Awardee in the News: Leonard Guarente on Longevity in Quartz

On January 24th, 2018, Quartz featured 2015 Irving S. Wright Award of Distinction winner Leonard Guarente, PhD in an article about the potential of science and technology to expand health and lifespan. In the article, “What would life look like if we lived forever?” Guarente’s work is spotlighted: “Guarente is a revered name on his own accord in the field of gerontology, which is the study of what happens to human life as we age. His lab at MIT spearheaded early research into sirtuins, cellular proteins that have the ability slow the mechanisms of aging within…

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Grantee in The News: XinQi Dong Appointed President of Rutgers University’s Institute for Health, Health Care Policy and Aging Research

AFAR congratulates 2008 Paul B. Beeson Emerging Leaders Career Development Award in Aging scholar Dr. XinQi Dong on his recent appointment as President of Rutgers University’s Institute for Health, Health Care Policy and Aging Research (IFH). “Dong has been nationally and internationally recognized for his research and advocacy by the American Public Health Association, American Geriatric Society, Gerontological Society of America and International Congress of Gerontology and Geriatrics,” according to Rutgers Today. Read more about Dr. Dong’s recent appointment here. Learn more about Dr. Dong’s Beeson research here.

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Board Member in the News: S. Jay Olshansky on the Ideal Age and Longevity in CBS New York

On January 20th 2018, CBS New York spotlighted AFAR Board Member and 2016 Irving S. Wright Award winner S. Jay Olshansky, Ph.D. in an article examining perceptions on the ideal age and the secret to a long life. The article, “What’s the secret to a long and happy life?” notes: “Epidemiologist Dr. Jay Olshansky studies how to slow the biological process of aging, and says the age you prefer depends on what you value.  The average, he says, is 50-years-old. ‘If you value your physical health, everyone will say early 20s, sometimes early 30s,…

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Board Member in the News: S. Jay Olshansky on the Perceptions of the Perfect Age in the Wall Street Journal

On January 13, 2018, the Wall Street Journal featured AFAR Board Member and 2016 Irving S. Wright Award winner S. Jay Olshansky, Ph.D. in an article examining perceptions of the perfect age for self-fulfillment, health, and vitality. Dr. Olshansky lends perspectives on the relationship between physical health and well-being as we grow older. The article, What is the Perfect Age? notes: “Dr. Olshansky, an epidemiologist, is researching ways to slow down the process of aging, by studying things like the genetics of long-lived individuals. ‘If you had a pill that could stop biological aging in its tracks, when would you…

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Grantee in the News: Satchidananda Panda’s latest cancer research discovery in Nature

On January 10, 2018, Nature published research co-authored by 2014 Julie Martin Mid-Career Award in Aging Research recipient, Satchidananda Panda, Ph.D.   In “Pharmacological activation of REV-ERBs is lethal in cancer and oncogene- induced senescence,” Dr. Panda with other Salk Institute researchers discovered how to curb the growth of cancer cells by blocking the cells’ access to certain nutrients. In a related release, Panda states: "When we block access to these resources, cancer cells starve to death but normal cells are already used to this constraint so they're not affected.” The original research is available by…

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Board Member in the News: S. Jay Olshansky on Age, Health, and the Presidency in the Washington Examiner

On January 2, 2018, the Washington Examiner featured insights by AFAR Board Member and 2016 Irving S. Wright Award winner S. Jay Olshansky, Ph.D. in an article examining the increased interest in President Trump’s physical health. The article, "Trump’s medical exam will disappoint critics. Here’s why” notes: S. Jay Olshansky from the University of Illinois at Chicago, a leading researcher on aging, warned against drawing conclusions about people's expected lifespan just because of the way they eat, pointing to billionaire Warren Buffett, 87, who has a fast-food diet. "The science tells us there are some…

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Grantee in the News: Norman Sharpless on how big data will change cancer research in Science

On December 21, 2017, Science Magazine interviewed Norman “Ned” Sharpless, M.D. on the future of cancer research.   Recently appointed the Director of the National Cancer Institute of the National Institute of Health, Dr. Norman Sharpless was a 2003 Paul B. Beeson Emerging Leaders Career Development Award in Aging scholar and also has served on AFAR’s National Scientific Advisory Council from 2005-2011. Dr. Sharpless chaired the Selection Committee of the Glenn/AFAR Postdoctoral Program for Transnational Research on Aging program in 2015 and 2016. Dr. Sharpless spoke about the future of cancer research in “New NCI director expects…

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