Ozzie Osbourne – Rock Star Becomes Science Star

Sources: UPI, St. Louis Dispatch, Chicago Sun-Times

St. Louis, Missouri - Scientists are interested in OzzyOzzy Osbourne's genes (please note spelling). Cofactor Genomics (St. Louis) was hired by Massachusetts firm Knome to help look into what they called "unique" elements of Ozzie's DNA.

Scientists are trying to determine if Ozzie's DNA hold any secrets behind Ozzie's (now 61) health. The mystery in researcher's minds is: how someone with decades of drug and alcohol abuse can live such a relatively healthy life?

Knome is a company that specializes and looks into people's genomes. They have been hired to look at "roughly" 50 other commercial contracts. Ozzie is one of those commercial contracts. He is paying for this research. Ozzie says he is trying to find out why he has lasted, not what should have kill him.

"It's the sort of people (talking about Knome's customers) who are rich aficionados of technology, or people who have an urgent need because of some health reason," said NathanNathan Pearson, director of research at Knome, noting that the current cost is about $40,000. (Chicago Sun-Time, St. Louis Dispatch)

Keith RichardsKeith Richards, of the Rolling Stones, is another of Knome's customers, whose genomes they also found interesting.

"Officials" at Knome, said Osbourne's genome won't give any easy answers, but it may provide "leads" for other scientists.

"They're taking someone who's healthy, who should have disease, and looking at that," said Jon Armstrong, chief marketing officer for Cofactor. "What's in the DNA, and what does it have that others don't have?" (St. Louis Dispatch)

Osbourne has called his existence a "modern miracle," and despite the Rocker's mumbling and shaking," he remains the same as he was on stage. He has been "reportedly" sobered up and "even become something of a health nut". (St. Louis Dispatch)

I find it hard to picture Ozzie Osbourne or Keith Richards "aficionados of technology", but they are rich. If they use their money to help us live longer, more power to them.