Disease Programs

Aging

Peter Rabinovich (Pathology)

Recent scientific advances have demonstrated that aging is not the immutable process it was once thought to be. A variety of genetic, cellular, and, nutritional interventions not only increase longevity in laboratory organisms, but also dramatically increase the duration of disease-free life. The connection between health and aging is dramatic, as the major causes of human mortality increase exponentially with age, and modest reductions in the rate of aging have dramatic effects on the time of onset of heart disease, cancer, diabetes, etc. There is also a very close connection between aging and regenerative medicine, as we and others believe that that the onset of many diseases of aging is related to a decline in maintenance and repair capacities of cells and organs.

Investigators in the biology of aging at the University of Washington study interventions in the aging process in a variety of organisms, spanning yeast, nematodes, mice and humans. Genetic regulation of lifespan and cellular repair capacities is a special focus of our work. We are excited about the potentials for interaction of work in this field with studies of stem cells and regenerative medicine and believe that the confluence of these fields is a fertile area for rapid advancement.