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The place of genetics in ageing research

Nature Reviews Genetics volume 13, pages 589–594 (2012)Cite this article

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Abstract

Rapidly increasing numbers of older people present many countries with growing social and economic challenges. Yet despite the far-reaching implications of ageing, its biological basis remains a topic of much debate. Recent advances in genomics have spurred research on ageing and lifespan in human populations, adding to extensive genetic studies being carried out in model organisms. But how far is ageing controlled by our genes? In this Viewpoint, six experts present their opinions and comment on future directions in ageing research.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Nir Barzilai is at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Avenue, Belfer Building, #701, Bronx, New York City, New York 10461, USA.,

    Nir Barzilai

  2. Leonard Guarente is at the Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, 68–280, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA.,

    Leonard Guarente

  3. Thomas B. L. Kirkwood is at the Institute for Ageing and Health, Newcastle University, Campus for Ageing and Vitality, Newcastle upon Tyne NE4 5PL, UK.,

    Thomas B. L. Kirkwood

  4. Germany; and the Institute of Healthy Ageing and Department of Genetics, Linda Partridge is at the Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing, Gleueler Straße 50a, D-50931 Cologne, Evolution and Enrichment, Darwin Building, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK.,

    Linda Partridge

  5. and the Institute of Healthy Ageing and Department of Genetics, Evolution and Enrichment, Darwin Building, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK.,

    Linda Partridge

  6. Thomas A. Rando is at the Glenn Laboratories for the Biology of Aging, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California 94305–5235, USA,

    Thomas A. Rando

  7. and the Center for Tissue Regeneration, Repair, and Restoration (CTR3), VA Palo Alto Health Care System, Palo Alto, California 94304, USA.,

    Thomas A. Rando

  8. P. Eline Slagboom is at the Leiden University Medical Center, Section of Molecular Epidemiology, Netherlands Consortium for Healthy Ageing, Einthovenweg 20, 2333 ZC Leiden, The Netherlands.,

    P. Eline Slagboom

Authors
  1. Nir Barzilai
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  2. Leonard Guarente
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  3. Thomas B. L. Kirkwood
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  4. Linda Partridge
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  5. Thomas A. Rando
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  6. P. Eline Slagboom
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Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Nir Barzilai, Leonard Guarente, Thomas B. L. Kirkwood, Linda Partridge, Thomas A. Rando or P. Eline Slagboom.

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Competing interests

Leonard Guarente is Chair of the scientific advisory board of Sirtris Pharmaceuticals. Nir Barzilai, Thomas B. L. Kirkwood, Linda Partridge, Thomas A. Rando and P. Eline Slagboom declare no competing financial interests.

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Barzilai, N., Guarente, L., Kirkwood, T. et al. The place of genetics in ageing research. Nat Rev Genet 13, 589–594 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrg3290

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