Rockefeller University

Telomere shortening protects against cancer

As time goes by, the tips of your chromosomes–called telomeres–become shorter. This process has long been viewed as an unwanted side-effect of aging, but a recent study shows it is in fact good for you. “Telomeres protect the genetic material,” says Titia de Lange, Leon Hess Professor at Rockefeller. “The DNA in telomeres shortens when cells divide, eventually halting cell division…