Profiling Kenyon, Nematode Worms
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette profiles Cynthia Kenyon's work on extending the life span of nematode worms: "Aging doesn't occur simply because parts wear out, but also because our genetic code is programmed to reduce the body's repair work after a certain age. ... Dr. Kenyon showed that tweaking a gene called daf-2 'in just the right way' resulted in extraordinary increases in lifespan. ... adjusting the action of daf-2 in roundworms can extend life even if this tweaking doesn't occur until the worm has reached mid-life. Again, no one can say whether this applies to humans, but it has to be encouraging for anyone facing a mid-life crisis. ... How soon any of this can be translated into a hormone or drug therapy that extends life is not clear."