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If you have just encountered longevity science for the first time — or if you have encountered it and found yourself skeptical, confused, or wondering what is actually real — this is a good place to start.
The science is more advanced, more credible, and more personal than most people realize. What follows is designed to answer the questions most people have honestly — and to give you a foundation for understanding why the work ALSAE does matters.
A video from our partner Buck Institute for Research on Aging
The Buck Institute for Research on Aging — the world’s first independent research institute dedicated exclusively to aging — is one of ALSAE’s closest scientific partners. This is the kind of work happening right now, at the frontier of what is possible.
A video from our partner The Longevity Initiative
The Longevity Initiative is an educational nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing longevity science and public policy.
A video from our partner XPRIZE Healthspan
XPRIZE Healthspan is a $101 million global competition to restore meaningful years of healthy function to aging adults — backed by some of the most serious scientific and philanthropic minds in the world. This is what institutional investment in longevity science looks like at scale.
Featured Reading
Why We Can Thrive Past Seventy-Five
The Questions That Change Everything
What about diet and lifestyle—aren’t they enough to stop diseases of aging?
The best thing you can do right now for your health is to live as well as possible—eat nourishing foods, stay active, manage stress, and care for your body. These choices can lower risk, delay disease, and add valuable years of strength and vitality. A healthy lifestyle gives you the greatest chance of enjoying a longer, better life with the tools available today.
However, while healthy habits are powerful for reducing risk and delaying disease, they cannot stop the underlying biology of aging. Even people who lead the healthiest lifestyles still eventually face cancer, Alzheimer’s, heart disease, or other conditions if they live long enough, because the biology of aging itself sets the stage for them. Only by targeting those root processes can we hope to preserve lasting health instead of surrendering to decline.
What are diseases of aging? How are they different from other diseases?
Diseases of aging are chronic, degenerative conditions—like cancer, Alzheimer’s, cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, and type 2 diabetes—that emerge because of the underlying biology of aging. Unlike infectious diseases, which are caused by outside invaders like viruses or bacteria, or injuries caused by accidents, these conditions develop as cells and tissues lose their ability to repair, renew, and function properly over time.
What makes them unique is that they are interconnected: the same biological processes—cellular damage, loss of regenerative capacity, immune decline—drive multiple diseases at once—a unifying insight at the core of geroscience. That’s why someone rarely suffers from just one; instead, they accumulate, compounding disability and suffering.
Targeting these root processes doesn’t just mean treating one disease at a time—it opens the possibility of preventing or even curing many of them together. This is the promise of longevity science: a future where breakthroughs in cellular repair, immune rejuvenation, and regenerative medicine can free us from the chronic illnesses that now define aging, ensuring longer years of health and independence for all.
Is it inevitable I’ll get diseases of aging even with the best medicine available today?
Yes. With today’s medicine, aging eventually overwhelms the body. Nearly all deaths are caused by one or more chronic diseases of aging. Advancing new science is essential—so you can avoid these diseases and be cured if they strike.
Didn’t scientists already cure some of these diseases?
We have treatments for some diseases of aging, but their effects are limited. Some only manage symptoms. Others change our metabolism to lessen the impact of different mechanisms of age-related disease, such as statins for heart disease or insulin-sensitizing drugs for diabetes; however, they cannot eliminate root causes, which are at the nexus of essential life processes and the biology of aging, and so health continues to decline, albeit more slowly.
Longevity science is different: by targeting the biology of aging at the core of age-related disease, it aims for prevention, reversal, and cure of these diseases—not just their management.
Haven’t people been promising cures for diseases of aging for thousands of years? What’s different now?
For most of history, claims about defeating age-related disease were myths or speculation. What’s different today is science: we can now map the precise biological mechanisms that drive cancer, Alzheimer’s, cardiovascular disease, and other chronic conditions. With tools like gene therapy, regenerative medicine, and cellular reprogramming, researchers are beginning to target those root causes directly—something never before possible.
Won’t treatments only be available far in the future?
Not anymore. Breakthroughs in gene therapy, cellular reprogramming, and regenerative medicine are already entering early human trials. For the first time in history, cures for age-related diseases are within reach in our lifetimes.
Isn’t this all just science fiction?
