Reversing the signs of ageing has long been the subject of intrigue in the movies, but now scientists are making it a reality.
Researchers at the University of New South Wales have identified a critical process at the molecular level that allows cells to repair damaged DNA.
Dr Lindsay Wu explains.
"When we're young we walk outside we encounter DNA damage. It happens all the time, every time we step out into the sun. And normally that's not a problem, our cells are able to repair that DNA damage. But during old age our ability to repair DNA damage declines. And the reason for that up until now has been unknown."
They identified a molecule called N-A-D as having a key role in controlling the repair of DNA.
"There have been a number of benefits for example their metabolism is improved, their blood flow is improved, they can run further, their vision is restored, they have improved memory."
"So the ability to repair DNA has been enhanced so essentially you could blast them with radiation and they don't get the usual side effects you would normally experience with radiation therapy."
The drug has also caught the attention of US space agency, NASA, which is looking for new technologies to address the problems of space exploration.
The University of New South Wales researchers entered NASA's iTech competition last year -- and won.
Their research has been published in the journal 'Science', and Dr Lindsay Wu says it could potentially also benefit cancer survivors, especially children, who, through exposure to radiation, often have an accelerated ageing process.
"They're essentially looking for outside ideas to help people get to Mars and back and most of those entrants in the competition were people who built spaceships. So Northrupp Grumming, Boeing, companies like that. And we went in as a bunch of biologists. Now essentially in outer space you don't have the protective layer of the earth's atmosphere which would otherwise protect us from the radiation that exists in outer space, cosmic radiation. And those astronauts will experiencing cosmic radiation for two years in each direction. Two years there and back and this is going to cause a huge amount of damage to their bodies and essentially this will be a pill that hopefully the astronuants will take up with them to prevent that DNA damage from occuring."
The drug is yet to be tested on humans.
Clinical trials will begin in the US city of Boston later this year.
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