12. Event title:
The Science of Living Longer (Lecture by Professor Tom Kirkwood CBE)
13. Description of the core message of your event and key topics to be covered (c.100 words):
UK life expectancy increases by more than two years per decade, or 5 hours a day. But what actually lies behind these remarkable statistics?
• What mechanisms drive ageing, and how are they changing?
• Genes influence the lifespan but longevity is changing much faster than gene selection could explain, so what can we learn from genetics?
• Is it really true that going hungry might lengthen our lives (or would it merely feel that way)?
The current state of knowledge will be presented in an entertaining and provocative way that shows how the science of ageing is the science of our futures.
14. Does the event have particular local relevance?:
15. If so, please indicate what this is:
Newcastle University is a world-leading centre for research on ageing.
16. How does your event relate to this year's theme of 'Making waves'?:
Ageing is changing. The challenge of population ageing is often described as the “grey tsunami”.
