14 replies to this topic

[Lazarus Long]

I am not sure this belongs here specifically but I think we also need to start keeping track of various projects into decoding the genetics of aging underway.

I think there are many more perhaps than we are aware of and also that we should be preparing to follow their respective results and attempt to integrate as much as possible what they are learning, not to mention retaining the information for our own research database.

This one is a good start.

http://my.webmd.com/...le/87/99526.htm

Researchers Work to Crack Code of Long Life
Supercentenarians May Hold Key to Stopping Hands of Time

By Denise Mann
WebMD Medical News  Reviewed By Brunilda  Nazario, MD
on Friday, May 21, 2004 

May 21, 2004 (New York) -- Jeanne Louise Calment knows the secret to a long life. But she's not telling -- and it's not because she doesn't want you to know.

The problem, researchers said Friday at a symposium on aging in New York, is that this secret is tightly locked up in her genes. And until scientists can crack the genetic code, consumers may as well save the money they spend on anti-aging products and procedures.

Jeanne Louise Calment was born in Arles, France on Feb. 21, 1875, and died Aug. 4, 1997, at the age of 122 -- making her the oldest person to ever live. Calment was what is known as a "supercentenarian," or a person who lived to 110 years or more. And supercentenarians may hold the key to immortality. There are 43 such people known to be living worldwide (although this may be an underestimate) and researchers are hoping to crack their genetic codes.
*****
Sources: Stephen Coles, MD, PhD gerontologist, Los Angeles Gerontology Research Group, UCLA. Louis Epstein, chairman, International Supercentenarian Committee.

{excerpt}

So what happened to this study?

Is it over, are the results published?

My point is that we should be cataloging all such research projects and trying to follow their progress so as to better compare results. We may as well build one of the most comprehensive databases on the subject as possible.

This thread is to tag news references but can act as a starting point to find the actual study and results whenever possible so please everyone add references whenever you find them and if we have the information already in our database then perhaps a link cross reference with the article to the relevant archived paper so as to let subsequent readers follow the trail faster.

[jrhall]

You are dead on with this idea. This could be a great asset to researchers since there are so many studies going on, they probably don't have a good handle on what is going on either. If anything it would be much faster to find out what is going on if someone organized all the past and ongoing projects.

This would also help the biology theorists, the few that there are. There would be a ‘one-stop shop’ for finding out about research.

I would bet that Aubrey would appreciate this, as it would make it easier to get a ’10,000ft’ view of what is going on in the research community. It could help to inject a little ‘engineering’ into the research process.


Jeff

[Lazarus Long]

I concur. If we could follow and report on progress data it would be a unique resource for all research -- not just aging.

Thank fellows I should point out the obvious though and remind everyone that is exactly what our overall organization is doing already through the general forum structure but each major topic should have a News thread that we can go back and edit the cross referenced link to studies as we get to upload them into the archive.

After a few years of the thread gets synopsized into a FAQ type format after it gets too large, but the original thread keeps archiving news. We have been doing this generally already but I think we need to be specific in the context of aging research in accord with the structural mandate of this organization and we are generally contributing now but we can do better IMHO.

One would need to get the cooperation of the principal investigators which may be challenging since most will not welcome access to their raw data before they have had a chance to contextualize it in a journal report.

This would be great and like PLoS would it build up as we gained respect for our role as such a combination library and peer discussion spot on the web.

In a way we can be a *safe* place where perhaps at times we can routinely contrast different perspectives as has been the case recently with the featured discussions on SENS, mtDNA, WILT, MMP, Genetech etc.

AS those threads generate a randomized and diverse database those databases can be filtered down then listed on a fast access FAQ type page of links we keep pinned, sorted by date, and/or alphabetized to the top of the forum areas.

[jrhall]

Does anyone know if there are existing forums/websites/BBS or some other web based collaborative tool for researchers to use to discuss their results, talk about their technical problems, propose experiments or just chat? Something less formal than the official journals and conferences.

