Conversations Unplugged
with Chris Burres
Chris Burres and his team began manufacturing the C60 molecule in 1991, just six years after its discovery and five years before the scientists behind it received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Originally known for applications ranging from batteries and tires to photocells, the molecule eventually attracted attention in longevity research after an animal study produced an unexpected result: rats receiving C60 dissolved in olive oil lived substantially longer than the control group. In this conversation with STEMREGEN Founder and Chief Science Officer Christian Drapeau, Chris explains why that experiment helped inspire his team to explore a form called ESS60 for human supplementation.
Chris Burres
Chris believes one of the most interesting characteristics of ESS60 is its interaction with mitochondria. He describes the company’s working model as the Buffering Oxidative Stress System, or BOSS Theory. According to Chris, published research has shown that the molecule can enter mitochondria and hold negatively charged particles on its cage-like structure. His team believes this may help buffer some of the reactive oxygen species produced when mitochondria are under stress, allowing the body’s existing antioxidant systems to manage them more effectively.
Christian notices that the molecule’s cage-like structure resembles materials used for binding other compounds and asks whether ESS60 could have similar applications. Chris is careful to distinguish possibility from evidence, noting that his company does not currently have research demonstrating a detoxification effect in people. He does describe comparative laboratory work conducted at the University of Houston involving the raw material and activated charcoal, which has encouraged his team to remain interested in the possibility while keeping its research focused elsewhere.
That research is now expanding. Chris says his team is beginning four clinical trials examining headaches, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein as an inflammatory marker, sleep, and the appearance of wrinkles and age spots with a cosmetic formulation. A small preliminary sleep study has already produced encouraging self-reported results, he says, but the larger studies are intended to provide more meaningful data. For Chris, continuing to test and publish is central to the company’s approach: take an unusual molecule with an equally unusual history and keep asking what the evidence can actually show.
