The real secret to long life, goes beyond the DNA!

The real secret to long life, goes beyond the DNA.

Evgeniya Staleva
BIOL-2100-001- GENETICS
Professor Guy F. Barbato
October 21, 2025

The New York Times article tells the story of Maria Branyas Morera, the world’s oldest living person. Before she passed at age 117, a group of doctors led by Dr. Esteller studied her blood, saliva, urine, and stool, to uncover what made her so resilient.  According to their report published in Cell Reports Medicine, Morera, did not smoke, or drink alcohol. The elderly woman followed a typical Mediterranean diet and walked an hour every day until the early 2000s. The team of scientist discovered a variety of microbes living in, and on Morera’s body. According to the report, her microbiome contained an abundance of beneficial bacteria called Bifidobacterium, which often results from eating yogurt.

Meanwhile, other scientist argue against the belief 'that Ms. Morera’s longevity is associated with these bacteria. According to Immaculato De Vivo, molecular geneticist at Harvard University, the explanations are reasonable, however she emphasized the importance of interpreting individual cases carefully compared to large, well-controlled population studies. She added that good genes and microbiomes alone are not enough to keep someone alive by themselves. In contrast, Dr Mary Armanios, an oncologist and genetics at Hopkins School of medicine, disagreed with the research entirely. She describes the genetics of longevity as “notoriously confusing”, but she was certain that there is no clear connection between genetics and healthy microbiome. According to Armanios, there is enormous differences in life expectancy linked to education and income level. She even pointed out that Baltimore, there is 20-year difference in life expectancy between people living in the inner city and those in the suburbs.

The case of Ms. Morera reminds us that while DNA and genetics play an important role. Lifestyle, community, and mindset are equally vital parts of living a long and meaningful life.  In my opinion, her story shows that longevity is not just about biology, but about how we live each day. Eating healthy, staying active, maintaining strong social connections, and keeping positive attitude all contribute to our overall well-being. Even though science can help explain some of the mysteries of aging, I believe that happiness, balance, and purpose are what truly keep people thriving so long.

References

Caroline Ivanne Le Roy, Alexander Kurilshikov, Emily R. Leeming, Alessia Visconti, Ruth C. E. Bowyer, Cristina Menni, Mario Falchi, Hana Koutnikova, Patrick Veiga, Alexandra Zhernakova, Muriel Derrien & Tim D. Spector. BMC Microbiology. 03 02 2022. 09 10 2025. <https://bmcmicrobiol.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12866-021-02364-2>.Link 1

Kolata, Gina. The New York Times. 24 09 2025. 09 10 2025. <https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/24/health/maria-branyas-longevity-genes-microbiome.html?searchResultPosition=28>.Link 2