Comments on: Genomics X-Prize looking for centenarians http://boingboing.net/2011/11/08/genomics-x-prize-looking-for-centenarians.html Brain candy for Happy Mutants Sat, 25 May 2013 07:26:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: Maggie Koerth-Baker http://boingboing.net/2011/11/08/genomics-x-prize-looking-for-centenarians.html#comment-1266352 Maggie Koerth-Baker Thu, 10 Nov 2011 01:05:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=128189#comment-1266352 Smoking and drinking and fried bacon were part of a paleolithic diet?  Smoking and drinking and fried bacon were part of a paleolithic diet? 

]]> By: MeOnBoingBoing http://boingboing.net/2011/11/08/genomics-x-prize-looking-for-centenarians.html#comment-1265844 MeOnBoingBoing Wed, 09 Nov 2011 17:00:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=128189#comment-1265844 Those "ironically unhealthy lifestyle choices" are probably exactly what makes us paleo people so healthy despite going completely against conventional "wisdom". Those “ironically unhealthy lifestyle choices” are probably exactly what makes us paleo people so healthy despite going completely against conventional “wisdom”.

]]> By: Chevan http://boingboing.net/2011/11/08/genomics-x-prize-looking-for-centenarians.html#comment-1265548 Chevan Wed, 09 Nov 2011 05:05:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=128189#comment-1265548 Personally, I'd be more interested in seeing DNA methylation and histone modification profiles than the genome sequence. Personally, I’d be more interested in seeing DNA methylation and histone modification profiles than the genome sequence.

]]> By: Vincent Ma http://boingboing.net/2011/11/08/genomics-x-prize-looking-for-centenarians.html#comment-1265513 Vincent Ma Wed, 09 Nov 2011 03:30:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=128189#comment-1265513 Please someone ask Fauja Singh (the 100 year old who competed and completed the recent Toronto Marathon) for a sample.  Please someone ask Fauja Singh (the 100 year old who competed and completed the recent Toronto Marathon) for a sample. 

]]> By: bob http://boingboing.net/2011/11/08/genomics-x-prize-looking-for-centenarians.html#comment-1265468 bob Wed, 09 Nov 2011 02:12:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=128189#comment-1265468 Someone should nominate Nobel Prize winner Rita Levi-Montalcini. http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/medicine/laureates/1986/levi-montalcini.html Someone should nominate Nobel Prize winner Rita Levi-Montalcini. http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/medicine/laureates/1986/levi-montalcini.html

]]> By: saurabh http://boingboing.net/2011/11/08/genomics-x-prize-looking-for-centenarians.html#comment-1265422 saurabh Wed, 09 Nov 2011 00:47:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=128189#comment-1265422 I can't comment on heritability for centenarians specifically, but in general life-span is not terribly heritable. See, for example, this: http://user.demogr.mpg.de/jwv/pdf/Vaupel-HG-97-1996-3.pdf - which says:"The heritability of longevity was estimated to be 0.26 for males and 0.23 for females." This is just my idle knowledge of the subject, so if you have better references, by all means let me know. I can’t comment on heritability for centenarians specifically, but in general life-span is not terribly heritable. See, for example, this: http://user.demogr.mpg.de/jwv/pdf/Vaupel-HG-97-1996-3.pdf – which says:”The heritability of longevity was estimated to be 0.26 for males and 0.23 for females.”

This is just my idle knowledge of the subject, so if you have better references, by all means let me know.

]]> By: TootTootToot http://boingboing.net/2011/11/08/genomics-x-prize-looking-for-centenarians.html#comment-1265265 TootTootToot Tue, 08 Nov 2011 21:38:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=128189#comment-1265265 Interesting to see his 67 year-old son in the video too.  The guy has grey hair but otherwise he could pass for someone in his mid-40s. Interesting to see his 67 year-old son in the video too.  The guy has grey hair but otherwise he could pass for someone in his mid-40s.

]]> By: noah django http://boingboing.net/2011/11/08/genomics-x-prize-looking-for-centenarians.html#comment-1265244 noah django Tue, 08 Nov 2011 21:21:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=128189#comment-1265244 "Do you have a friend, grandparent, or great-grandparent who'd be interested in participating in the project?" >implying there are no centenarians who read BB themselves “Do you have a friend, grandparent, or great-grandparent who’d be interested in participating in the project?”

