Who are we?
![[Photo of helix]](/image/helix150x210.jpg "helix")
The Longevity Consortium began in late 2000, funded by a 3-year grant from
the National Institute on Aging. It has been successful in its first phase of
bringing together leading scientists from more than 30 institutions to learn
about the state-of-the-art of longevity research and develop new
collaborations.
We are a consortium of scientists from multiple disciplines interested in the study of genetics of aging and age-related traits. Our group includes laboratory-based scientists, epidemiologists and statistical geneticists.
Members of the Consortium represent three types of research efforts:
- Laboratories devoted to the identification of longevity-related genes and pathways in non-human species;
- Studies of special populations (e.g., centenarians) that are engaged in the discovery of genes associated with longevity; and
- Established longitudinal cohorts of elderly men and women that have DNA and excellent phenotyping that can be used to study candidate genes.
Why a consortium?
The study of genes associated with human aging will require a broad understanding of genetic, epidemiologic and biological principles. We believe that investigators interested in this field will benefit greatly from collaborative partners with different expertise. Thus, one of our major goals is to promote collaboration and enhance interdisciplinary communication.