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Grantee in the News: Thomas Perls Reveals Older Mom’s May Have Genes for Longevity

On June 25, 2014, the Washington Post reported on a data analysis, performed by 1998 Paul Beeson Career Development Awards in Aging Research Scholar Thomas Perls, which found that the genes that allow some women to naturally have children later in life may also be linked to longevity.

By examining the medical records of 462 women who took part in the Long Life Family Study, Dr. Perls found women who had their last child after 33 had twice the odds of living to 95 than women who stopped having children after 29.

Thomas Perls, MD, MPA, is a Professor of Geriatrics at Boston University School of Medicine and the founding director of the New England Centenarian Study.

Curious about how long you will live? Explore the relationship between genetics and aging with this Ask the Expert interview on InfoAging.

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