Washington State University scientists have developed genetically engineered mice that could help accelerate anti-aging research.

Globally, researchers are striving to unlock the secrets of extending human lifespan at the cellular level, where aging occurs gradually due to the shortening of telomeres—the protective caps at the ends of chromosomes that function like shoelace tips, preventing unraveling. As telomeres shorten over time, cells lose their ability to divide for healthy growth, and some eventually begin to die.

However, studying telomeres at the cellular level has been challenging in humans.