Death is part of life. At the cellular level, it’s a regular occurrence. Cells are constantly dividing up and dying out—except when they’re not. Senescence occurs when cells stop dividing but don’t die. These “zombie” cells are an undying paradox. On the one hand, they may help prevent cancer. However, as we age and our body’s number of senescent cells increases to zombie horde levels, they can also contribute to cancer. Recent breakthroughs at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (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 Scott Lowe, now at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, returned to Cold Spring Harbor to discuss the “intricate links between cancer and aging.” Professor Lowe’s Dorcas Cummings Lecture, delivered during the 89th CSHL Symposium on Quantitative Biology, touched not only on his own research but also that of the field’s pioneers, including former CSHL scientists Gregory Hannon and Carol Greider, and that of Lowe’s 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 “Lessons learned in time” 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