Biodemography and Genetics of Aging

Anatoliy I. Yashin, Duke University
Deqing Wu, Duke University
Konstantin G. Arbeev, Duke University
Alexander Kulminski, Duke University
Liubov Arbeeva, Duke University
Svetlana V. Ukraintseva, Duke University

Better understanding the roles of genetics factors and biological mechanisms involved in regulation of human aging and longevity may contribute to the development of personalized medical help and to the improvement of population health. Numerous attempts to find genes and identify genetic mechanisms involved in regulation of human aging and longevity had limited success. Among other things the low efficiency of statistical methods used in genetic analyses of aging and longevity related traits is considered as an important reason for slow progress in the field. In this paper we show that the use of biodemographic models and methods allows for substantial improvements of the efficiency of genetic analyses that also improves our understanding the genetics of aging and longevity. This conclusion is confirmed by the results of genetic analyses of data on lifespan from the Original Framingham cohort.