Aging Under the Microscope: A Biological Quest
Introduction
The study of aging is not what it used to be. Gerontology was a young science when Congress created the National Institute on Aging (NIA) in 1974 as part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). At that time, theories of aging abounded, but data was scant. Gerontology lacked, or was just in the early stages of developing, ways to explore the fundamentals of the aging process. Knowledge of aging clustered around specific diseases associated with advancing age; indeed the notion that aging equated with decline and illness was widespread.
Now, nearly 30 years later, the science base has grown in depth, breadth, and detail. And, with this growth have come new insights into the processes and experience of aging. Where gerontologists once looked for a single, all-encompassing theory to explain aging - a single gene, for instance, or the decline of the immune system - they are now finding multiple processes, combining and interacting on many levels. Cells, proteins, tissues, and organ systems are all involved, and gerontologists are now able to discern many more of the mechanisms by which these components cause or react to aging.
Much of this research has been supported or conducted by the NIA. In addition to research in laboratories in Baltimore and Bethesda, Maryland, the Institute sponsors basic, clinical, epidemiological, and social research on aging at universities, medical centers, and other sites worldwide. As this work evolves and new knowledge accumulates, gerontologists hope to move closer to their ultimate goal of promoting health and independence throughout the lifespan.
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