Genetic And Biomarker Studies Of Human Longevity

The release of the complete version of the human genome sequence in 2003 has paved the way for defining gene function and genetic background for phenotypic variation in humans and allowed us to study the aging process in a new light. This new volume results from that research and focuses on the genetic and epigenetic process of aging. While the interpretation of the genome data is still in its initial stages, this new volume looks at the evolving understanding of molecular mechanisms involved in cellular processes, gene function associated with complex traits, epigenetic components involve in gene control and the creation of hypothesis-free genome-wide approaches. Longevity Genes: A Blueprint for Aging explores the genetic and genomic elements that can maintain a long life such as DNA damage mechanisms, epigenetics and the way we can use this knowledge to generate customized treatments. It touches on some of the multidisciplinary approaches as well as genomic-wide association technology used to analyze complex traits. This book describes the hunt for genes affecting complex traits using a high throughput technology, with adequate consideration for the selection of an appropriate population, applications of statistical genetics and computational biology, and most importantly, considering phenotype-genotype association studies. Longevity Genes provides coverage of not only established aspects of genetics and aging, but also new approaches and perceptions in this important area of research.

"Many scientists today are working to retard the aging process in humans so as to increase both life expectancy and the quality of life. Over the past decade impressive results have been achieved in targeting the mechanisms and pathways of aging. In The Quest for Human Longevity, Lewis D. Solomon considers these scientific studies by exploring the principal biomedical anti-aging techniques. The book also considers cutting edge research on mental enhancements and assesses the scientific doubts of skeptics. The Quest for Human Longevity is also about business. Solomon examines eight corporations pursuing various age-related interventions, profiling their scientific founders and top executives, and examining personnel, intellectual property, and financing for each firm. Academic scientists form the link between research and commerce. Solomon notes that the involvement of university scientists and researchers follows one of two models. The first is a traditional model in which scientists leave academia to work for a corporation or remain in academia and obtain business support for their research. The second is a modern model in which scientists use their intellectual property as a catalyst for acquiring equity interests in the firms they organize. Critics have pointed to the dangers of commercialized science, but Solomon's analysis, on balance, finds that the benefits outweigh the costs and that problems of secrecy and conflicts of interest can be addressed. If scientists succeed in unlocking the secrets of aging and developing drugs or therapies that will allow us to live decades longer, the consequences for society will include profound social, political, economic, and ethical questions. Solomon deals with the public policy aspects of significant life extension and looks at the conflict between those who advocate the acceptance of mortality and the partisans of life. The Quest for Human Longevity will be of interest to policymakers, sociologists, scientists, and studen"

States that the number of genuine long-livers is exploding and a substantial proportion of new-borns in developed countries may survive to celebrate their 100th birthday. This book examines the storied realms of exceptional longevity.

In the last two decades, due to the continuous increase of lifespans in Western societies, and the consequent growing of the elderly population, have witnessed an increase in the number of studies on biological and molecular factors able to promote healthy aging and reach longevity. The study of the genetic component of human longevity demonstrated that it accounts for 25% of intra population phenotype variance. The efforts made to characterize the genetic determinants suggested that the maintenance of cellular integrity, inflammation, oxidative stress response, DNA repair, as well as the use of nutrients, represent the most important pathways correlated with a longer lifespan. However, although a plethora of variants were indicated to be associated with human longevity, only very few were successfully replicated in different populations, probably because of population specificity, missing heritability as well as a complex interaction among genetic factors with lifestyle and cultural factors, which modulate the individual chance of living longer. Thus, many challenges remain to be addressed in the search for the genetic components of human longevity. This Special Issue is aimed to unify the progress in the analysis of the genetic determinants of human longevity, to take stock of the situation and point to future directions of the field. We invite submissions for reviews, research articles, short-communications dealing with genetic association studies in human longevity, including all types of genetic variation, as well as the characterization of longevity-related genes.

What can social science, and demography in particular, reasonably expect to learn from biological information? There is increasing pressure for multipurpose household surveys to collect biological data along with the more familiar interviewer-respondent information. Given that recent technical developments have made it more feasible to collect biological information in non-clinical settings, those who fund, design, and analyze survey data need to think through the rationale and potential consequences. This is a concern that transcends national boundaries. Cells and Surveys addresses issues such as which biologic/genetic data should be collected in order to be most useful to a range of social scientists and whether amassing biological data has unintended side effects. The book also takes a look at the various ethical and legal concerns that such data collection entails.

