WP,pg1: Life-Lengthening Hormone Found in Mouse Research

[DeepModem Mom]

Life-Lengthening Hormone Found in Mouse Research
By Rob Stein
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, August 26, 2005; Page A01


Scientists have identified a hormone that significantly extends the life span of mice, a discovery that could mark a crucial step toward developing drugs that boost longevity in people.

The hormone is the first substance identified that is produced naturally in mammals, including humans, and can extend life span -- a long-sought goal in the intense effort to help people live longer.

Much more work is needed to study the substance, and investigate whether the hormone or a similar compound would be effective and safe in people, experts cautioned. But the discovery opens highly promising avenues for research and provides tantalizing new clues toward deciphering the basic biology of aging.

"This is a significant discovery. It's an exciting paper," said Anna McCormick of the National Institute on Aging, which helped fund the new research, published online yesterday by the journal Science. "It's definitely the way you would go about designing molecules that would promote healthy aging and longevity in people."

Makoto Kuro-o of the University of Texas's Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, who led the research, said, "This could provide a key to understanding the molecular mechanisms of aging and opens up new areas to the potential therapy for multiple age-related diseases in humans."...


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/08/25/AR2005082501224.html

[oscar111]

1. NIH budget is 3O Billion. Bush lied about

tripling that.

"not even keeping up with inflation" said one researcher.

1O9 Trillion is US wealth.

Poured into NIH research, would shorten research time for cures from .. say.. ten years, to one day. Do the math. It is correct.

[Igel]

2. Arithmetic's close enough.

But the assumptions are wrong.

I can't find a reference to * tripling NIH spending; wanting to triple subcomponents, sure, but not the whole pie.

On the other hand, Specter (and even Gingrich) proposed it. Specter backed down. Gingrich wasn't in a position to do anything at the time but propose.

NIH funding did double from 1998 to 2003, sort of a cool thing.