>implying there are no centenarians who read BB themselves

]]> By: Warren_Terra http://boingboing.net/2011/11/08/genomics-x-prize-looking-for-centenarians.html#comment-1265199 Warren_Terra Tue, 08 Nov 2011 20:45:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=128189#comment-1265199 The math here doesn't make sense. At $100,000 a genome, they're offering <i>way</i> over the odds. I've done invertebrate genomes, not human ones - but 30x coverage of a human genome, which would be ample for most purposes, would run much closer to $10,000 than to $100,000. Sure, lining up the tissue donors is a bit of an issue, and the analysis, overhead, and oversight cost money, but I can't see how it approaches tens of thousands per person. The math here doesn’t make sense. At $100,000 a genome, they’re offering way over the odds. I’ve done invertebrate genomes, not human ones – but 30x coverage of a human genome, which would be ample for most purposes, would run much closer to $10,000 than to $100,000. Sure, lining up the tissue donors is a bit of an issue, and the analysis, overhead, and oversight cost money, but I can’t see how it approaches tens of thousands per person.

]]> By: awjt http://boingboing.net/2011/11/08/genomics-x-prize-looking-for-centenarians.html#comment-1265197 awjt Tue, 08 Nov 2011 20:44:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=128189#comment-1265197 I don't know why they don't just mine the cemeteries.  The genetic history contained within one would be enough fodder for a thousand years of analysis. I don’t know why they don’t just mine the cemeteries.  The genetic history contained within one would be enough fodder for a thousand years of analysis.

]]> By: Lobster http://boingboing.net/2011/11/08/genomics-x-prize-looking-for-centenarians.html#comment-1265190 Lobster Tue, 08 Nov 2011 20:40:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=128189#comment-1265190 Irving KAAAAAAAAHN!? Irving KAAAAAAAAHN!?

]]> By: Lee Robinson Petzer http://boingboing.net/2011/11/08/genomics-x-prize-looking-for-centenarians.html#comment-1265189 Lee Robinson Petzer Tue, 08 Nov 2011 20:38:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=128189#comment-1265189 It really does seem that the only way to get anything done in terms of research is to place a large prize at the finish line. (Look what it did for private aerospace). This is a superb project for this! The genetic information obtained should provide invaluable material for anti-aging and life extension research. It really does seem that the only way to get anything done in terms of research is to place a large prize at the finish line. (Look what it did for private aerospace). This is a superb project for this!

The genetic information obtained should provide invaluable material for anti-aging and life extension research.

]]> By: querent http://boingboing.net/2011/11/08/genomics-x-prize-looking-for-centenarians.html#comment-1265140 querent Tue, 08 Nov 2011 19:51:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=128189#comment-1265140 "The heritability of longevity isn't really that high...." I'm not active in this field, but the one Gerontology text that I've read disagrees with the above statement. “The heritability of longevity isn’t really that high….”

I’m not active in this field, but the one Gerontology text that I’ve read disagrees with the above statement.

]]> By: saurabh http://boingboing.net/2011/11/08/genomics-x-prize-looking-for-centenarians.html#comment-1265123 saurabh Tue, 08 Nov 2011 19:33:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=128189#comment-1265123 Unlike the Ansari X Prize, it seems possible that someone might actually be able to do this at less cost than the prize amount. But - why focus on centenarians? The heritability of longevity isn't really that high, and you're probably not going to learn a whole lot from just sequencing a heterogeneous population of old people. The point of this prize is to merely scale up the ability to do general high-throughput sequencing of individual genomes - the target isn't that significant. Centenarians are a relatively morally-neutral choice - everyone wants to live longer, and it's not as uncomfortable implying a genetic basis to longevity as it is to imply one for, say, intelligence or physical fitness. Unlike the Ansari X Prize, it seems possible that someone might actually be able to do this at less cost than the prize amount. But – why focus on centenarians? The heritability of longevity isn’t really that high, and you’re probably not going to learn a whole lot from just sequencing a heterogeneous population of old people.

The point of this prize is to merely scale up the ability to do general high-throughput sequencing of individual genomes – the target isn’t that significant. Centenarians are a relatively morally-neutral choice – everyone wants to live longer, and it’s not as uncomfortable implying a genetic basis to longevity as it is to imply one for, say, intelligence or physical fitness.

]]> By: Freddie Freelance http://boingboing.net/2011/11/08/genomics-x-prize-looking-for-centenarians.html#comment-1265112 Freddie Freelance Tue, 08 Nov 2011 19:26:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=128189#comment-1265112 Dammit, beat me to it! Let me be the first to suggest hiring Lazarus Long to run this project. Dammit, beat me to it! Let me be the first to suggest hiring Lazarus Long to run this project.

]]> By: LightningRose http://boingboing.net/2011/11/08/genomics-x-prize-looking-for-centenarians.html#comment-1265095 LightningRose Tue, 08 Nov 2011 19:08:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=128189#comment-1265095  Please, oh please, let the winning team be named the Howard Foundation.  Please, oh please, let the winning team be named the Howard Foundation.

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