March 18, 2020 (New York, NY) – As the COVID-19 pandemic sweeps the nation and the world, the role that may play in boosting immunity in older adults and lessening the severity of age-related diseases will be explored by a panel of leading experts in the webinar, COVID-19: Can the Science of Aging Move Us Forward? The no-cost, one-hour webinar, intended for the scientific community and related science and health media, is scheduled for 1 PM EDT on Tuesday, March 24.
-- (Capacity is limited)--
Older adults and people with serious medical conditions, such as heart disease, diabetes, and lung disease, are at higher risk of getting very sick from COVID-19. Immune function declines as we age, but research has shown that these aging processes can be targeted. Promising therapeutics called “geroprotectors,” hold the potential to boost immunity and lessen the severity of infectious diseases like COVID-19.
Hosted by the (AFAR), the webinar will:
- Provide an epidemiological update on COVID-19 in older adults and explain special health care considerations for older people;
- Connect how the biological processes of aging influence inflammation and immune decline and how the severity of age-related diseases can be diminished through strategies that target the biology of aging; and
- Present the latest information on promising geroprotectors, including metformin and mTOR inhibitors.
Presenters are:
- Professor of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 2006 AFAR Beeson Scholar
- - AFAR Scientific Director; Director, Institute for Aging Research, Albert Einstein College of Medicine
- - Director and Chief of Geriatric Medicine, UConn Center on Aging,
University of Connecticut School of Medicine
- - Co-Founder and Chief Medical Officer, resTORbio
“At a time when we face a complex public health crisis, it is vitally important to make sure the most up-to-date, reliable scientific information is available to people,” said AFAR Executive Director Stephanie Lederman. “As the leader in advancing research into the biology of aging, AFAR is deeply committed to sharing information not only on what’s happening today, but on what’s next related to the science that can help older adults live healthier and longer.”
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About AFAR. The American Federation for Aging Research (AFAR) is a national non-profit organization that supports and advances pioneering biomedical research that is revolutionizing how we live healthier and longer. For nearly four decades, AFAR has served as the field’s talent incubator, providing more than $181 million to more than 4,200 investigators at premier research institutions nationwide. A trusted leader and strategist, AFAR also works with public and private funders to steer high quality grant programs and interdisciplinary research networks. AFAR-funded researchers are finding that modifying basic cellular processes can delay—or even prevent—many chronic diseases, often at the same time. They are discovering that it is never too late—or too early—to improve health. This groundbreaking science is paving the way for innovative new therapies that promise to improve and extend our quality of life—at any age. Learn more at or follow AFARorg on Twitter and Facebook.
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