Engineering longevity: Scientists slow aging and unlock the fountain of youth.

Researchers at the University of California San Diego have used synthetic biology to engineer a solution that slows down the aging process in cells. By genetically rewiring the circuit that controls cell aging, they created a negative feedback loop that operates as a clock-like device, called a gene oscillator, that drives the cell to periodically switch between two detrimental "aged" states, avoiding prolonged commitment to either, and thereby slowing the cell's degeneration. This resulted in a dramatically extended cellular lifespan, setting a new record for life extension through genetic and chemical interventions.