Welcome to SardiNIA Project
Finding longevity genes is only one of many goals for gerontologists. An equally important mission is unraveling the genetic processes involved in age-related traits and diseases.

NIA and Italian investigators are focusing their attention on Sardinia, a secluded Mediterranean island. Since settlers first occupied the island thousands of years ago, the population has grown without much immigration from the outside world. Because they are more closely related than people living in other societies, Sardinians share much of the same genetic information, which makes it easier to track genetic effects through generations.

When a particular trait exists in a genetically isolated “founder” population such as Sardinia, it is likely that the same few genes are responsible for the trait in most or all affected individuals. Once the genes for a certain complex trait are identified within the founder population, researchers can use this information to isolate interacting genes and assess their importance in more genetically diverse cultures, like the United States. Other large founder populations exist in Finland, Iceland, and French-speaking Quebec.

In a study called the Progenia project, gerontologists are studying Sardinians for evidence of genetic influences on two traits: arterial stiffness and positive emotions. Vascular stiffness may be an important predictor of heart disease mortality. Reports also suggest that joyfulness and other positive emotions can have profound impact on life satisfaction and health as we age. Gerontologists suspect these traits have strong genetic components. As the project progresses, investigators plan to conduct genetic analysis on individual differences of these traits and will attempt to identify the underlying genes.

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