Death-bed prophecy.
What's left to learn about aging? The burning question for many researchers is whether life-stretching pathways and genes from model organisms boost human life span. Researchers might be able to track down additional genes and pathways that adjust longevity by studying a broader range of organisms or by tracking the evolution of genes that promote aging. An alternative way to extend our lives might be to identify the genes behind late-life killers such as heart disease and diabetes. Lab animals last longer on a very low-cal diet, and scientists are probing whether humans can benefit from this austerity. Or better yet, perhaps researchers can design molecules that deliver the gain of calorie reduction without the pain. Scientists are also focusing on which parts of the cell incur damage as we age and how growth and reproduction tie in to longevity. The speed of the next round of advances will depend on whether movers and shakers in funding organizations recognize the importance of the research and are willing to pay for it.
Leslie
Mitch
M
D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D019588:Aging, Premature / Q000235:genetics; D000818:Animals; D003643:Death; D017353:Gene Deletion; D006801:Humans; D008136:Longevity; D051379:Mice; D009154:Mutation; D009348:Nematoda / Q000254:growth & development; D010506:Periodicals as Topic