Researchers to study why rocker Ozzy Osbourne still breathing

ST. LOUIS -- Abuse of alcohol and drugs has killed too many rock stars to mention, but at 61, Ozzy Osbourne is still going strong.

DNA researchers in St. Louis are part of a team that will try to determine how he does it.

Osbourne approached a Massachusetts human genomics company called Knome (pronounced Nome) and asked it to map his DNA. Knome oversees the project, and St. Louis-based Cofactor Genomics will do the actual lab work.

Osbourne now reportedly leads a healthy lifestyle, but his years of substance abuse are legendary. Cofactor chief marketing officer Jon Armstrong said Wednesday that the DNA mapping may not offer definitive answers as to why Osbourne is healthy but could provide clues in understanding the relationship between changes in DNA and the environment.