Towards a Cure for Aging

Work on treating aging as a medical condition, targeting the mechanisms that cause aging in order to slow or reverse its progression, has advanced to the point at which the popular science and medical resources of the world are writing overviews on the topic, seeking to better inform the public at large. We have come a long way in the past decade. The compelling animal data for approaches such as the targeted removal of senescent cells, showing rejuvenation in mice, is melting some of the skepticism that previously characterized attitudes towards the treatment of aging. Heart disease. Cancer. Diabetes. Dementia. Researchers spend billions of dollars every year trying to eradicate these medical scourges. Yet even if we discover cures to these and all other chronic conditions, it won't change our ultimate prognosis: death. "That's because you haven't stopped aging," says Jay Olshansky, PhD, a professor of epidemiology and biostatistics. But what if we could? What if we are trying to extend longevity in the wrong way? Instead of focusing on diseases, should we take aim at aging itself? Some scientists think so. Fueled in part by a billion dollars of investor money, they are attempting to reverse-engineer your molecular biological clock. Their goal? To eliminate not merely diseases that kill people, but to prevent death itself. Aubrey de Grey, PhD, a biomedical gerontologist, has drawn wide attention for his belief that the first person who will live to be 1,000 ...
Source: Fight Aging! - Category: Research Authors: Tags: Daily News Source Type: blogs