Much of what once seemed like science fiction—heart transplants, artificial organs, gene sequencing—is now routine. Just as once-unimaginable feats like flying across the world in hours, video calling across continents, or lighting up entire cities with the flick of a switch became everyday reality, longevity science builds on proven fields already in human trials today.
Aren’t diseases of aging just “natural decline” we should accept?
No. Cancer, Alzheimer’s, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease are not “natural.” They are diseases with identifiable causes—just like smallpox or polio once were. Humanity didn’t accept those as destiny, and we don’t have to accept age-related diseases either.
Won’t longer lives just mean more years of decline and suffering?
The goal isn’t to extend frailty—it’s to extend health. The focus is on healthspan: keeping you strong, capable, and disease-free for as long as possible. A longer life becomes a natural byproduct of that—because when you’re not suffering from a cascade of debilitating diseases that would otherwise end your life, health itself carries you further.
Won’t only the wealthy benefit from these treatments?
History shows that lifesaving medicine—vaccines, antibiotics, even organ transplants—often begins costly and limited to the few but quickly scales to the many. Economies of scale and innovation always drive prices down: once-antiretroviral HIV drugs cost over $10,000 per year in the 1990s; today, they are a fraction of that cost. The same was true for sequencing the human genome, which fell from billions of dollars to under $1,000.
New treatments for age-related diseases will follow the same trajectory—and governments will have strong incentives to ensure access. Preventing Alzheimer’s, heart disease, or frailty will cost far less than the trillions currently spent on Medicare, assisted living, and expensive interventions that only manage symptoms without curing the disease.
And while early access may initially be expensive, withholding progress would mean denying yourself (and millions of others) the chance to avoid immense suffering just to prevent someone else from getting it first. History has shown again and again that once breakthroughs exist, they spread. Public support accelerates that process, ensuring these therapies benefit everyone—not just the wealthy.
Wouldn’t people living longer be too expensive for society?
It sounds logical — but the data says the opposite.
A peer-reviewed economic analysis in Nature Aging found that slowing the diseases of aging — not just extending life, but extending healthy life — would create enormous economic value:
- Just 1 extra healthy year is worth ~$38 trillion to U.S. society
- 10 healthy years is worth ~$367 trillion
These numbers already include healthcare costs, productivity, population changes, and benefits to future generations.
Why this works:
- Most medical spending happens near the end of life. Slowing the diseases of aging compresses illness instead of stretching it out.
- One approach affects many conditions at once — cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer’s, diabetes, and more.
- Healthier people stay independent, creative, and productive longer.
- As people age more slowly, the benefits compound across society.
Bottom line: Healthier longevity isn’t a burden. It’s one of the largest economic opportunities of our time.
Source: Scott, Ellison & Sinclair, Nature Aging (2021) — DOI: 10.1038/s43587-021-00080-0
Why should I care now? Won’t the next generation benefit more than me?
This research is about you, not just future generations. Preventing and curing these diseases means you can maintain independence, agency, and vitality well into later life—instead of losing those years to illness and decline.
The benefits ripple outward: fewer families bankrupted by care costs, fewer economies strained by chronic disease. But most importantly, acting now gives you the best chance to benefit. Every year of delay means more lives lost—and possibly your own chance to reverse or avoid decline.
The diseases and conditions of aging. Science is learning to target them at their root.
Longevity Science Glossary
Aging is the greatest risk factor for many of the diseases that cause suffering and death worldwide, including cancer, Alzheimer’s, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes. Longevity science is the emerging field that seeks to understand and address the root biological causes of aging, aiming not only to extend life but to extend healthspan—the years we live in good health.
This glossary was created by ALSAE to make the language of longevity science accessible to everyone—from artists and storytellers to educators, policymakers, and the general public. Each definition is written to be clear, accurate, and engaging, opening the door to the remarkable possibilities that advancing science now holds.
By demystifying these terms, we hope to inspire a broader cultural conversation about what it could mean for humanity if the diseases of aging can be prevented, delayed, or even cured.
- Core Concepts
Aging Biology
The study of how and why our bodies change over time—covering everything from DNA damage to cellular repair systems. It provides the foundation for understanding and addressing age-related diseases.
Healthspan
The portion of life spent in good health, free from chronic disease or disability. Longevity science seeks not just to extend lifespan, but to extend healthspan.
Geroscience
The field of science that studies how the biological mechanisms of aging drive the onset and progression of age-related diseases.