This book collects and reviews, for the first time, a wide range of advances in the area of human aging biomarkers. This accumulated data allows researchers to assess the rate of aging processes in various organs and systems, and to individually monitor the effectiveness of therapies intended to slow aging. In an introductory chapter, the editor defines biomarkers of aging as molecular, cellular and physiological parameters that demonstrate reproducible changes - quantitative or qualitative - with age. The introduction recounts a study which aimed to create a universal model of biological age, whose most predictive parameters were albumin and alkaline phosphatase (indication liver function), glucose (metabolic syndrome), erythrocytes (respiratory function) and urea (renal function). The book goes on to describe DNA methylation, known as the "epigenetic clock," as currently the most comprehensive predictor of total mortality. It is also useful for predicting mortality from cancer and cardiovascular diseases, and for analyzing the effects of lifestyle factors including diet, exercise, and education. Individual contributions draw additional insight from research on genetics and epigenetic aging markers, and immunosenescence and inflammaging markers. A concluding chapter outlines the challenge of integrating of biological and clinical markers of aging. Biomarkers of Human Aging is written for professionals and practitioners engaged in the study of aging, and will be useful to both advanced students and researchers.

Biosocial Surveys analyzes the latest research on the increasing number of multipurpose household surveys that collect biological data along with the more familiar interviewerâ€"respondent information. This book serves as a follow-up to the 2003 volume, Cells and Surveys: Should Biological Measures Be Included in Social Science Research? and asks these questions: What have the social sciences, especially demography, learned from those efforts and the greater interdisciplinary communication that has resulted from them? Which biological or genetic information has proven most useful to researchers? How can better models be developed to help integrate biological and social science information in ways that can broaden scientific understanding? This volume contains a collection of 17 papers by distinguished experts in demography, biology, economics, epidemiology, and survey methodology. It is an invaluable sourcebook for social and behavioral science researchers who are working with biosocial data.

This book collects and reviews, for the first time, a wide range of advances in the area of human aging biomarkers. This accumulated data allows researchers to assess the rate of aging processes in various organs and systems, and to individually monitor the effectiveness of therapies intended to slow aging. In an introductory chapter, the editor defines biomarkers of aging as molecular, cellular and physiological parameters that demonstrate reproducible changes - quantitative or qualitative - with age. The introduction recounts a study which aimed to create a universal model of biological age, whose most predictive parameters were albumin and alkaline phosphatase (indication liver function), glucose (metabolic syndrome), erythrocytes (respiratory function) and urea (renal function). The book goes on to describe DNA methylation, known as the “epigenetic clock,” as currently the most comprehensive predictor of total mortality. It is also useful for predicting mortality from cancer and cardiovascular diseases, and for analyzing the effects of lifestyle factors including diet, exercise, and education. Individual contributions draw additional insight from research on genetics and epigenetic aging markers, and immunosenescence and inflammaging markers. A concluding chapter outlines the challenge of integrating of biological and clinical markers of aging. Biomarkers of Human Aging is written for professionals and practitioners engaged in the study of aging, and will be useful to both advanced students and researchers.

In the last two decades, due to the continuous increase of lifespans in Westernsocieties, and the consequent growing of the elderly population, have witnessedan increase in the number of studies on biological and molecular factors able topromote healthy aging and reach longevity. The study of the genetic componentof human longevity demonstrated that it accounts for 25% of intra populationphenotype variance. The efforts made to characterize the genetic determinantssuggested that the maintenance of cellular integrity, inflammation, oxidativestress response, DNA repair, as well as the use of nutrients, represent the mostimportant pathways correlated with a longer lifespan. However, although aplethora of variants were indicated to be associated with human longevity, onlyvery few were successfully replicated in different populations, probably becauseof population specificity, missing heritability as well as a complex interactionamong genetic factors with lifestyle and cultural factors, which modulate theindividual chance of living longer. Thus, many challenges remain to be addressedin the search for the genetic components of human longevity. This Special Issue isaimed to unify the progress in the analysis of the genetic determinants of humanlongevity, to take stock of the situation and point to future directions of the field.We invite submissions for reviews, research articles, short-communicationsdealing with genetic association studies in human longevity, including all types ofgenetic variation, as well as the characterization of longevity-related genes.