Robert Arking, Ph.D., is Professor of Biological Sciences and a Faculty Associate of the Institute of Gerontology at Wayne State University. Having received his B.S. in biology from Dickinson College, obtaining his Ph.D. in biology from Temple University, and completing a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Virginia, Dr. Arking was originally trained as a developmental geneticist. However, he became convinced two decades ago that the biological questions posed by the problem of aging were more intriguing, and he shifted his attention to the other end of the life cycle. Dr. Arking has served on the editorial board of the Journal of Anti-Aging Medicine since 1998. In 1999, he served as Chair of the Biological Sciences Section and as Vice President of the Gerontology Society of America; he continues to serve on the GSA as a Council Executive Committee Member. In addition to his research papers and invited chapters and talks, Dr. Arking has written a well-received textbook, Biology of Aging: Observations and Principles , now in its second edition (Sunderland, MA: Sinauer Associates, 1998; Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1991). Dr. Arking has participated in numerous conferences including the Dahlem Conference in Berlin (1994) on the Molecular Genetics of Aging and the Pusan National University Conference, Pusan, Korea (2000) on Vascular Aging and Angiogenesis. His research has focused on understanding the biological mechanisms involved in delaying the onset of senescence and thus extending the longevity of fruit flies. This work has led to an appreciation of the importance of regulating the genes that defend our bodies against oxidative stress; genetic homologies suggest that these findings may have a wider application. Dr. Arking has worked in laboratories and held academic positions at the University of Kentucky; the University of California, Irvine; and the University of Michigan. He particularly enjoys teaching his course "Biology of Aging" and guiding students to an appreciation of the complexity and implications of the aging process. He also acts as Coordinator of the Molecular Biotechnology Program, an M.S. program that educates students for careers in biotechnology. Day 1: Morning Presentation