Gerontology Research Group

The Gerontology Research Group (GRG) is a global group of researchers in various fields that verifies and tracks supercentenarians, or people who are at least 110 years old in a list of the verified oldest people. The group also aims to further gerontology research with a goal of reversing or slowing aging.

It was founded in 1990 by L. Stephen Coles and Stephen M. Kaye after the two met at a conference, according to Coles. The original chapter of the GRG, the LA-GRG, is based at University of California, Los Angeles, and holds meetings each month but the organization has members worldwide who meet via online forums.

The GRG verifies that people claiming to be supercentenarians are at least 110 years old by validating proof of age documents provided by the claimant or their family. People claiming to be supercentenarians, or their family members, are required to supply documents that prove the claimant's birth date, change of name (if applicable), and date of death (if applicable), along with another piece of official government identification. Researchers from the GRG verify that these documents are true and correct and if they are, the claimant is included in the GRG's official tables of supercentenarians. The GRG also conducts research on aging by interviewing willing supercentenarians and collecting their blood and DNA samples.

The GRG is recognized as an authority on supercentenarians by Guinness World Records and some news organizations. As of 12 September 2016^[update], the GRG recognizes approximately 45 living supercentenarians.

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