The Strange Case of a Girl Who Doesn’t Age

Brooke Greenburg is 17-year-old girl who lives in Baltimore, MD. However, because of a rare DNA mutation called Syndrome X, Brooke hasn’t aged like normal teenagers — instead, she looks and acts just like a baby. Scientists are studying her DNA to determine why she isn’t aging normally. The research might yield fresh understanding about the aging process and even offer new therapies that will treat diseases commonly linked to old age. “We think that Brooke’s condition presents us with a unique opportunity to understand the process of ageing,” says Richard Walker, a professor at the University of South Florida School of Medicine, who is leading the research team.