In article <Pine.3.89.9502151846.F13054-0100000 at Leslie-Francis.tenet.edu>,
dashley at TENET.EDU (Don Ashley) wrote:
>> How long will it take to interest the public, and more specifically the
> decision makers, to consider funding research to stop the aging process?
>
I imagine that there would be a remarkable number of potential investors
out there, particularly ageing multimillionaires who feel the spectre of
death looming closer. The promise of even a few extra years of life to
bring them on to the next stage of advancement in the molecular biology of
ageing would be highly motivating. Nobody wants to die. It is simply a
fact of life that we must all accept. Or *must* we? We are fortunate to be
alive at this time when every day brings forth a tantalising new
discovery. It is possible that we may be on the verge of gene modification
which would allow different metabolic pathways, different cellular fates.
It is a matter of understanding the mechanisms of ageing on all levels. It
is also a matter of integrating the little that we know and making
intelligent decisions as to where the next research dollar should be
spent.
Many may scoff at the *waste* of resources that would be spent on
prolonging the life of the aged whilst young people are dying from
conditions such as AIDS and cancer. The reality is that when an
appreciable understanding of molecular mechanisms of ageing is reached the
same knowledge will be applicable to other disease processes. For example,
AIDS and cancer are linked in that they are related to the immune system.
Optimize the immune responce and you have no AIDS and no cancer.
--
Harry J. Banaharis
bioware at ozonline.com.au
