Aging markers are needed for testing geroprotectors
Geneticists plan to start experiments to slow down aging in humans
Ulyana Grebennikova, The third international conference "Genetics of Aging and Longevity" has started in Sochi. The meeting, organized by the Russian foundation "Science for Life Extension", was attended by the largest researchers from dozens of countries on the mechanisms of aging and longevity, the nature of cancer and other age-related diseases. Together they share the results of their research and discuss possible ways to develop science in the fight against human aging.
"There is progress because people are starting to think that this is possible, and I think we will soon begin to see meaningful experiments among people. There are groups of scientists who plan to start soon," Kennedy said.
He clarified that progress in studying the mechanisms of aging is huge, since 30 years ago scientists did not know how to control aging. At the same time, 20 years ago, geneticists began to discover the possibilities of slowing down the aging process in simple organisms, such as flies or yeast cultures, worms, and ten years ago, people began to identify genes that affect the aging process.
"Well, now we have a drug that slows down aging in mice. The only problem is how to move on to the next stage, and from animal models to experiments that will help to understand how to prolong people's lives," Kennedy added.
According to him, scientists do not want to conduct clinical trials that will take 30 years, and wait for them to end when the people who participated in the experiment die. Therefore, one of the main problems of geneticists today is the lack of good markers of aging to determine the effect of drugs.
Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru08.04.2014