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SALISBURY, MD---Dr. Augustine G. DiGiovanna, professor of biology in Salisbury State University’s Henson School of Technology, recently presented papers in two symposia on aging at the annual meeting of the Association for Gerontology in Higher Education (AGHE), held in San Jose, CA. He also serves on the association’s Faculty Development Committee.

DiGiovanna led the first symposium, “Should We Extend Human Lifespan Indefinitely?” in which he provided participants with information and data about human populations. He was followed by two presenters who discussed potential benefits and drawbacks from regulating aging by controlling the childbearing years and using embryonic cells to replace aging organs.

During the second symposium, “Age Changes in the Urinary System, Muscles and Effects of Exercise," DiGiovanna and the other presenters addressed biological aging. They emphasized current information about normal aging processes and its practical significance. Causes and effects in normal aging were distinguished from common age-related changes and diseases. DiGiovanna explained the latest research trends in treatments for age-related loss of muscle mass, including the nature, cause and effect of aging muscles.

Both symposia are supplemented by Web pages-- www.biologyofhumanaging.com/sanjose.htm--prepared by DiGiovanna, with help from his colleagues, to aid students, faculty and others interested in such topics. The Web pages are part of DiGiovanna’s book, Human Aging: Biological Perspectives.

DiGiovanna’s trip was funded by the SSU Department of Biology, SSU’s Faculty Development Committee and the SSU Foundation. 

For more information about aging of the body, go to www.biologyofhumanaging.com and click on detailed lecture notes.