EMBO WORKSHOP REPORT: Molecular and cellular gerontology Serpiano, Switzerland, September 18-22, 1999

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Abstract
Ageing is not only an important biological issue, but is also an important social and emotional issue that affects an increasing number of elderly people in industrialized countries. Understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying the physiological ageing process may ultimately lead to the understanding and prevention of age‐related diseases. The EMBO Workshop on Molecular and Cellular Gerontology has offered an ideal opportunity to promote the awareness that Europe should increase its capacity for research into ageing, as well as to open the field for young molecular biologists. It has brought together delegates from 14 different countries representing 21 nationalities. The sessions covered a wide range of complementary research areas: molecular and cellular aspects and theories of ageing, molecular basis of the loss of homeostatic maintenance mechanisms, model organisms including fungi, worms, flies, transgenic animal models, genetics of human longevity, clinical and molecular aspects of age‐related diseases, and integrated systems like brain and immune system (IS) ageing. This workshop report presents some of the highlights of the meeting. We apologize to all participants whose contribution has not been specifically mentioned due to space limitations. The proceedings of this meeting will be published in detail (Toussaint et al ., 2000). ### Keynote lectures In the first keynote lecture, George Martin (Seattle, WA) summarized the present concepts and research status, and gave an outlook to new directions for research on the biology of ageing. The ageing process is probably under the influence of genes and the environment (nutrition, lifestyle and chance) at a ratio of ∼30:70. This explains the stochastic nature of many age‐related alterations, a theme that came up in many subsequent talks and was stressed also by Tom Kirkwood (Manchester, UK) in the second keynote lecture (Finch and Kirkwood, 1999). Random accumulation of molecular and cellular damage and loss of repair functions are at the …