Turning off Aging Genes

♤ Calorie restriction can prolong lifespan in many species including Human. Using this hypothesis, researchers have developed an algorithm that predicts which genes can be turned off to create the same anti-aging effect as calories restriction.

♤ This algorithm (known as Metabolic Transformation Algorithm or MTA) could lead to development of new drugs which will not target to kill cell but to transform them from a diseased state into a healthy one.

♤ MTA can take information about two metabolic states and can predict the genetic or environment changes required to go from one state to another.

♤ Currently there is no way to verify the results produced by MTA in humans but the genes identified by this algorithm are known to extend lifespan in yeast, worms and mice.

♤ MTA could also be applied to finding drugs for disorders where metabolism plays a role like obesity, diabetes, neurodegenerative disorders and cancer.