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And Why We Age As Our Impending Ability to Manipulate the Aging Pro• U11i1·Ersi1y Press

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And Why We Age As Our Impending Ability to Manipulate the Aging Pro• U11i1·Ersi1y Press © 1994 Nature Publishing Group http://www.nature.com/naturebiotechnology /BOOK REVIEW• Longevity by Design PHILIP J. BARR erhaps because of the dubious his­ have only been selected and compiled by such a tory of aging "research" throughout longstanding expert in the field. Definitions of ag­ the centuries, modern medical re­ ing, and the treatment of the statistics of the available search as applied to the aging pro­ data, are addressed with great clarity. Surprisingly cess remains a truly understudied though, the author gives, in his critiques of the and underfunded endeavor. As in numerous theories of aging, almost equal attention many other biological systems, hu­ to each, despite the fall from favor of some of these man resource allocations for early theories. That these theories are not all mutually survival and reproduction are exclusive, and why this should be so, is also given strongly selected for during evolu­ relatively cursory attention. Perhaps an explanation tion, whereas traits that use resources to increase of this complex subject, which is linked inextricably longevity are not selected so strongly since, by to the evolutionary biology of aging, was beyond the --Hor virtue of death due to predators, accidents, infection, scope of this volume, which has been aimed at a wide starvation and the like, there are fewer reproducing readership. AND WHY organisms at later ages. We are now living at a time The target readership forGenes and Aging is much when the evolution of our intelligence, and conse­ narrower. In it, Kanungo has also compiled a tre­ WE AGE quent greater control over these environmental haz­ mendous reference resource, mostly pertaining to ards, has vastly outstripped the evolution of our the proximate explanations of aging. Since proxi­ longevity. Clearly then, further extension of human mate explanations of aging also involve proteins life expectation will be engineered, rather than se­ (among other cellular components), perhaps a more Ho w and Wh y lected for, by Darwinian evolution. appropriate title for the book would have been Genes We Age. That humanity may soon have to address "longev­ and Gene Products and Aging. In any event. this Leonard Hay/lie/..: . ity engineering" is put forth inHowandWhy We Age work represents a greatly expanded and updated Ba/fa11 1i11 e. by Leonard Hayflick, and, to a lesser extent, in version of earlier reviews on the subject, including, Ne 11 · York. / 994. Genes and Aging by M. S. Kanungo. The reader has most notably the 1985 review on Theories of Bio­ $24.00. only to reach each preface to be informed of the logical Aging by Hayflick himself. Kanungo also enormous (and quite recent) advances that the mo­ critiques theories of aging, with more emphasis on lecular biological revolution has brought about in the genetics and molecular biology of the subject. our understanding of the aging process. These timely Again, the evolutionary biology of aging is not works not only provide the wealth of empirical addressed forcefully, although the author is clearly observations and associated theories that form the cognizant of this constraint, particularly in dealing with core of contemporary aging research, they also pro­ such difficult areas as programmed cell death and vide a solid foundation for those interested in using aging. Given the book's comprehensive nature, it is this knowledge to impact the future ofbiogerontology. also somewhat surprising that recent Drosophila One of the most respected gerontologists of our results are not included. times, Hayflick has departed from his more usual Despite vast differences in style, each book gives channels in producing a highly affordable book the reader a good sense of the current state of Genes and Aging. aimed at an audience of much greater breadth than knowledge of the field. Haytlick uses his forum as a M. S. Ka111111go. the biological sciences community. "The intelligent vehicle to provoke thought on the consequences of Camhridge reader of any age" will findHowand Why We Age as our impending ability to manipulate the aging pro­ U11i1·ersi1y Press. entertaining as a good novel. The book's readability cess. This is important, as the baby boom generation NeH· York . / 994 . is exemplified by the liberal use of quotations on the is likely to arrive at a powerful self-centered interest $69.95 . subject of aging from such diverse experts as Will­ in its age-related medical problems soon. The finan­ iam Shakespeare, Niels Bohr, and George Burns. cial and political wherewithal of this generation More importantly though, and despite Hayflick's portends a golden era in biogerontology research, protestations to the contrary, this book is a virtual and for the first time in human history, biomolecular encyclopedia of data on human aging that could advances will be capable of truly impacting the treatment of diseases of aging and the aging process itself. These new works provide a ri ch view of how Philip J. Barr is executive vice president, research and why we age, and perhaps more importantly, and development, at LXR Biotechnology Inc., teach us that now is the time to start thinking about Richmond, California. what we can and should do about it. /// 1024 BIO/TECHNOLOGY VOL. 12 OCTOBER 1994 .
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