They believe the gene has a key role in many of the processes related to ageing.

The scientists are optimistic that because humans have a very similar version of the gene, it will show a way to improve our declining years.

The newly discovered gene has been named Klotho after a minor Greek goddess who spins life's thread.

It appears that the gene certainly seems to improve the effects of aging, and both mice and people with defective forms of the gene appear to age prematurely.

In their work the researchers have demonstrated that by boosting the activity of the gene, they can extend the natural lives of male mice from two to three years.

The effect however is not quite so strong in female mice.

Dr Makoto Kuro-o, assistant professor of pathology at the University of Texas' Southwestern Medical Center and senior author of the study, says the discovery could be a significant step towards developing anti-ageing therapy.

It appears that Klotho delays many of the effects of old age, like the weakening of bones, clogging of the arteries and loss of muscle fitness.

This research is also important for others researching the causes of ageing, with the intention of improving the quality of the final years rather than extending life.

But Dr Kuro-o says there may be negatives with Klotho, as the long-lived mice in the new experiments tended to be less fertile, and the gene may also predispose people to diabetes.

The challenge now for researchers will be to find ways of getting the life-enhancing results of Klotho while avoiding the drawbacks.

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"The possibility that insulin may participate in its own regulation is intriguing, and adds to the growing evidence relating G-quartet formation and diabetes," she says. She plans to apply her technique to G-quartet-forming sequences that occur in other regions of human chromosomes and have been implicated in cancer, aging, and genetic diseases. Her goal is to increase understanding of the role of G-quartets in health and disease, leading to the identification of new biomarkers and medical therapies.

McGown is one of 18 Rensselaer researchers presenting at the ACS meeting in Washington, along with Rensselaer President Shirley Ann Jackson, who will be speaking at a special event celebrating the 10th anniversary of the ACS Scholars Program. Her talk will focus on the urgent need to build the next generation of scientists, which she asserts requires fostering a national plan and a national will to succeed.

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