About this Research Topic

Background

Aging is an unavoidable and irreversible biological phenomenon for all living organisms. It is caused by structural and functional loss of different proteins (for example telomerase), DNA, and cells which can lead to the functional loss of organs and subsequent bodily function. This loss can also cause numerous age-related diseases including allergies, arthritis, asthma, autoimmune diseases, inflammatory diseases, diabetes, kidney failure, heart failure, Alzheimer's, Huntington's and Parkinson's disease. Furthermore, the uncontrolled growth of cells can ultimately lead to cancer. While these tend to be age-related diseases, they are also still observed, to a lesser extent, in the younger population. Aging is slow taking decades to cause any visible signs and symptoms making it difficult to conduct age-related research in humans due to longer lifespan, difficulty to control lifestyle and food habits.

Aging prompts dramatic incurable changes in most of the body, organs, and skin. Although the causes of aging are still unknown and requires more extensive research, some causes have been reported e.g. increased glycative stress observed with age. Non-enzymatic glycation causes structural and functional changes of cellular building-blocks and triggers detrimental effects on health. Elevation of the formation of advanced glycation end products and their accumulation has been observed in patients with osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, diabetes, and retinal dysfunction. Glycative stress is reported to induce oxidative stress and ER stress and thereby cause cell death or cell dysfunction in different cell types including immune cells, neuronal cells, bone cells etc.

Another noticeable observation is the interference of enzymatic glycosylation by glycation. Enzymatic glycosylation is very important for protein structure and function. Glycation may interfere with enzymatic glycosylation by targeting either the predetermined region of the protein that is supposed to be glycosylated or the enzymes themselves (glycosyltransferases). Currently, there is no therapeutic approach to reverse the effects of glycation. Therefore, glycation prevention is a prerequisite to slow down aging. Understanding the mechanism of aging through glycative stress and oxidative stress could lead us to find methods of treatment and prevention of aging and age-related diseases.

In this Research Topic we welcome original research manuscripts and reviews that include, but are not limited to, the following themes:

- Reviews or hypothesizes focusing on the structural and functional changes upon aging of proteins, cell or animal models.

- Articles that aim to further clarify molecular mechanisms in order to establish a new research model of aging.

- Factors that alter cell death and differentiation over time and which could be a potential target in age-related diseases.

- Technological advances for the early diagnosis of aging or disease.

- The accelerating or decelerating effect of hormones, lifestyle, food habits, and exercise on aging.

- The impact of obesity on the aging process.

- The role of microbiome and their products on aging, reducing, or accelerating glycative stress, oxidative stress, insulin resistance, inflammation, telomere shortening.

- Natural or chemical substances that possess a preventive effect on the aging process that could be beneficial for health. Mechanistic studies behind their beneficial effects are important.

Keywords: Aging, cell death and differentiation, structural and functional change of proteins, oxidative stress, glycative stress, bone diseases, neuronal disorders, microbiome.

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.

Frequently asked questions

• What is a Research Topic?

  Frontiers' Research Topics are collaborative hubs built around an emerging theme.Defined, managed, and led by renowned researchers, they bring communities together around a shared area of interest to stimulate collaboration and innovation.

  Unlike section journals, which serve established specialty communities, Research Topics are pioneer hubs, responding to the evolving scientific landscape and catering to new communities.

• Why does Frontiers publish Research Topics? 

  The goal of Frontiers' publishing program is to empower research communities to actively steer the course of scientific publishing. Our program was implemented as a three-part unit with fixed field journals, flexible specialty sections, and dynamically emerging Research Topics, connecting communities of different sizes and maturity.

  Research Topics originate from the scientific community. Many of our Research Topics are suggested by existing editorial board members who have identified critical challenges or areas of interest in their field.

• Why are Research Topics important for journals?

  As an editor, Research Topics will help you build your journal, as well as your community, around emerging, cutting-edge research. As research trailblazers, Research Topics attract high-quality submissions from leading experts all over the world.

  A thriving Research Topic can potentially evolve into a new specialty section if there is sustained interest and a growing community around it.

• How do we ensure the quality of articles within Research Topics?

