THE LONGEVITY GENES PROJECT – SEARCHING FOR
LONGEVITY GENES IN THE ASHKENAZI JEWISH POPULATION
The Longevity Genes Project was initiated in 1998 at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine by Dr. Nir Barzilai.
Dr. Barzilai's early observations of the phenotypes of healthy, vital centenarians led him to ask a series of questions. Questions led to hypotheses, which culminated in the Longevity Genes Project, now nearing its 10th anniversary. At issue: why do some people enjoy extremely long life spans, and why is their physical health and brain function far better than might be expected in the 9th and 10th decades of life?
Dr. Barzilai and his team are well under way in the process of identifying genetic markers and physiological traits associated with extreme long life. We are searching for longevity genes in a selected population: the “oldest old” Ashkenazi Jews 95 years of age and older. Studying these centenarians will allow us to the understand aging at the genetic level, which may ultimately allow for the development of novel treatments to delay or prevent the development of fatal diseases.
Evidence to date indicates there are a number of mutations - differences in some genes in some people - which are associated with delaying or preventing life-threatening diseases and mental deterioration. Dr. Barzilai's research remains dedicated to identifying these genetic components for "successful aging."