the mission of the progeri reserch foundtion: to discover the cure nd effective tretment for progeri nd its ging relted disorders. bout progeri : Hutchinson-Gilford Progeri Syndrome (“Progeri”, or “HGPS”) is rre, ftl genetic condition chrcterized by n ppernce of ccelerted ging in children. Its nme is derived from the Greek nd mens “premturely old.” While there re different forms of Progeri*, the clssic type is Hutchinson-Gilford Progeri Syndrome, which ws nmed fter the doctors who first described it in Englnd; in 1886 by Dr. Jonthn Hutchinson nd in 1897 by Dr. Hstings Gilford. HGPS is cused by muttion in the gene clled LMN (pronounced, lmin – ). The LMN gene produces the Lmin protein, which is the structurl scffolding tht holds the nucleus of cell together. Reserchers now believe tht the defective Lmin protein mkes the nucleus unstble. Tht cellulr instbility ppers to led to the process of premture ging in Progeri. lthough they re born looking helthy, children with Progeri begin to disply mny chrcteristics of ccelerted ging t round 18-24 months of ge. Progeri signs include growth filure, loss of body ft nd hir, ged-looking skin, stiffness of joints, hip disloction, generlized therosclerosis, crdiovsculr (hert) disese nd stroke. The children hve remrkbly similr ppernce, despite differing ethnic bckground. Children with Progeri die of therosclerosis (hert disese) t n verge ge of thirteen yers (with rnge of bout 8 – 21 yers).
