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All of us would like to live longer, or to slow the debilitating effects of age. In How We Age, Coleen Murphy shows how recent research on longevity and ageing may be bringing us closer to this goal. Murphy, a leading scholar of ageing, explains that the study of model systems, particularly simple invertebrate animals, combined with breakthroughs in genomic methods, have allowed scientists to probe the molecular mechanisms of longevity and ageing. Understanding the fundamental biological rules that govern ageing in model systems provides clues about how we might slow human ageing, which could lead in turn to new therapeutics and treatments for age-related disease.
Among other vivid examples, Murphy describes research that shows how changing a single gene in the nematode worm C. elegans doubles its lifespan, extending not only the end of life but also the youthful, healthy part of life. Drawing on work in her own lab as well as other recent research, Murphy chronicles the history and current state of the field, explaining longevity's links to reproduction and mating, sensory and cognitive function, inheritances from our ancestors, and the gut microbiome. Written with clarity and wit, How We Age provides a guide to the science: what we know about ageing, how we know what we know, and what we can do with this new knowledge.
Coleen T. Murphy is professor of genomics and molecular biology at Princeton University. She is director of Princeton's Glenn Foundation for Research on Aging and director of the Simons Collaboration on Plasticity in the Aging Brain.
"Murphy has gathered a huge amount of research material on longevity, giving the book a tone of meticulous authority"
– Kirkus Reviews
"Everyone ages, and everyone thinks about it. It's almost impossible to separate the scientific study of aging from our all-too-human hopes and wishes. But that's exactly what Coleen Murphy accomplishes in this masterful book. It lays out what we really know, what is elusive, and what we might be on the verge of discovering."
– Sean Carroll, author of The Biggest Ideas in the Universe: Space, Time, and Motion
"How We Age is a fascinating book! It does an amazing job at distilling a large amount of exciting discoveries on the mechanisms that regulate aging, from genes in centenarians to epigenetic changes. It also presents interesting possibilities for interventions that could counter aging and age-related diseases. Written in a very lively and engaging way, How We Age should appeal to both scientists and nonscientists alike!"
– Anne Brunet, Stanford University School of Medicine
"Murphy does an amazing job bringing historical findings in the aging field to the current state of research in a clear and concise manner with charming wit and invaluable perspectives on future exploration. A true gem to read!"
– Andrew Dillin, University of California, Berkeley
