George M. Martin
Encyclopedia
George M. Martin, M.D.
(born June 30, 1927, in New York
, New York) is an American
biogerontologist. He received both his B.S. in Chemistry
and his M.D. from the University of Washington
and has been a member of its faculty since 1957. Dr. Martin is a Professor Emeritus (Active) in the Department of Pathology
, Adjunct Professor of Genome
Sciences (Retired) and Director Emeritus of the University of Washington’s Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center.
His research has involved genetic approaches to elucidate the pathobiology of aging and age-related diseases. Important highlights include the discovery of the genetic defect causing Werner syndrome
and certain familial forms of Alzheimer’s disease. Dr. Martin also led research leading to the first evidence that cells from arteries, especially from parts that develop severe atherosclerosis, have limited potential to divide. He and colleagues also demonstrated that senescent cells cannot be "rescued" when their cytoplasm is mixed with cytoplasm from a normal young cell. His laboratory was also the first to demonstrate the rising frequencies, with age, of somatic mutations in human epithelial cells. His recent research has utilized genetic engineering
in mice to elucidate mechanisms of aging and Alzheimer’s disease.
Dr. Martin's honors have included election to the Institute of Medicine
of the National Academy of Sciences
and a Lifetime Achievement Award of the World Alzheimer Congress. He currently serves as the Scientific Director of the American Federation for Aging Research
and he has served as President of the Tissue Culture Association and the Gerontological Society of America. Dr. Martin has served as an Editor and on Editorial Boards of many scholarly journals including Science, Age and Ageing, Mechanisms of Ageing and Development, Aging Cell, Ageing Research Reviews, Geriatrics and Gerontology International and Alzheimer's Disease Review. He currently serves as chairman of the Scientific Advisory Board of The Ellison Biomedical Foundation.
Dr. Martin is not as well known as some of today's leading futurists, such as Ray Kurzweil and Vernor Vinge
, but some of his futuristic predictions are quite similar and predate those of Kurzweil and Vinge. For example, in 1971 Dr. Martin described the importance of exponential growth in science and, based on the continuation of such a trend, he outlined a hypothetical proposal for achieving "immortality" through a process now described as mind uploading:
Doctor of Medicine
Doctor of Medicine is a doctoral degree for physicians. The degree is granted by medical schools...
(born June 30, 1927, in New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, New York) is an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
biogerontologist. He received both his B.S. in Chemistry
Chemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
and his M.D. from the University of Washington
University of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
and has been a member of its faculty since 1957. Dr. Martin is a Professor Emeritus (Active) in the Department of Pathology
Pathology
Pathology is the precise study and diagnosis of disease. The word pathology is from Ancient Greek , pathos, "feeling, suffering"; and , -logia, "the study of". Pathologization, to pathologize, refers to the process of defining a condition or behavior as pathological, e.g. pathological gambling....
, Adjunct Professor of Genome
Genome
In modern molecular biology and genetics, the genome is the entirety of an organism's hereditary information. It is encoded either in DNA or, for many types of virus, in RNA. The genome includes both the genes and the non-coding sequences of the DNA/RNA....
Sciences (Retired) and Director Emeritus of the University of Washington’s Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center.
His research has involved genetic approaches to elucidate the pathobiology of aging and age-related diseases. Important highlights include the discovery of the genetic defect causing Werner syndrome
Werner syndrome
Werner syndrome is a very rare, autosomal recessive disorder characterized by the appearance of premature aging....
and certain familial forms of Alzheimer’s disease. Dr. Martin also led research leading to the first evidence that cells from arteries, especially from parts that develop severe atherosclerosis, have limited potential to divide. He and colleagues also demonstrated that senescent cells cannot be "rescued" when their cytoplasm is mixed with cytoplasm from a normal young cell. His laboratory was also the first to demonstrate the rising frequencies, with age, of somatic mutations in human epithelial cells. His recent research has utilized genetic engineering
Genetic engineering
Genetic engineering, also called genetic modification, is the direct human manipulation of an organism's genome using modern DNA technology. It involves the introduction of foreign DNA or synthetic genes into the organism of interest...
in mice to elucidate mechanisms of aging and Alzheimer’s disease.
Dr. Martin's honors have included election to the Institute of Medicine
Institute of Medicine
The Institute of Medicine is a not-for-profit, non-governmental American organization founded in 1970, under the congressional charter of the National Academy of Sciences...
of the National Academy of Sciences
United States National Academy of Sciences
The National Academy of Sciences is a corporation in the United States whose members serve pro bono as "advisers to the nation on science, engineering, and medicine." As a national academy, new members of the organization are elected annually by current members, based on their distinguished and...
and a Lifetime Achievement Award of the World Alzheimer Congress. He currently serves as the Scientific Director of the American Federation for Aging Research
American Federation for Aging Research
The American Federation for Aging Research is a private, charitable, 501, organization whose mission is to provide funding for biomedical research on aging.- Grant programs :...
and he has served as President of the Tissue Culture Association and the Gerontological Society of America. Dr. Martin has served as an Editor and on Editorial Boards of many scholarly journals including Science, Age and Ageing, Mechanisms of Ageing and Development, Aging Cell, Ageing Research Reviews, Geriatrics and Gerontology International and Alzheimer's Disease Review. He currently serves as chairman of the Scientific Advisory Board of The Ellison Biomedical Foundation.
Dr. Martin is not as well known as some of today's leading futurists, such as Ray Kurzweil and Vernor Vinge
Vernor Vinge
Vernor Steffen Vinge is a retired San Diego State University Professor of Mathematics, computer scientist, and science fiction author. He is best known for his Hugo Award-winning novels and novellas A Fire Upon the Deep , A Deepness in the Sky , Rainbows End , Fast Times at Fairmont High ...
, but some of his futuristic predictions are quite similar and predate those of Kurzweil and Vinge. For example, in 1971 Dr. Martin described the importance of exponential growth in science and, based on the continuation of such a trend, he outlined a hypothetical proposal for achieving "immortality" through a process now described as mind uploading: