June 25, 2012 | Scientists are taking a deep look at the genetics of unusually healthy elderly individuals to see if there's something protecting them from common illnesses such as Alzheimer's, cancer, diabetes and heart disease. In one study, more than 1,300 individuals have been identified as having what Eric Topol, director of the Scripps Translational Science Institute, calls "Teflon-coated" genes. SFGate