João Pedro de Magalhães’s team at the University of Birmingham examines lifespan extremes—from immortal jellyfish to century-old whales—using genomic sequencing and model organisms to explore genetic and evolutionary drivers of aging.

Key points

• Animal species exhibit lifespans from hours to centuries, linking variable aging rates to genetic and ecological factors.
• Comparative genomics of bowhead whales and naked mole rats highlights enhanced DNA repair and proteostasis pathways in long-lived species.
• Genetic interventions in worms, flies, and mice—such as insulin signaling modulation and oxidative stress reduction—can extend lifespan by up to tenfold in invertebrates and fifty percent in rodents.

Why it matters: Understanding genetic and evolutionary drivers of aging across species paves the way for novel interventions to extend human healthspan and treat age-related diseases.

Researchers at the University of Birmingham, led by molecular biogerontologist João Pedro de Magalhães, analyze lifespan diversity across species using comparative genomics and model organisms. By sequencing genomes of long-lived species like bowhead whales and naked mole rats, they identify candidate DNA repair and metabolic genes. They also employ invertebrates and rodents to test genetic interventions, aiming to understand fundamental aging processes and guide development of strategies to extend healthy human lifespan.

Key points

• Comparative genome sequencing of long-lived species (bowhead whale, naked mole rat) reveals expansions in DNA repair and proteostasis pathways correlated with extended longevity.
• Single-gene manipulations in C. elegans extend lifespan up to tenfold, demonstrating the impact of conserved metabolic and stress-response regulators on aging rates.
• Mortality doubling time analysis across mammals highlights that extrinsic mortality and evolutionary life history strategies shape intrinsic aging processes and species-specific lifespan.

Why it matters: Understanding species-specific aging mechanisms paves the way for novel longevity therapies beyond current interventions.

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