At the same time we are investigating which factors promote healthy ageing and how the ageing process can be influenced to this end we are investigating the molecular genetic and evolutionary mechanisms underlying ageing to do this we use model organisms such as worms fruit flies or mice on the one hand and on the other hand we examine samples from patients in the clinic and conduct studies on long lived families in the long term our basic research should make a decisive . The biology of ageing can be investigated in simple yeast cells flies round worms and also in mice gene mutations that extend life span also protect against age associated diseases such as neurodegeneration cancer heart disease and diabetes a deeper understanding of molecular mechanisms of longevity can open new avenues for therapies or prevention of these highly relevant diseases. Biology of aging aging is accompanied by gradual changes in most body systems research on the biology of aging focuses on understanding the cellular and molecular processes underlying these changes as well as those accompanying the onset of age related diseases as scientists learn more about these processes experiments can be designed to better understand when and how pathological changes begin providing important clues toward developing interventions to prevent or treat disease a great . Robert arkings biology of aging 3rd edition is an introductory text to the biology of aging which gives advanced undergraduate and graduate students a thorough review of the entire field his prior two editions have also served admirably as a reference text for clinicians and scientists this new edition captures the extraordinary recent advances in our knowledge of the ultimate and proximal mechanisms underlying the phenomenon of aging as a result six important conceptual changes are