Aging and Small Molecules: Mechanisms and Molecular Signaling Controlling Aging Phenotype

Aging is definitive. Aging associated co-morbidities are a major health and cost burden posing threat to our society. By 2050, WHO predicts a rapid increase in the aged population which is expected to reach 2.1 billion individuals who are over 60 years old. Evolving changes in climatic conditions is posing a major risk for the aged population and is expected to be associated with multifactorial disease conditions. There is an impelling need for small molecule interventions to slow down rapid aging and promote healthy aging to control health and cost burden to the society and the world.

Several small molecules have been discovered with anti-aging properties, however, none have been successful in prolonging healthy human lifespan effectively. Few molecules have shown little success, however long-term interventions of these drugs are questionable. Our focus is to identify novel small molecules and molecular mechanisms which may have a protective antiaging and healthy lifespan extension capacity, and might regulate specific cell type or tissue selectivity. Further, we would like to explore the molecular mechanistic targets regulated by these small molecules.

We welcome articles that focus on the following aspects, but are not limited to:

• Small molecules controlling the aging process. Any small molecule intervention which can regulate molecular aging targets of human relevance.
• Controlling cell senescence leading to tissue/organ recovery.
• Communication between multiple cell types and tissues leading to organ recovery or failure during aging process.
• Small molecules regulating key cell survival processes including mitochondrial function, autophagy, lysosomal function, protein homeostasis and cell death processes like apoptosis
• Epidemiology and demographics of present small molecule use for anti-aging.
• Emphasis on off target effects caused by small molecules which are currently listed under the banner of Anti-aging. This will help to create a ban list of small molecules which should not be used for anti-aging interventions.

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Clinical Trial
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Clinical Trial
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Review
• Study Protocol
• Systematic Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: Aging, Anti-aging, Small molecules, Cell senescence, cell cycle, cell death pathways, Apoptosis, drug targets, cell proliferation

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.