• Question: Is it possible to re-structure human cells, so people can live longer?

    Asked by anon-24192 to Jemma on 22 Jun 2012.
    • Photo: Jemma Ransom

      Jemma Ransom answered on 22 Jun 2012:

      Hi @acooper,

      I’m not sure restructuring cells would make people live longer. For example this is what happens during cancer. Certain cells that were supposed to die as part of a programmed cell death simply don’t. This results in uncontrolled multiplication of cells which generates a tumour. However the hope is that eventually it will be possible to reduce cell death due to aging, for instance in the brain, which will hopefully offer new medications for brain diseases such as dementia.

      Jemma

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