I was talking to a U Michigan genetics researcher who mentioned that experimentalists can get hung up for days because they are having some technical problem getting some aspect of their experiment to work. Computer sorts of problems or electronic/sensor/control sorts of problems. Things that engineers love to sort out. (I have offered to help solve a 'technical' problem they are having with the mice they use for experiments)

I know this is a little beyond the scope of the initial post, but I have been thinking about how us engineers can help. As the researcher pointed out to me, the more productive we are with our experiments, the more data points we have for developing theories.

[John Schloendorn]

Jeff, how about the one we're trying to create? Yeah, I know there is the problem that nothing of it exists yet, but your question is pointing exactly at the gap we're trying to fill. Especially while the web infrastructure is being created (best ask caliban about the status), we could sure use the help of a technically gifted person.

[Lazarus Long]

Except Jeff as a basic member can't open that link John.

So if you want to get things going from the perspective that visitors can relate and benefit then first they have to see the results and then they can judge the benefits of participating for themselves.

[kevin]

John,

jrhall can't access the Full Member Science Corner as he is a basic member.

Jeff, it might be worth it to join as a full member to take a look at and add to the projects threads in the forum. Certainly you would be getting in on the ground floor of helping set things up and it would be much appreciated.

[Lazarus Long]

Kevin I am suggesting something a little more practical and less complicated though.

My point isn't just a long list of related papers but an entry point in every forum that links the growing body of literature and projects in a more open format. That list of links would not give the actual papers out except to Full Members but it would list the ongoing and completed research projects and any literature we have in house.

The papers we have would only be accessible to Full Members but contact information for the various research groups would be listed. We would also be able to cross link structured dialogs and sometimes these could be in either the Full Member forum only or in the more public areas based on where the participants prefer but the listing of projects would be a *public access* any researcher could access and in doing so begin to appreciate this organization more.

[John Schloendorn]

Jeff, it might be worth it to join as a full member

Yes, that was what I was trying to imply, thanks anyways guys ;-)

Laz, I find your idea way cool. This sounds like one of the things that could make a future science corner worth visiting. If the focus stays on highly relevant anti-aging projects it also sounds quite feasible (there are not that many around).

[Lazarus Long]

I think the Science Corner is a great idea but it requires that you are already a member to participate and that is a catch 22 that can function as a barrier to keep people out even more than a filter for ensuring a high quality of participation.

I am offering a manner to see through the window to over there in the science corner and perhaps even knock on the door and visit.

Consider this a more pragmatic function for this Institute so that anyone can benefit everywhere from that service and then perhaps feel encouraged to go further with their participation in our organization.

For example I was going to make a posting to Mind now that he has accepted the official role as secretary that this could be an example of one of the duties of that office and he might consider having a few volunteers to help collate the data from our current topics.

I also think we are due for a good Spring Cleaning anyway )

I think we can start with just aging theory as our obvious focus and then build up a practical format for other related topics like Prometheus is suggesting as well.

[John Schloendorn]

I also think we are due for a good Spring Cleaning anyway

Heh, it's fall here, but I really would like to do what I can to get this and the science corner idea ahead. I don't think anyone wants to keep the science corner restricted to full members, once it is actually launched.

[jrhall]

Not sure I'm quite ready to give you guys cash [wis] , but I will happily contribute my 2 cents anytime.

[Mark Hamalainen]

I think the Science Corner is a great idea but it requires that you are already a member to participate and that is a catch 22 that can function as a barrier to keep people out even more than a filter for ensuring a high quality of participation

Heh, it's fall here, but I really would like to do what I can to get this and the science corner idea ahead. I don't think anyone wants to keep the science corner restricted to full members, once it is actually launched.

What if we awarded students and published scientists in the field free full membership if they sign up in the first few months. If after that time the site becomes fairly active, the fee wouldn't be as much of a barrier.