12/15/2017

Searching For Answers To An Age-Old Question

17:19 minutes

“The Fountain of Youth” by Lucas Cranach, 1546. Via Wikimedia Commons

The problem of aging is timeless. And it’s a conundrum that explorers, philosophers, and writers have been thinking about for centuries. But these days, scientists are after something a lot more attainable than immortality—the goal now is to live healthier, longer.

Perhaps that sounds simple in theory. But when thinking about how to help an entire generation live a few decades past a century, the challenge becomes exponentially more difficult. Could science soon put the brakes on aging? And if we can’t extend a normal, healthy life, then could we soon have a means to fight diseases like Alzheimer’s?

[Medicine isn’t the only thing that can help battle Alzheimer’s.]

Cynthia Kenyon, vice president of aging research at Calico, and Eric Verdin, president and CEO of the Buck Institute for Research on Aging, join Ira to discuss new advances being made in the world of aging research, and the potential for a pharmacological solution on the horizon.


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Segment Guests

Eric Verdin

Eric Verdin is President and CEO of the Buck Institute for Research on Aging in Novato, California.

Cynthia Kenyon

Cynthia Kenyon is Vice President of Aging Research at Calico in San Francisco, California.

Meet the Producer

About Katie Feather

Katie Feather is a former SciFri producer and the proud mother of two cats, Charleigh and Sadie.

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