Yuri Golikov — How NeuroAge helps keep your mind sharp

According to the World Health Organization, a new case of dementia is diagnosed every three seconds. Today, around 50 million people are living with the condition; by 2050, that number could reach 150 million.

It’s important to distinguish normal brain aging from dementia. Aging is a natural process: as we get older, memory and attention typically decline and certain brain regions may shrink. These changes on their own are not dangerous. Dementia, by contrast, is a pathology in which cognitive functions deteriorate so profoundly that a person effectively stops being themselves.

Against this backdrop, the mission of the San Francisco – based biotech startup NeuroAge Therapeutics — to combine classical methods with cutting-edge technology to slow brain aging and prevent neurodegenerative disease — looks revolutionary.

There’s another reason this story matters: the company’s Vice President of Engineering is a Ukrainian — Yuri Golikov, who holds a Master of Computer Science, is an author of several scientific publications, a member of the Forbes Technology Council, and a member of the nationwide IT Ukraine Association. He is also the founder and CEO of the IT company DevBrother, with headquarters in Ukraine, Poland, and the United States. Under his leadership, an international engineering team translates fundamental ideas from scientists across the globe into scalable, human-centered technologies — tools intuitive enough for vulnerable populations — that can change lives.

We spoke with Yuri Golikov about NeuroAge Therapeutics and how advanced technologies are helping millions preserve mental clarity.

– Yuri, you’re a technologist—so why a startup fighting dementia and brain aging? How did you end up here?”

– You might be surprised, but this field is closely intertwined with technology. After all, it was the human brain that invented technology in the first place (laughs). For me, NeuroAge Therapeutics is more of a life mission. Sadly, I’ve personally seen cases where cognitive decline transformed people I knew beyond recognition.

What’s even scarier is the gradual onset. At first, a person has no idea that irreversible processes have begun in their brain and doesn’t seek help. And then it’s too late.

So when I was invited to join NeuroAge Therapeutics — a team of highly qualified experts known for decades of research on dementia and brain aging — I didn’t hesitate.

– What exactly do you do at NeuroAge Therapeutics?

– I oversee our technology strategy, architecture, and execution at every stage — from prototype to integration into clinical workflows. That includes choosing the stack, managing the team, ensuring tight integration between our engineering work and scientific labs, and meeting medical standards. The last point is crucial: software must undergo clinical validation — healthcare demands solutions that are reproducible and transparent.

In short, we’re building an ecosystem where engineers and scientists operate as one team.

– How is the platform built?

– We use a microservice architecture: each module handles a specific stage — from data ingestion and standardization to integrating biomarker analyses and visualization. Put simply, we analyze brain cells across multiple levels —morphology, aging markers, accumulation of pathological proteins, and more.

– How do you ensure data security?

– We handle data in accordance with HIPAA and applicable international data-protection regulations (e.g., GDPR). All data are strongly encrypted — in transit and at rest — and are processed and stored in line with leading, widely recognized industry practices for protecting health information.

– Your team has developed brain-age tests. What are they and how do they work?

– Our comprehensive brain-age assessment combines online cognitive testing with blood work, genetic data, and MRI. We merge these inputs into a unified model and use purpose-built algorithms that make it clear why the neural network arrived at a given conclusion. After completing the NeuroAge tests, a person receives their brain-age estimate and a report with personalized recommendations — from lifestyle adjustments to medical evaluations.

– Do you use artificial intelligence?

– Absolutely. Just as Tesla collects driver data to build a knowledge base that ultimately powers Autopilot, we’re building a unique knowledge base about the human brain. How people perform in memory and reaction games matters a great deal: that behavioral data underpins our AI model, which generates individualized recommendations — and, in the future, can help discover therapies to combat dementia and brain aging more effectively.

–On the other hand, these tests can be psychologically challenging for users.

– I’m convinced that advanced technology should support people, not scare them. That’s why we design the interface, so results are explained in plain language. Roughly 40% of brain aging is linked to lifestyle — precisely the factor people can influence.

We provide personalized recommendations based on an individual’s biomarkers to help slow down — or even potentially reverse — brain-aging processes. That turns NeuroAge’s tests from a source of anxiety into a tool for proactive prevention.

In other words, we don’t just measure brain age— we give people a chance to live “in sound mind and good memory” for as long as possible. And we want cognitive screening to become as accessible as checking your pulse or blood pressure. We’ll get there — I’m sure of it!