The preparation of the elixir is fast nearing completion, going by the latest from the gene tinkering stables. Scientists have been able to single out the gene which regulates lifespan in mammals. By knocking the IRS-1 gene out, they found that mice lived not only for a longer time but also led healthier lives. In the race for long and healthy lives, female mice seem to have an edge over male mice. The overall functioning of the organs and immune system also improved. This is also the gene which regulates the function of insulin, which only goes to show that genes have often more than one role.
Even before this, there have been experiments that have looked at the ageing process whether it be in worms or in mole rats. In the latter it had been found that going slow on metabolosis helped the rat live ten times longer than its cousin, the mouse. In the case of worms a batch of genes was identified that not only slowed ageing but also prevented cancer, a link that has been turning up now and again. The mole rats too that lived long never developed cancer. All it took was one small change in a gene called daf-2 and the worms lived twice as long as before. There is growing consensus that ageing and cancer have common roots. The hope is that drugs that mimic the effect of these genes, which have counterparts in humans, could help people in the fight against cancer even as they live longer. Other groups have identified specific hormones that increased lifespan in mice. With over 600 million old people worldwide, the significance of averting age related diseases like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, etc cannot be underestimated. However, it will take at least a decade before studies on mice models can establish the findings conclusively, paving the way for studies in humans.
The question to ask will be: with population continuing unabated and increased lifespans added to the basket, where will the resources to meet the needs come from? The same genetic engineering tools could also deliver the solutions, whether it be in the form of fuel producing bacteria or food manufacturing nana-swarms. The new world is waiting around the corner, for the brave.
