Could New Research Findings Help Turn Back the Clock?

Restricting calorie consumption is one of the few proven ways to combat aging. Though the underlying mechanism is unknown, calorie restriction has been shown to prolong lifespan in yeast, worms, flies, monkeys and, in some studies, humans.

Now researchers have developed a computer problem-solving program that predicts which genes can be “turned off” to create the same anti-aging effect as calorie restriction, which could lead to new drugs to treat aging.

Most of these computer problem-solving programs try to find drug targets that kill cells to treat cancer or bacterial infections. But this program is the first in the field to look at drug targets that could transform cells from a diseased to a healthy state, according to researchers at Tel Aviv University’s Blavatnik School of Computer Science.

For more about the study, visit http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2014-01/afot-tot010214.php.