Biology of Aging — The UPMC Immune Transplant and Therapy Center
Aging is one of the biggest mysteries in the world of medicine.
Experts at the UPMC Immune Transplant and Therapy Center are working to discover uncharted territory in the field of aging research.
For decades, the Aging Institute of UPMC Senior Services and the University of Pittsburgh have pioneered advancements in aging and geriatric care.
As a world-class academic research center, our goal is to expand upon this research and explore the biology of aging. We hope to better understand the molecular basis of why some people stay healthy well into old age while others do not.
Chronic Diseases of Aging
As the body ages, our risk greatly increases for getting chronic diseases such as:
- Heart disease
- Inflammatory bowel disease
- Cancer
- Alzheimer’s disease
This proves there’s a close tie between aging and various health problems.
Aging and a hyperinflammatory response have a link. Impaired immunity can increase susceptibility to infections, frailty, and a host of chronic diseases.
As we age our immune system changes. We may not understand how and why this change happens. But we do know that immune system changes are one of the greatest risk factors for many diseases.
We anticipate that by changing immune responses in many of these diseases, we can improve the outcome.
The Future of Aging and Staying Healthy
At UPMC, our goal isn’t necessarily to make people live longer but to live healthier lives. Our doctors and researchers are working to directly target how and why aging happens.
Through this research, we aim to:
- Improve prevention and treatment strategies for age-related conditions like Alzheimer’s disease and atherosclerosis.
- Lengthen a person’s health span or the amount of time they remain in good health.
