Experts
Leonard Guarente
Professor of Biology, MIT
We baby boomers may be getting a little long in the tooth, but we sure know how to take good care of ourselves. Or do we? One of the greatest health threats we face is one over which we have limited control: lung cancer, the greatest cancer killer even among non-smokers. It was once thought ... Read More
There is a temptation to feel nostalgia for a simpler time in the middle of the 20th century when America stood astride the globe, a Colossus using its power for good in an unsteady world. That noble vision has faded as we sink deeper into indebtedness to Saudi oil lords and Chinese investors ... Read More
Genetic testing is advancing rapidly, and we can now find out our risk factor for developing Alzheimer’s. But without a cure or treatment available, what’s the point? Read More
Studies have shown that you can boost brainpower and brain resilience with vitamins and exercise, and by not smoking. But lifestyle choices alone can't prevent Alzheimer's? Read More
Alzheimer’s starts in one area and spreads all over the brain, like an infection. Does this mean that it's possible to develop a vaccine? Read More
Genes such as ApoE4 may signal a risk factor for Alzheimer’s. But how do we separate risk factor from an unalterable sentence for the disease? Read More
Amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles inside the brain are the best explanation we have for how Alzheimer’s develops. Read More
Mental decline, on some level, is inseparable from aging. With more people living longer, does this mean everyone will eventually get Alzheimer’s? Read More
One of the most robust environmental risk factors identified for Alzheimer’s disease is traumatic brain injury. This is having repercussions for those returning from fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan. Read More
Amyloid buildup in the brain is a key trigger in Alzheimer’s disease, but some people with this plaque live their entire lives without developing the disease. Read More
Are women and African-Americans at a higher risk for Alzheimer’s—as some data suggests—or are there other factors in play? Read More
For much of the past 100 years, little was known about Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. But recent research is revealing the neurotransmitter and genetic defects behind the disease. Read More
There is no direct evidence yet that calorie-restricted diets retard human aging, but there are promising signs. However, if a 1,000-calorie diet makes you grumpy and lowers your sex drive, it may undo any good. Read More
The MIT biologist says peer-review journals can be tainted by conflicts of interest. Read More
The MIT biologist admires Galileo for inventing the scientific method. Read More
There isn't enough funding for research on aging. Read More
There are a variety of common, everyday habits and lifestyle tendencies that are scientifically proven to reduce lifespan-an MIT professor explains. Read More
By studying how yeast ages, MIT's Leonard Guarente uncovered the gene that also controls how other organisms, and perhaps humans, grow old. Read More
The MIT biologist rejects Aubrey de Gray's claim that humans may soon be able to live forever, but thinks we might add 50 years to our lifespan. Read More
About Leonard Guarente
Dr. Leonard P. Guarente is an American biologist and director of MIT's Glenn Laboratory for the Science of Aging, where he is also a Novartis Professor of Biology. He is best known for his research on longevity and specifically for uncovering the gene in yeast that governs the organism's life span. He is the author of "Ageless Quest: One Scientist's Search for Genes That Prolong Youth," which was published in 2003 by Cold Spring Harbor Press.