From: Joao Magalhaes (joao.magalhaes@fundp.ac.be)
Date: Sun Mar 09 2003 - 16:13:10 MST
Hi!
As usual, thanks for the insights, Robert. I wish you the best of luck.
I just have a comment regarding your ideas involving progeroid syndromes.
First of all, I think intuition is part of the scientific method and my
intuition tells me that Werner's syndrome is indeed accelerated aging;
chances are Hutchinson-Gilford's syndrome (progeria) might be too. Yet I'm
not so sure about your other examples of accelerated aging diseases. I read
last week's Science paper on these disease and I'm still not convinced. I
have a hunch that understanding the Werner protein will be crucial to
understand aging, but I think you have to be careful if you assume the
other diseases you mention to be accelerated aging. It's a similar problem
to that of using animal models. You can never be sure that similar
mechanisms are at work, so I would advise caution when extrapolating into
human aging.
Finally, I have an optimistic (?) article published in this month's issue
of The Futurist on aging and longevity entitled "Winning the war against
aging". If you want to give me you mail address, I can send it to you. BTW,
where do you live nowadays, Robert? I'm thinking of doing a postdoc in the
US next year, but I'm not sure yet where will I end up.
All the best.
Joao Magalhaes (joao.magalhaes@fundp.ac.be)
Website on Aging: http://www.senescence.info
Reason's Triumph: http://www.jpreason.com
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