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Will We Live Forever?

Probably not. But researchers at Scripps Health have set out to unravel the genetic secret code of healthy aging——and their research holds the promise of a bright future free of heart disease, diabetes, autism and other serious afflictions. An average healthy lifespan of 110-120 years may well be in our future.

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THE WELLDERLY STUDY is just one facet of the genetic research being conducted by Scripps Health, a nonprofit, community-based organization. The Scripps Genomic Medicine Program will eventually analyze the genes of tens of thousands of people from diverse ethnic backgrounds in an effort to identify the genetic factors underlying susceptibility to a variety of diseases. At the same time, the Scripps Translational Science Institute (STSI) will work to “translate” those discoveries into new therapies to treat those diseases. Both programs are initiatives of Scripps Health in collaboration with The Scripps Research Institute.

“I don’t think anyone could say our goals are not ambitious,” Topol says. “Our work has no parallel. Although there are other groups across the country and, indeed, around the world, who are working to identify genes associated with particular diseases, Scripps focuses on taking those findings into drug discovery programs and clinical trials.”

In May, those efforts were rewarded when the National Institutes of Health announced that STSI was among 14 research centers to receive a $20 million grant designed to accelerate clinical research.

Scripps Health is well-placed with regard to genetic research. In San Diego alone, there are more than 500 companies and research institutes actively involved in the biotechnology field.

“The life sciences industry here is the largest in the world,” Topol says. “There is a powerhouse of talent that propels our collaborative research.”

Because of the rapid pace of ongoing genetic research, major medical advances are clearly on the horizon, says Kelly Frazer, Ph.D., director of genomic biology with the Genomic Medicine Program. “Overall, genetics will change the way we think about medicine, about disease and about health,” Frazer says. “The time will come when we’re able to treat diseases with new drugs that are tailored to the individual. This is something that will materialize within our lifetime.”

Much of the genetic research being conducted at Scripps Health, and elsewhere around the world, grew from the Human Genome Project, an ambitious effort begun in 1990 and coordinated by the U.S. Department of Energy and the National Institutes of Health. Initially headed by James Watson at the NIH, the project yielded a working draft of the human genome in 2000 and a “completed” version in 2003. (There are multiple definitions of the “complete sequence of the human genome.” According to some researchers, there are a number of regions of the genome that remain uncharted.)

TO SUCCESSFULLY NAVIGATE the emerging wave of genetic research coursing through scientific circles worldwide, most of us need a mercifully brief refresher course in Biology 101.

Simply put, your life story begins and ends with your deoxyribonucleic acid, or DNA, which contains the genetic instructions for the complex organism that is you. Your genes are short sections of DNA tucked into the nucleus of nearly every cell in your body. They determine physical features like hair color and how well your body is able to fight off infection and metabolize food. Your genome—which is yours and yours alone, unless you have an identical twin—is the complete list of coded instructions needed to assemble and maintain . . . you.

There are just four characters in the DNA “alphabet”—A, C, G and T—representing the four chemicals, or bases, that make up every strand of your DNA. The order, or sequence, of those letters holds the key to your genetic code, just as the pathos and passion of Hamlet flows from various arrangements of 26 symbols. Your genome is extremely long—approximately 3.2 billion chemical letters long, give or take a letter or two. Each set of three letters corresponds to a single amino acid. (Amino acids—the building blocks of life, remember? Biology 101.) There are 20 different building blocks deployed in a kaleidoscopic array of combinations to produce every protein you will ever need—keratin for your hair, hemoglobin for your blood and so on.

Note: If you were to recite your genome, one letter at a time at one letter per second, 24 hours a day, it would take you 100 years to say your entire genetic code.

THE BRAVE NEW WORLD of genetic research and discovery poses thorny ethical questions for scientists, commercial interests and the general public. A sampling: Who owns genes and other pieces of DNA? Should parents have their children tested for adult-onset diseases? How will genetic tests be evaluated and regulated? Should testing be performed for a disease when no treatment is available? Who should have access to personal genetic information, and how should it be used?

That last question haunted the promise of personalized medicine and genetic testing for years. Many people worried that the same information warning them of a serious disease lurking in their genome might be used to bar them from insurance coverage or deny them a job. In response, in April, Congress approved the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA). The legislation bars insurance companies from using genetic information in making decisions regarding coverage and premiums. In addition, employers, unions and employment agencies are not allowed to use genetic information in hiring and firing practices. Landmark legislation, yes. But unfortunately, GINA’s protections are limited. The legislation does not apply to life insurance and long-term-care insurance.

There is an element of uncertainty coursing through genetic testing, says Sarah Shaw Murray, Ph.D., director of genetics with the Scripps Genomic Medicine Program. “If you don’t have a genetic marker for a certain disease, that doesn’t mean you’re not going to get that disease,” she points out. “On the other hand, if your genetic scan shows that you have a susceptibility to heart disease, for example, that information might prompt some life style changes—in diet, daily exercise and so on —that can defer coronary disease. In that sense, the information could be a lifesaver.”

Genomic research is still in its infancy. “Right now, the limitations of genetic testing are unknown,” Topol says. “But within the next few years, thousands—perhaps even millions—of people will have their full genome deciphered. As that happens, we’re going to know a great deal more about disease and health. This entire field offers all of us a world of promise.”

Today, far from the frenetic pace of scientific research, on a quintessential California afternoon worthy of a postcard, Dr. Forrest Adams strolls across his manicured lawn. The flawless green expanse is bordered by radiant purple hydrangeas. There are orange trees heavy with ripened fruit. Adams’ golden retriever, Molly—a near-constant companion—walks apace and then suddenly bolts across the grass toward a squirrel. Like her owner, Molly, 13 years old now, is blessed with longevity and good health.

Indeed, life has been good to them both.

THE WELLDERLY STUDY

PEOPLE INTERESTED in taking part in the Wellderly Study must be 80 years old or older, with no history of major or chronic diseases such as cancer or diabetes. In addition, they must not be on a long-term medication regimen. The program is open to people of all ethnic backgrounds living in the United States. Volunteers will donate their DNA to the program’s gene bank. Participants’ confidentiality will be assured. More information on the study is available by calling 800-SCRIPPS (800-727-4777) or visiting scrippshealth.org.

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