About this Research Topic
In recent years there has been a tremendous revival of interest about aging research with special attention to cell and tissue rejuvenation strategies. The data on these approaches exponentially increased in the past two decades and not surprisingly, the controversies emerged on what is (and what is not) robustly reproducible, which is in concert with more results being available for contrasting and comparing. It is clearly important to delineate not only what works for multi-tissue rejuvenation and how but equally, or even more important, to identify directions that do not work. All of this is critically needed for a better understanding of the fundamental process of aging and for developing rational therapeutics to prevent, attenuate and possibly reverse age-imposed diseases, as a class.
This Research Topic aims to provide comprehensive characterization of aging and rejuvenation of cells and tissues across evolutionary distinct animals as well as humans through different mechanisms. These include molecular (DNA repair, proteostasis, signal transduction changes) and cellular approaches (senescence, oxidative stress) as well as strategies at the organism level (physiological, evolutionary understanding), with the common thread of highlighting whether and how the basis of aging and rejuvenation are shared between different species and systems; and importantly, outlining fundamental basis to understand why only some but not all rejuvenating approaches might be successful. In addition to fundamental understanding of these processes we also welcome studies using novel technologies, such as CRISPR-based devices and designer blood exchange approaches, as platforms for aging focused diagnostics and therapeutics.
Original Research, Perspectives on the field and Reviews are welcome and the specific sub-topics include, but are not limited to:
• DNA damage and repair
• DNA methylation clock
• Protein folding, misfolding and degradation
• Telomerase in stem versus progenitor cells - where is it needed and safe?
• Intrinsic and extrinsic regulation of cell and tissue senescence
• Systemic aging and rejuvenation
• Age-specific changes and calibration of signal transduction
• Regenerative medicine in the age of CRISPR and graphene.
Topic Editor Irina Conboy is co-founder of IMYU and hold patents related to regeneration of tissues. Topic Editor Kiana Aran is co-founder of Nanosens Innovations Inc and Cardea Bio Inc and received financial support from Progenity Inc. All other Topic Editors declare no competing interests with regards to the Research Topic subject.
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
