A New Vision for Healthcare: Addressing Aging Before Disease Begins

“This shift in focus from reactive disease management to proactive healthspan extension is transformative.”

Recent discoveries in aging research reveal a powerful insight: the biological changes that lead to chronic diseases begin far earlier than most people realize—often in midlife, well before symptoms appear. This early phase offers a valuable opportunity for prevention. As highlighted in a recent editorial by Marco Demaria, Editor-in-Chief of Aging and a researcher at the European Research Institute for the Biology of Ageing (ERIBA)University Medical Center Groningen, and the University of Groningen (RUG), the aging process itself – not just the diseases it produces – can and should be a primary focus of healthcare. 

The Problem with Traditional Medicine

While modern healthcare has extended lifespan and improved treatment for many diseases, it tends to be insufficient in addressing the complex needs of aging populations. Older individuals frequently experience multiple chronic conditions simultaneously, such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, and neurodegenerative disorders. This state of multimorbidity complicates care, increases the use of multiple medications, and reduces quality of life. The dominant traditional healthcare system, which typically begins only after symptoms appear, is costly and insufficient for addressing the interconnected nature of these conditions.

A New Model for Healthcare: Insights from the Editorial

In his recent editorial, Rethinking healthcare through aging biology,” published in Aging Volume 17, Issue 5Dr. Demaria outlines a shift from disease-specific treatment to targeting the biological mechanisms of aging itself, a more integrated and forward-looking approach. He presents three evolving healthcare models.

The first is the traditional reactive model, focused on treating diseases after they develop. The second is a proactive model that intervenes after aging-related damage begins but before major diseases appear. Promising therapies in this category include senolytics, which remove damaged senescent cells, and rapalogs, which regulate aging-related pathways. The third model, and the most progressive, calls attention to prevention, acting before damage starts. This approach includes lifestyle choices, early-life interventions, and the use of emerging technologies to monitor biological aging and guide personalized care.

From Treatment to Prevention: Targeting the Root Causes of Aging

Central to the proactive healthspan extension model is the recognition that aging itself drives many chronic diseases. By addressing biological decline early, healthcare can move beyond managing symptoms to truly preventing disease. The goal is not simply to repair damage but to maintain cellular and systemic balance throughout life—supporting longer, healthier lives and reducing the need for intensive treatments later on.

Impact and Implications

This shift holds significant benefits at both individual and societal levels. Early interventions can improve well-being, decrease reliance on medication, and reduce healthcare costs. Preventive healthcare rooted in aging biology offers a more sustainable and efficient system, delaying illness and lightening the burden on healthcare infrastructure. As research and technologies continue to evolve, this model becomes increasingly achievable.

Future Perspectives and Conclusion

Transforming healthcare along these lines will require systemic changes, not only in research funding and policy but also in how future clinicians are trained. Medical education must include aging biology and promote interdisciplinary collaboration to deliver predictive, preventive, and personalized care. As Dr. Demaria emphasizes, focusing on the biology of aging opens the door to a new era in medicine—one that improves not just longevity, but quality of life at every stage. Rethinking the approach to healthcare in this way is not only timely, it is essential.

Click here to read the full editorial published in Aging.

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Aging is indexed by PubMed/Medline (abbreviated as “Aging (Albany NY)”), PubMed CentralWeb of Science: Science Citation Index Expanded (abbreviated as “Aging‐US” and listed in the Cell Biology and Geriatrics & Gerontology categories), Scopus (abbreviated as “Aging” and listed in the Cell Biology and Aging categories), Biological Abstracts, BIOSIS Previews, EMBASE, META (Chan Zuckerberg Initiative) (2018-2022), and Dimensions (Digital Science).

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For media inquiries, please contact [email protected].

Dr. Marco Demaria Named Editor-In-Chief of Aging (Aging-US)

BUFFALO, NY- January 6, 2025 – We are pleased to announce that Dr. Marco Demaria, a leading expert in aging and cellular senescence, has joined Aging (Aging-US) as Editor-in-Chief, effective January 1, 2025. Dr. Demaria will work alongside an esteemed Editorial Board.

Dr. Demaria has an impressive background in aging research. He earned his PhD in Molecular Medicine from the University of Torino, Italy. In 2010, he joined the laboratory of Aging Founding Editor, the late Dr. Judith Campisi, at the Buck Institute for Research on Aging. There he developed cellular and animal models for studying cellular aging, also known as cellular senescence, and its role in tissue repair, cancer, and aging.

Currently, Dr. Demaria leads DemariaLab, whose mission is “to extend human healthspan by pioneering discoveries in molecular and cellular mechanisms that regulate the aging process.” His groundbreaking research has significantly advanced our understanding of cellular senescence and its role in aging and age-related diseases. Dr. Demaria aims to develop new therapeutic approaches to create more effective treatments that mitigate the diseases and extend the healthspan. His work specifically focuses on interfering with the mechanisms of cellular senescence using genetic, pharmacological, and nutraceutical strategies.

“My research is focused on understanding the molecular basis of age-related dysfunctions and disorders, and to identify new molecular and cellular targets to improve health and longevity.” – Marco Demaria

He is also a Full Professor at the European Research Institute for the Biology of Ageing (ERIBA), Director of the Mechanisms of Health, Ageing and Disease (MoHAD) at the University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG), President of the International Cell Senescence Association (ICSA), and Co-Founder of Cleara Biotech. Dr. Demaria also brings valuable editorial experience from his former positions as Editor-in-Chief of npj Aging and Editorial Board member of Aging Cell.

All the above, combined with Dr. Demaria’s academic contributions, commitment, and expertise, align perfectly with Aging’s mission to understand the mechanisms surrounding aging and age-related diseases, including cancer as the main cause of death in the modern aged population. 

For more information about Marco Demaria, PhD, please visit www.demarialab.com and follow him on X (Twitter) at @marc_dema or on Bluesky at @marcdema.bsky.social.

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