Archive · 1 Jan 2026
DNA Study of 117-Year-Old Woman Reveals Longevity Clues
Scientists studied the DNA of Maria Branyas, who lived to be 117 years old.
They found that her cells looked much younger than her age.
Her genes helped her have a strong immune system, healthy heart, and good brain function.
She also had low levels of bad things like inflammation and bad cholesterol.
Surprisingly, her telomeres, which usually get shorter with age, were very short, but she still stayed healthy.
The scientists think her genes and lifestyle, like eating a Mediterranean diet and staying active, helped her live so long.
They say this shows that being very old doesn't always mean being unhealthy.
Maria Branyas, who lived to be 117, had cells that showed characteristics of much younger individuals.
Her genetic makeup included rare variants that supported a strong immune system, cardiovascular health, and robust brain function.
Branyas had low inflammation levels, excellent heart health markers, and a gut microbiome resembling that of younger people.
She maintained unusually low levels of 'bad' cholesterol and triglycerides, while her 'good' cholesterol remained very high.
Despite extremely short telomeres, Branyas remained free of major age-related illnesses throughout her life.
- Who
- Maria Branyas, one of the world's oldest individuals
- What
- A DNA study of Maria Branyas to understand longevity
- When
- The study was published in 2025
- Where
- The research was conducted at the Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute in Barcelona
- Why
- To uncover clues about why some people live exceptionally long lives
- Name
- Maria Branyas
- Age at Death
- 117 years
- Research Institute
- Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute, Barcelona
- Key Findings
- Rare genetic variants, low inflammation, excellent heart health, youthful gut microbiome, unusually low 'bad' cholesterol, high 'good' cholesterol, extremely short telomeres
- Published In
- Cell Reports Medicine
- Year of Study
- 2025