Is Aging Reversible? Can We Reset the Clock?

As life expectancy increases, age-related diseases and cognitive disorders are becoming more prevalent. On Feb. 10, renowned experts from the U.S. and Germany will convene at the German Center for Research and Innovation (GCRI) in New York to discuss the plasticity of human development.

NEW YORK (February 5, 2014) – Are age-related decreases in cognitive and behavioral functions reversible? Can slowing the rate of aging, as has been demonstrated in animal models, decrease the appearance of age-associated diseases? What can we learn about the mechanisms of aging from individuals with rare premature aging disorders? On Monday, February 10, 2014, join leading experts from both sides of the Atlantic for a panel discussion in New York City on these pertinent issues.

As part of GCRI's series on aging, this event will feature Dr. Ursula M. Staudinger, a lifespan psychologist and an internationally recognized aging researcher. Dr. Staudinger is the Founding Director of the Robert N. Butler Columbia Aging Center, Professor of Sociomedical Sciences at the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University, and Vice President of the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina. Her research focuses on the opportunities and challenges of increases in average life expectancy during this time of unprecedented demographic change.

Throughout the history of mankind, people have dreamed about tapping into the “fountain of youth.” Staudinger’s presentation will address this notion of anti-aging – what it does, and how people are attracted to it. People often think about living longer, but not necessarily about the implications of aging. In addition to discussing the plasticity of human development, Dr. Staudinger will also address this reversibility on a behavioral level for cognition and personality measures, as well as on a neurophysiological level.

She will be joined by biochemist and neonatologist Dr. Rodney L. Levine, Chief of the Laboratory of Biochemistry at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Research in his laboratory aims to understand how oxidative stress affects physiology and disease. The molecular changes that he is studying have been proposed by many researchers as important causes of major diseases associated with aging.

Dr. Levine will explain the differences between chronological and biological aging. He will also address whether aging is actually reversible and whether anti-aging efforts are expanding health span or just simply life span. Lastly, he will speak more in-depth about the young, exciting, interdisciplinary field of geroscience.

James Collins, Chairperson of the United Nations NGO Committee on Ageing in New York, will moderate the discussion. An active advocate for the interests of the elderly, Mr. Collins serves as a representative to the United Nations for the International Council on Social Welfare and as a member of the NGO Committee for Social Development.

The discussion will take place on Monday, February 10, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., at the German Center for Research and Innovation (871 United Nations Plaza, First Avenue, btw. 48th & 49th Streets).

Unable to attend? Follow @gcri_ny and the hashtag #aging for live tweets.

A video recording will be available on www.germaninnovation.org shortly after the event.

This event is co-sponsored by the German Center for Research and Innovation (GCRI) and German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina.

The German Center for Research and Innovation provides information and support for the realization of cooperative and collaborative projects between North America and Germany. With the goal of enhancing communication on the critical challenges of the 21st century, GCRI hosts a wide range of events from lectures and exhibitions to workshops and science dinners. Opened in February 2010, GCRI was created as a cornerstone of the German government’s initiative to internationalize science and research and is one of five centers worldwide.

Media Contact:
German Center for Research and Innovation (GCRI)
Jennifer Audet
Communications Officer
871 United Nations Plaza
New York, NY 10017

Audet@GermanInnovation.org
(212) 339 8680, ext. 302

This release was published on openPR.