Hawaii has a lot of things going for it.

One thing most people don’t likely realize is that Hawaii residents are the healthiest and longest-lived people in the nation. Another is that our state is a global leader in research on healthy aging. Much of the groundwork for this has been provided by the incredible dedication of 8,006 members of the Kuakini Honolulu Heart Program (HHP).

Established in 1965 at Kuakini Medical Center with funding from the National Institutes of Health, the study participants, all American men of Japanese ancestry, have participated in comprehensive research exams for almost five decades. This has led to a much greater understanding of the epidemiology, lifestyle and biology of healthy aging.

The Kuakini HHP studies have spawned major breakthroughs in cardiovascular, neurological and other aging-related fields, including the discovery of longevity-promoting effects in humans of the FOXO3 gene. A single protective version doubles one’s odds of living to age 100.

That finding, made here in Honolulu, sent ripples through the scientific community around the world. On May 9, this newspaper reported another recent Kuakini HHP finding: that short-statured Japanese men live longer than their taller counterparts, in part due to metabolic advantages from this protective gene. These studies, and others, are fostering medical research into therapies that will help us all live longer, healthier lives.

How does this help Hawaii?

With a collaborative effort, we could potentially turn this cutting-edge science into a growth industry that will attract scientists, business and visitors from around the world. We could build a new sector focused on rejuvenative medicine that combines Hawaii-based research, health care, pharmacotherapy and hospitality. We have the human capital — dedicated physicians, researchers and aging experts — to make it happen.

A case in point: The University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine’s Department of Geriatric Medicine has partnered with Kuakini Medical Center for more than 25 years and built the fourth-largest geriatrics training program in the country. This team has also competed successfully for funding with the best medical research organizations in the world.

Another element is Hawaii’s rejuvenation biotechnology companies, which are developing therapies for healthier aging. Among them is Cardax Inc, a Honolulu-based, publicly-traded pharmaceutical company. Cardax is synthesizing a variant of astaxanthin, a powerful, naturally occurring anti-inflammatory compound that may have widespread applicability for preventing and/or treating aging-related diseases.

Another example is Tissue Genesis, a Honolulu company developing stem cell-based therapies that hold promise for regenerating worn out cartilage, tissues and organs.

Rejuvenation medicine goes to the heart of our reputation as the healthiest and longest-lived state in the nation.

The Hawaii Tourism Authority, which has made Hawaii a tourism icon, could play a crucial role in marketing our state as a destination where people not only have a memorable time on the beach –but get healthier while doing so. We already have the tourism infrastructure, healthful indigenous Hawaiian traditions such as lomilomi, and evidence-based science ranging from genomics to the Okinawan diet.

Is this realistic?

The San Diego experience suggests that it is. Formerly heavily dependent on defense spending for its economic prosperity, over the last three decades it has diversified into life sciences and tech startups, by leveraging intellectual property from universities and scientific institutes. Its research hub now serves as a catalyst for academic-business partnerships that transform innovative ideas into viable products and companies.

Finally, with the resort island of Lanai currently undergoing a metamorphosis, with Larry Ellison’s vision of creating an "island of sustainability," it too may have the resources to become a destination for promoting locally developed products and evidence-based therapies for rejuvenation of mind, body and spirit.

Baby boomers, keenly aware of their aging, are the ideal candidates for this. With as much as $41 trillion of heritable wealth, they will have significant resources and interest in coming to Hawaii where they can optimize not only their suntan — but their health span.

As W. David Carey, CEO of Outrigger Enterprises Group outlined in a commentary in this paper, there is a need to constantly evolve to draw visitors ("Enhancing hotels, elevating experience are keys for tourism," Island Voices, May 25). The bottom line is that we have the components to create an entirely new industry focused on evidence-based rejuvenative therapies, education, and world class research on aging. And if we build it, they will come.