In 2009, Elizabeth Blackbrun — along with Jack. W. Szostak and Carol W. Greider — was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for her help in discovering “how chromosomes are protected by telomeres.” Telomeres protect our DNA, but over time our telomeres wear down. When this happens, we age — but some of us age faster than others.
Blackburn spoke to us about why this is, and how we can take better care of our telomeres to slow down the effects of aging. You can also read more about Blackburn’s work on telomere science in her book “The Telomere Effect: A Revolutionary Approach to Living Younger, Healthier, Longer.”
