ZEN LI'S
Quest for Eternal Life

The quest for eternal life is our most important task. Until we complete it all other pursuits are pointless.

A doctor can not save a life, he can only postpone death.

The Mechanics of Aging
At each end of our DNA is a section of proteins/acids called Telomeres. When a cell divides to replace an old cell the Telomeres lose protein, until the DNA strand can not longer take new proteins to divide. The inability for a cell to divide is called Senescense.

Telomeres prevent DNA strands from connecting to other parts of the cell, or to themselves.

Each year about 60 Base pairs - pairs of protein acids - are lost by the DNA.

A woman's telomeres last about 7 years longer than a man's.

Finding a way to repair the Telomeres is one solution to the disease of aging.

Cell Division
When a cell divides the DNA unzips, and replacement parts are added from the raw materials available in the cell.
A human cell divides into new cells about 50 times before it dies.

Cancer
Cancer is a form of cellular immortality. Cancer forms when cells stop dying and redundant new growths form - tumours. Cancer creates Telomerase which prevents Telomeres from shortening.
If we can create a cancer that creates telomerase, but discards the old cell, the surviving cell will divide indefinitely.

Toxins and Kamikaze Cells
The more toxins in your body, the more times your cells need to divide to repair themselves. When a cell is damaged it spawns a copy of itself before it "commits suicide". People who smoke, drink, overeat, or are prone to disease have shorter lifespans because their cells must divide more frequently to recover. Each cell division shortens the life of the new cell.