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Research Matters: Targeting ‘jumping genes’ holds promise for treating age-related diseases

University of Rochester’s Vera Gorbunova says ‘inhibiting transposons shows great promise.’

May 1, 2025

1 min

Vera Gorbunova

A growing number of clinical trials gauging the effects of inhibiting transposons, so-called “jumping genes,” have yielded encouraging results for treating Alzheimer’s and a wide range of other conditions.


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Vera Gorbunova, a molecular biologist at the University of Rochester whose research on the causes of aging and cancer is widely regarded as pioneering, says researchers tackling aging “need something new, and inhibiting transposons shows great promise.”


Gorbunova’s comments were recently featured in Science magazine, a leading news outlet for

cutting-edge research in all areas of science.


Researchers say clinical trials of transposon inhibitors are important not just to identify potential treatments, but also to test whether jumping genes do, in fact, drive human diseases, as many suspect.


Transposon genes are found in a diverse variety of organisms, from miniscule bacteria to humans, and they are known in biological terms as “transposable elements” because they literally jump around the genome. Their vagrancy has been implicated in illnesses such as lupus, Parkinson’s disease, cancer, and aging.


Gorbunova is a recognized expert in aging and cancer whose research has been featured in high-profile publications ranging from Nature to The New York Times.


Reach out to Gorbunova by clicking on her profile.


Connect with:
Vera Gorbunova

Vera Gorbunova

Doris Johns Cherry Professor Professor of Biology and Co-Director of the Rochester Aging Research Center

Gorbunova's innovative research on DNA repair and the aging process has been internationally recognized

Lifespan Human DevelopmentLongevityBiology of AgingDNA RepairCancer Resistance

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