- Roy Walford
Infobox Scientist
name = Roy Walford
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caption = Roy Walford
birth_date = June 29, 1924
birth_place =San Diego ,California , USA
death_date = April 27, 2004
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known_for =life extension
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Roy Lee Walford, M. D. (June 29, 1924San Diego ,California , USA – April 27, 2004) was a pioneer in the field oflife extension . He died at age 79 of respiratory failure as a complication ofamyotrophic lateral sclerosis (commonly known asLou Gehrig ’s Disease). He was a leading advocate ofcalorie restriction as a method of life extension and health improvement.Career highlights
Dr. Walford is credited with significantly furthering research on the discovery that laboratory mice, when fed a diet that restricted their caloric intake by 50% yet maintained nutritional requirements, could more than double their expected life span.
He received his medical degree from the
University of Chicago in 1948. He completed his internship atGorgas Memorial Hospital ,Panama , and served his residency at the V.A. Medical Center in Los Angeles. He then served two years in theU.S. Air Force during theKorean War .Dr. Walford joined the faculty at the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) in 1954. He became a Professor of Pathology at the UCLA School of Medicine in 1966. He became Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Emeritus, for UCLA, when he left to join the crew of
Biosphere 2 in 1991.While at UCLA, Dr. Walford served in the following roles:
*Director of the Blood Bank and of the Hematology Division of the Clinical Laboratories (1959-1980)
*Director of the School of Medical Technology (1962-1972)
*Chairman of the Vivarium Committee (1965-1968)In addition to his service at UCLA, he was an expert advisor in immunology for the
World Health Organization from 1969 to 1984, was a senatorial delegate to the White House Conference on Aging in 1981, and a member of theNational Institute on Aging .His honors and awards include:
*Levine Award of the American Society of Clinical Pathology
*Research Award of the American Aging Association
*Kleemeier Award from the Gerontological Society of America
*Henderson Award from the American Geriatrics Society
*The Senator Alan Cranston Award
*Infinity Award of theAmerican Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine
*Asteroid #4629 was named after him by its discoverer (E. Helene) in 1986Dr. Walford and his work were featured in print in dozens of articles in popular publications such as Omni,
Discover , andScientific American . During his life he also made dozens of featured appearances on various television shows.Biosphere 2
Dr. Walford was one of the eight “crew members” who were sealed inside
Biosphere 2 where they lived from September 26, 1991 - September 26, 1993. Dr. Walford served as the crew's physician. During his stay in Biosphere 2, the crew found that they could not grow as much food as anticipated, so Dr. Walford convinced the crew to follow his calorie restriction diet. It is claimed that this action “produced dramatic weight loss and improved health.” [ [http://www.lef.org/magazine/mag2004/oct2004_itn_01.htm Life Extension Magazine, October 2004, retrieved September 28, 2005] ]Published works
Walford authored several books, and set out his dietary beliefs in the bestseller "Beyond the 120-Year Diet". In addition, he published at least 340 scientific papers, mainly focused on the biology of aging.
Dr. Walford authored or co-authored the following books: [ [http://www.walford.com/bio.htm Dr. Roy Walford: Gerontologist, Artist, Biospheran biography web page] ]
*cite book
last = Walford
first = R. L.
authorlink = Roy Walford
title = Leukocyte Antigens and Antibodies
publisher = Grune and Stratton, Inc.
location = New York
year = 1960
*Harvard reference
Last = Walford
First = R. L.
Authorlink = Roy Walford
Title = The Isoantigenic Systems of Human Leukocytes: Medical and Biological Significance
Publisher = Munksgaard
Location = Copenhagen
Journal = Series Haematologica 2
Volume = 2
Pages = 1–96
Year = 1969
*cite book
last = Walford
first = R. L.
authorlink = Roy Walford
title = The Immunological Theory of Aging
publisher = Munksgaard
location = Copenhagen
year = 1969
*cite book
last = Walford
first = R. L.
authorlink = Roy Walford
title = Maximum Life Span
publisher = W.W. Norton & Co.
location = New York
year = 1983
id = ISBN 0-380-65524-1
*cite book
last = Walford
first = R. L.
authorlink = Roy Walford
title = The 120-Year Diet
publisher = Simon and Schuster
location = New York
year = 1986
id = ISBN 0-671-64904-3
*cite book
last = Weindruch
first = R. H. and Walford, R. L.
authorlink = Roy Walford
title = The Retardation of Aging and Disease by Dietary Restriction
publisher = Charles C. Thomas
location = New York
year = 1988
*cite book
last = Walford
first = R. L. and Walford, Lisa J.
authorlink = Roy Walford
title = The Anti-Aging Plan
publisher = Four Walls Eight Windows
location = New York
year = 1994
id = ISBN 1-569-24383-2
*cite book
last = Walford
first = R. L.
authorlink = Roy Walford
title = Beyond The 120-Year Diet
publisher = Four Walls Eight Windows
location = New York
year = 2000
id = ISBN 1-568-58157-2Roulette winnings
In 1949, while on vacation either from or after medical school (sources disagree), Walford and
Albert Hibbs , a mathematics graduate student, used statistical analysis of biasedroulette wheels to "break the bank" in Reno. They tracked the results of the spins, determined which wheels were biased, and then bet heavily on the ones which were unbalanced. The casinos eventually realized that Walford and his friend knew what they were doing and threw them out. ALife Magazine photographer captured the pair drinking milk and counting their chips in a photograph published in the December 7, 1949 issue. Their methods were also mentioned in the roulette book "The Eudaemonic Pie " byThomas Bass . Different sources have the pair winning anywhere from $6,500 (Life Magazine) to $42,000 (an obituary by the Gerontology Research Group); the high end is more likely, as Walford was reputed to have paid for part of his medical school education and a house from his winnings. The pair also bought a yacht and sailed theCaribbean for over a year.ee also
*
Biosphere 2
*Calorie restriction References
External links
* [http://www.walford.com/ www.walford.com, Dr. Walford's web page]
* [http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/senate/inmemoriam/roywalford.htm UCLA “In Memoriam, Roy Walford, M.D.” tribute page, retrieved September 28, 2005]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8WS4XBX7bqc "Sign Posts of Dr. Roy Walford", a full length documentary]
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