Death is part of life. At the cellular level, it鈥檚 a regular occurrence. Cells are constantly dividing up and dying out鈥攅xcept when they鈥檙e not. Senescence occurs when cells stop dividing but don鈥檛 die. These 鈥渮ombie鈥� cells are an undying paradox. On the one hand, they may help prevent cancer. However, as we age and our body鈥檚 number of senescent cells increases to zombie horde levels, they can also contribute to cancer. Recent breakthroughs at 黑料吃瓜资源 (CSHL) and institutions around the world suggest that zombie cells may hold the key to new treatments that will allow us to live healthier, longer.
Last month, former CSHL Professor , now at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, returned to Cold Spring Harbor to discuss the 鈥渋ntricate links between cancer and aging.鈥� Professor Lowe鈥檚 Dorcas Cummings Lecture, delivered during the , touched not only on his own research but also that of the field鈥檚 pioneers, including former CSHL scientists Gregory Hannon and Carol Greider, and that of Lowe鈥檚 former graduate student Corina Amor Vegas, now an assistant professor at CSHL.
Press play to hear what zombie cells might have to tell us about the secrets of youth and rejuvenation. Want to find out more about aging and senescence? Check out our recent video 鈥�Lessons learned in time鈥� for a look behind the scenes at the CSHL Symposium and follow the link below for our meeting recap.
Read the related story: A CSHL Symposium for the ages