Discovering a Drug Against Aging: Target Identification and Validation

"It is far more important to know what person the disease has than what disease the person has" – Hippocrates. The science of senescence and negligible senescence is also governed by this famous quote, albeit in a different context. The search for immortality and anti-ageing drugs predates most modern medicine. Medical research points to the fact that aging is definitely the reason for human illness. Understanding the signatures that aging processes leave, helps in drug discovery to fight aging. Read on to understand how drug discovery unfolds in this niche research.

Translational research and aging

Some diseases sometimes serve as an eye opener to biological processes. The same goes for translational research. The bench to bedside medicine delivery research has shown the impact that certain diseases have on aging. This information has helped the study for the discovery of a drug against aging.

Biomarkers – novel ways to accurately predict capability

For biomarkers to be effective, the study on humans have always been considered ineffective. This is because of the long life of the species. Gerontologists have devised novel biomarkers that can be free from the limitations of the long time required to register changes.

Sirtuins and their effect on anti-aging

Sirtuins have virtually led the charge against aging by showing significant results in tests on mice. The reversal of aging effects and certain deteriorations related to metabolism were witnessed and recorded. This, and other discoveries go on to prove that a drug for aging can indeed be developed in the near future.

The convergence of biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, and information technology will help speed up the process of drug discovery. Genome sequencing and complex algorithms of computing considerably help the search for the best drug. Drug repurposing and personalized medicines together help in narrowing down the search through effective delivery of targeted therapies. The world is closer to understanding the process of aging through senescence and negligible senescence. All of this contributes to the eventual discovery of an anti-aging drug.

I believe that the most important challenges are still of a technological nature. We need to understand the biology of aging better first.

Know more about researches in the field of combating aging at http://gero.com/