  Each Research Topic must be approved by the specialty chief editor, and it falls under the editorial oversight of our editorial boards, supported by our in-house research integrity team. The same standards and rigorous peer review processes apply to articles published as part of a Research Topic as for any other article we publish.

  In 2023, 80% of the Research Topics we published were edited or co-edited by our editorial board members, who are already familiar with their journal's scope, ethos, and publishing model. All other topics are guest edited by leaders in their field, each vetted and formally approved by the specialty chief editor.

• What are the benefits of publishing my article in a Research Topic?

  Publishing your article within a Research Topic with other related articles increases its discoverability and visibility, which can lead to more views, downloads, and citations. Research Topics grow dynamically as more published articles are added, causing frequent revisiting, and further visibility.

  As Research Topics are multidisciplinary, they are cross-listed in several fields and section journals – increasing your reach even more and giving you the chance to expand your network and collaborate with researchers in different fields, all focusing on expanding knowledge around the same important topic.

  Our larger Research Topics are also converted into ebooks and receive social media promotion from our digital marketing team.

   
• What types of articles can be published in a Research Topic?

  Frontiers offers multiple article types, but it will depend on the field and section journals in which the Research Topic will be featured. The available article types for a Research Topic will appear in the drop-down menu during the submission process.

  Check available article types here 

• Can I suggest a new Research Topic? 

  Yes, we would love to hear your ideas for a topic. Most of our Research Topics are community-led and suggested by researchers in the field. Our in-house editorial team will contact you to talk about your idea and whether you’d like to edit the topic. If you’re an early-stage researcher, we will offer you the opportunity to coordinate your topic, with the support of a senior researcher as the topic editor. 

  Suggest your topic here 

• Who leads a Research Topic? 

  A team of guest editors (called topic editors) lead their Research Topic. This editorial team oversees the entire process, from the initial topic proposal to calls for participation, the peer review, and final publications.

  The team may also include topic coordinators, who help the topic editors send calls for participation, liaise with topic editors on abstracts, and support contributing authors. In some cases, they can also be assigned as reviewers.

• What is the role of a topic editor?

  As a topic editor (TE), you will take the lead on all editorial decisions for the Research Topic, starting with defining its scope. This allows you to curate research around a topic that interests you, bring together different perspectives from leading researchers across different fields and shape the future of your field. 

   

  You will choose your team of co-editors, curate a list of potential authors, send calls for participation and oversee the peer review process, accepting or recommending rejection for each manuscript submitted.

• What support will I receive when editing a new Research Topic? 

  As a topic editor, you're supported at every stage by our in-house team. You will be assigned a single point of contact to help you on both editorial and technical matters. Your topic is managed through our user-friendly online platform, and the peer review process is supported by our industry-first AI review assistant (AIRA).

• As a junior researcher, can I be involved in editing a Research Topic? 

  If you’re an early-stage researcher, we will offer you the opportunity to coordinate your topic, with the support of a senior researcher as the topic editor. This provides you with valuable editorial experience, improving your ability to critically evaluate research articles and enhancing your understanding of the quality standards and requirements for scientific publishing, as well as the opportunity to discover new research in your field, and expand your professional network.

• Can I get a certificate for editing a Research Topic?

  Yes, certificates can be issued on request. We are happy to provide a certificate for your contribution to editing a successful Research Topic.

• Who will I collaborate with?

  Research Topics thrive on collaboration and their multi-disciplinary approach around emerging, cutting-edge themes, attract leading researchers from all over the world.

• How long does it take to publish a Research Topic?

  As a topic editor, you can set the timeline for your Research Topic, and we will work with you at your pace. Typically, Research Topics are online and open for submissions within a few weeks and remain open for participation for 6 – 12 months. Individual articles within a Research Topic are published as soon as they are ready.

  Find out more about our Research Topics

• What fee support is available to authors publishing in a Research Topic?

  Our fee support program ensures that all articles that pass peer review, including those published in Research Topics, can benefit from open access – regardless of the author's field or funding situation.

  Authors and institutions with insufficient funding can apply for a discount on their publishing fees. A fee support application form is available on our website.

• Will there be a printed version of my Research Topic?

  In line with our mission to promote healthy lives on a healthy planet, we do not provide printed materials. All our articles and ebooks are available under a CC-BY license, so you can share and print copies.