Aging and Age-related Disorders: From Molecular Mechanisms to Therapies

Aging of unicellular and multicellular eukaryotic organisms is a convoluted biological phenomenon, which is manifested as an age-related functional decline caused by progressive dysregulation of certain cellular and organismal processes. Many chronic diseases are associated with human aging. These aging-associated diseases include cardiovascular diseases, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, chronic kidney disease, diabetes, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, sarcopenia, stroke, neurodegenerative diseases (including Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and Huntington’s diseases), and many forms of cancer. Studies in yeast, roundworms, fruit flies, fishes, mice, primates, and humans have provided evidence that the major aspects and basic mechanisms of aging and aging-associated pathology are conserved across phyla. The focus of this International Journal of Molecular Sciences Special Issue is on molecular and cellular mechanisms, diagnostics, and therapies and diseases of aging. Fifteen original research and review articles in this Special Issue provide important insights into how various genetic, dietary, and pharmacological interventions can affect certain longevity-defining cellular and organismal processes to delay aging and postpone the onset of age-related pathologies in evolutionarily diverse organisms. These articles outline the most important unanswered questions and directions for future research in the vibrant and rapidly evolving fields of mechanisms of biological aging, aging-associated diseases, and aging-delaying therapies.