There was a research project that started in 2008 with the goal of figuring out what connects

the small fraction of people who reach the age of 80 without having developed any chronic

diseases or medical

problems.

One of the first steps for scientists was to take DNA samples from these healthy older folks,

the study dubbed them welderly, to find out whatever genetic, lucky endowment they shared.

Researchers did not find any magic bullet gene that keeps minds and bodies working well for decades longer than average.

And that turns out to be good news.

From KERA in Dallas, this is think. I'm Chris Boyd.

If there is not some single genetic asset that conveys health in old age, some mutation we either possess or don't, that means

there are a lot of things we can all do to delay or even prevent lots of age-related maladies

as we get older. And my guest, who was an author on the Welderly Study and is a cardiologist

by profession, is eager to share what he and his colleagues have learned with anybody who is

willing to listen.

Dr. Eric Topal is Executive Vice President and Professor of Molecular Medicine at Scripps

Research and founder and director of the Scripps Research Translational Institute.

His newest book is called Super Agers, an evidence-based approach to longevity.

Eric, welcome back to think.

Thanks so much, Chris. Great to be with you. First of all, I gather it took some doing to find a large enough group of individuals to enroll in the Welderly study. What qualified people to participate?

It actually took seven years to find these people because the stringent criteria of being over age 85 with no diseases, no medications, you know, really perfectly intact.

That was difficult.

And then, of course, to do the whole genome sequencing on all of them.

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