Longevity Dividend
The economic and social benefits that come from extending healthy lifespan, including reduced healthcare costs and increased productivity.
Frailty
A state of heightened vulnerability to disease, disability, and death. Research into resilience and repair aims to prevent frailty in old age.
- Cellular & Genetic Pathways
Cellular Reprogramming
Techniques that “reset” older cells to a younger, healthier state, restoring their function without changing their identity.
Stem Cell Therapy
Using stem cells to replace or repair damaged tissues—like growing new cartilage, restoring neurons, or repairing muscle.
Stem Cells
The body’s raw material—cells that can develop into many other types of cells. They help repair tissues and are central to regenerative medicine.
Senolytics
Drugs or treatments that remove senescent (“zombie”) cells from the body, reducing inflammation and improving tissue function.
Cellular Senescence
When damaged cells stop dividing but refuse to die. They linger, releasing harmful signals that contribute to aging and disease.
Gene Therapy
A way to modify or repair the instructions in our DNA to correct errors or restore proper function, addressing diseases at their source.
Epigenetics
The “switches” that turn genes on and off. These switches can be changed by environment, behavior, or interventions—and are a major focus in aging research.
Epigenetic Reprogramming
Resetting those gene “switches” to restore youthful patterns of activity in cells, potentially reversing aspects of aging.
CRISPR
A precise tool for editing DNA. In aging research, it offers the possibility of correcting genetic drivers of disease.
Biomarkers of Aging
Measurable indicators—like DNA methylation “clocks”—that reveal biological rather than chronological age, helping track progress in longevity research.
- Repair & Renewal
Autophagy
The body’s natural recycling system, where cells clear out damaged components. Boosting autophagy may help protect against age-related decline.
Proteostasis
Maintaining healthy, functional proteins in the body. Loss of proteostasis with age leads to diseases like Alzheimer’s.
Mitochondria
The “power plants” of our cells. They generate energy, but decline with age; restoring their function is a major goal of longevity research.
Mitochondrial Therapies
Approaches to repair, replace, or revitalize mitochondria to restore youthful energy and reduce disease.
Enhancement of Natural Repair Mechanisms
Our bodies already have repair systems, like DNA repair and protein recycling, that keep us alive. Scientists are finding ways to amplify these processes so that our natural defenses against aging stay strong for much longer.
- Regenerative Medicine
Tissue Engineering
Creating or regenerating tissues and even organs in the lab, then using them to repair damage in the body.
Organ Regeneration
Rebuilding entire organs from a patient’s own cells or through bioengineering—aiming to eliminate the need for donor transplants.
Immunotherapy
Boosting or retraining the immune system to better defend against cancer, infections, and the age-related decline of immunity.
Regenerative Medicine
A broad field focused on repairing or replacing damaged cells, tissues, and organs—restoring normal function.
- Molecules & Signals
NAD+ (Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide)
A molecule essential for energy and repair inside cells. Levels decline with age; restoring them is a key target in longevity science.
Telomeres
Protective caps on the ends of chromosomes. They shorten with each cell division, and critically short telomeres contribute to aging and disease.
Telomerase
An enzyme that lengthens telomeres. Research is exploring whether boosting telomerase could extend cell health and delay aging.
Sirtuins
A family of proteins involved in DNA repair, metabolism, and stress resistance. They’ve become central to research on aging and longevity.
Exosomes
Tiny packages released by cells that carry proteins, RNA, and signals. They’re being explored as tools to deliver therapies and rejuvenation signals.
Parabiosis (and Plasma Factors)
Experiments showing that young blood contains factors that can rejuvenate older tissues. Research seeks to identify and safely apply those factors.
Clonal Hematopoiesis
A condition where aging blood stem cells acquire mutations, raising risks for cancer and cardiovascular disease. Research aims to intervene before it causes harm.
Senescence-Associated Secretory Phenotype (SASP)
The harmful signals secreted by senescent cells—spreading inflammation and dysfunction to nearby cells. Senolytics aim to stop this cascade.
The science to prevent and cure the diseases of aging is advancing. What determines how quickly it reaches the world is culture — and that is what ALSAE is building.
We stand on the brink of transformative breakthroughs. With your help, we can build a world where longer lives mean healthier, more vibrant ones—allowing us to continue creating, inspiring, and sharing our gifts free from the diseases of aging.
