuvenation Res. 2011 14:681-4.

Mendelsohn AR, Larrick JW. 2011. Reversing age-related decline in working memory. Rejuvenation Res. 2011 14:557-9.

Mendelsohn AR, Larrick JW. 2011. Rapamycin as an antiaging therapeutic?: targeting mammalian target of rapamycin to treat Hutchinson-Gilford progeria and neurodegenerative diseases. Rejuvenation Res. 2011 14:437-41.

Mendelsohn A, Larrick JW. 2011. Medical implications of basic science: protein homeostasis as a clinical target for increased longevity? Rejuvenation Res. 2011 14:335-9.

Mendelsohn A, Larrick JW. 2011. Master switch of mitochondrial biogenesis: a clinical target for health span enhancement? Rejuvenation Res. 2011 14:223-6.

Larrick JW, Mendelsohn A. 2010. Applied Healthspan engineering. Rejuvenation Res. 2010 13:265-80.

Mendelsohn AR. 2004. Interaction trap/two-hybrid system to identify loss-of-interaction mutant proteins. Curr Protoc Mol Biol. 2004 Chapter 20:Unit 20.8.

Mendelsohn AR. 2002. An enlightened genetic switch. Nat Biotechnol. 2002 20:985-7.

Mendelsohn AR, Hamer JD, Wang ZB, Brent R. 2002. Cyclin D3 activates Caspase 2, connecting cell proliferation with cell death. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2002 99:6871-6.

Mendelsohn AR, Brent R. 1999. Protein interaction methods–toward an endgame. Science. 1999 284:1948-50.

Mendelsohn AR, Brent R. 1998. Postgenomic protein analysis: the next bend in the river. Nat Biotechnol. 1998 16:520-1.

Xu CW, Mendelsohn AR, Brent R. 1997. Cells that register logical relationships among proteins. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1997 94:12473-8.

Mendelsohn AR, Brent R. 1994. Applications of interaction traps/two-hybrid systems to biotechnology research. Curr Opin Biotechnol. 1994 5:482-6.

Mendelsohn AR, Coleman JR. 1992. Simple, rapid, reversible staining of nucleic acid immobilized on blots. Biotechniques. 1992 12:379.

Chatterjee D, Mendelsohn A, Shank PR, Savarese TM. 1989. Reversible suppression of c-myc expression in a human colon carcinoma line by the anticancer agent N-methylformamide. Cancer Res. 1989 49:3910-6.