By 2030, 1 in 6 people in the world will be aged 60 years or over.  This presents a significant health challenge as ageing is known to be the greatest risk factor for the development of chronic disease.   However, it is now accepted within the scientific community that ageing is a malleable process; just as it can be accelerated, it can also be slowed and even reversed.  This presents a significant opportunity to target ‘ageing’ directly to reduce the burden of chronic disease and improve healthspan.  

The understanding of the molecular and cellular basis of ageing has grown exponentially over recent years and it is now recognised that ageing is a complex phenomenon which includes many effects at the systemic level that are ultimately driven by critical changes at the cellular level.  

Nine key cellular changes have been identified that underpin the cascade of events that lead to systemic age-related decline.  These cellular causes of ageing have been well characterised and are collectively referred to within the research community as the “hallmarks of ageing”.

Identification of these hallmarks has allowed the cellular root causes of many common ageing phenotypes to be identified, presenting an opportunity to enter a new era of cellular regenerative medicine that supports the body to repair and restore itself back to a state of internal wellbeing.

Given these recent advancements in understanding the cellular ageing process, it is important that there is an integration between scientists and clinical practitioners to allow the effective translation of this vastly complex area of biology into clinical practice.

This presentation will focus on the nine hallmarks of ageing, their contribution to the ageing process and current/future therapies that can be used in clinical practice to target the hallmarks of ageing and address cellular ageing.