Our mission is to ensure the generation of accurate and precise findings.
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We are an international team of scientists driven to find molecular mechanisms to extend human health- and lifespan. We study comparative biology of aging, genomic stability, and epigenetics of aging
Dr. Gorbunova and Dr. Seluanov
Our research focus is on understanding the mechanisms of longevity and cancer resistance. Aging is the major cause of death in developed countries. By finding ways to delay aging it will be possible to delay the onset of multiple age-related diseases. Cancer is another major killer in developed world, where 25% of human mortality is caused by cancer. Cancer incidence increases exponentially with age and to achieve long-life species must evolve efficient tumor suppressor mechanisms. Our goal is to understand such mechanisms in mammalian species that are naturally cancer-resistant.
Animal species differ dramatically in their aging rates and susceptibility to age-related diseases. Comparative studies on animals with different maximum lifespans (MLS) can be used to identify the molecular mechanisms that explain this disparity. Studying rodents (phylogenetically related with a 10-fold difference in MLS), bats (exceptional longevity compared to body size), and the bowhead whale (MLS > 200 years) allows us to identify such health- and lifespan-extending mechanisms. This knowledge enables the development of interventions to prevent, delay, or cure age-related diseases in humans.
