A new study reveals that bowhead whales, known to live over 200 years, produce unusually high levels of a DNA-repairing protein that could help extend human lifespans. Researchers found concentrations of this protein—called CIRBP—at levels up to 100 times higher than in other mammals.
This discovery offers a rare look into the molecular makeup of one of Earth’s most long-lived species. The bowhead whale, native to Arctic and subarctic waters, has long puzzled scientists due to its incredible ability to resist age-related diseases over a life that can stretch back to the early 1800s. Now, researchers at the University of Rochester believe part of the answer may lie in how these whales maintain their genomes.
The study—published in Nature—examined how these animals avoid the usual buildup of DNA damage that typically comes with aging. At the center of the findings is a cold-responsive protein with powerful repair capabilities that not only protects the whale’s DNA but also shows potential when applied to human cells in the lab.
A Protein That Protects and Repairs
The core of the research centers on CIRBP, or Cold-Inducible RNA-Binding Protein, which helps fix a dangerous form of DNA damage called double-strand breaks. This kind of damage involves both strands of DNA snapping, usually as a result of aging, radiation, or environmental stress. Left unrepaired, it can lead to mutations, cancer, and other diseases.
When scientists tested the effect of CIRBP outside the whale’s body, they found something striking. According to lead researcher Vera Gorbunova, adding the protein to human and fruit fly cells significantly improved DNA repair and even extended their cellular lifespans. “This research shows it is possible to live longer than the typical human lifespan,” Gorbunova said in a statement released by the University of Rochester.
Interestingly, the whales appear to increase CIRBP production when exposed to colder temperatures—a helpful adaptation for animals that live their entire lives in icy Arctic seas.
Bowhead Whales Break the Rules of Cancer Biology
Large animals like whales have many more cells than humans, which should—in theory—make them more prone to cancer. More cells mean more opportunities for things to go wrong during cell division. Yet, bowhead whales rarely get cancer. One explanation may be that their bodies are simply better at avoiding the genetic mutations that lead to it.
At first, the research team believed bowheads might need more genetic “hits” for their cells to become cancerous. The opposite turned out to be true. According to the data reported by Popular Mechanics, these whales appear to accumulate far fewer mutations to begin with, reducing the overall risk of disease.
When the researchers looked at tissue samples, CIRBP stood out for being present at concentrations “100-fold higher” than in other mammals, Gorbunova noted. That difference could explain why the whales’ DNA remains intact for so long, despite the stress of cold temperatures and extreme lifespans.
Translating Longevity Across 94 Million Years of Evolution
The real challenge now lies in applying these findings to humans. While bowhead whales are fellow mammals, they are genetically distant—separated from humans by nearly 100 million years of evolution. The uniqueness of the CIRBP pathway makes it both fascinating and difficult to replicate.
“We learn there is one unique way that evolved in bowhead whales,” said Gorbunova. “Now we have to see if we can develop strategies to upregulate the same pathway in humans.” That will not be easy. Whales are impossible to study in controlled lab settings due to their size—they can reach 60 feet in length—and some populations are considered endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
Still, the discovery adds an important layer to what we know about aging. With further research, understanding how bowhead whales avoid genetic damage might eventually inspire new approaches to longevity in humans. For now, they remain one of the few warm-blooded animals that consistently outlive us—and perhaps one of the most promising biological blueprints for the future of human health.