Aging can be slowed and life span lengthened for many species if caloric intake is restricted by up to 50%, a regimen called caloric restriction. While it is unclear whether the same effect can occur in humans, we can determine how caloric restriction works in experimental animals and then determine if the same pathways are present in humans. My research has helped identify key components in the caloric restriction pathway in Drosophila, the fruit fly. The fly has many advantages for this type of research since it is superbly adapted for genetics experiments, lives a short time, yet has deep similarities to vertebrate organisms. The genes involved in this pathway are also present in humans, indicating relevance to human longevity. Future research will be focused on more fully understanding the beneficial changes caused by caloric restriction.