With the global population living longer—the number of people worldwide aged 80 years or over is projected to triple by 2050—understanding the factors that influence healthy aging throughout our lifetimes is critical for protecting public health.
Scientists have long known that environment plays an important role in aging: for example, research has shown that human exposure to environmental pollutants can exacerbate age-related diseases, such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. However, many questions remain about the mechanisms through which environmental stressors influence aging, longevity, and the etiology of age-related disease. How do environmental pollutants, such as airborne particulate matter and pesticides, alter the biological processes that underlie human aging and longevity?
This workshop will explore emerging research at the intersection between aging, longevity, environmental exposures, and human health. Workshop speakers will detail emerging research findings through two lenses:
- How environmental exposures influence or mediate aging; and
- How aging influences environmentally-mediated health outcomes.