[@LukaSportInjury]

@LukaSportInjury asked the Naked Scientists:
   
Could telomeres be artificially shortened to preemptively test cells for geriatric diseases and provide preventative therapy?

What do you think?

[Nizzle]

Hello Luka,

In theory, you can artificially shorten telomeres by using a genetically modified virus to infect cells, invade the nucleus and do some DNA remodelling, but it would be very hard to subsequently use these cells for studying geriatric diseases because you never know which observed effects come from the shortened telomeres and which are a side effect of the viral infection.

[The Penguin]

I don't believe that ageing is precisely caused by shortening of telomeres directly. Many symptoms of ageing have been shown to be associated, but it would be difficult to study any geriatric disease without knowing if the telomere related symptoms are the only factors, or if other parts of ageing are. Such as a change in hormone levels or slowing of activity.