A Look at One of the Palo Alto Longevity Prize Competitors

The Palo Alto Longevity Prize launched back in 2014, one of a number of research prizes created over the past decade aimed at encouraging greater progress in the application of aging research. This popular press article takes a look at one of the competitors, but note it is garbling the science in a few places. In particular the line on quadrupling mouse life span is probably a reference to a study on a mouse model of multiple sclerosis or similar work on short-lived lineages where any intervention will greatly extend remaining life span by partially fixing the problem that is killing the mice at a young age. Certainly no-one has yet quadrupled remaining life span in normal aged mice - that would be an event echoed around the world. Researchers say a drug that blocks a protein produced by aging cells in your body could control how fast you grow older. They were contacted by the Palo Alto Longevity Prize to compete against teams from all over the world for $1 million. The protein, known as plasminogen activator inhibitor-1, or PAI-1, normally helps control the body's clot-dissolving system. The scientists believe controlling the protein is a way to prolong life. "The biology of aging is becoming more evident every day that goes by. We're understanding that there are specific changes about cells and tissues as they age, and that there are markers that aging cells make and it's possible to identify those molecules and theoretically slow down the aging process." The interest s...
Source: Fight Aging! - Category: Research Authors: Tags: Daily News Source Type: blogs