USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology

08/31/2026

How old are you — biologically? 🧬

New USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology-led research is shedding light on what popular “epigenetic clocks” actually measure — and introducing new gene-expression tools that may better predict age-related disease and mortality.

“Aging isn’t just about the number of candles on your birthday cake — it’s also about what’s happening inside your cells,” says lead author T. Em Arpawong, research associate professor of gerontology at USC Leonard Davis.

The study found that different biological aging clocks capture distinct processes, including immune function, metabolism and cell communication. Researchers also developed transcriptomic aging gene scores (TAGS), which in several cases better predicted outcomes including frailty, heart disease, diabetes and mortality.

Read more: https://gero.usc.edu/2026/08/13/how-old-are-you-really-study-explains-what-makes-epigenetic-clocks-tick-debuts-new-prediction-tools/

USC-led research reveals what aspects of cellular function are measured by popular biological age assessments.

08/24/2026

Welcome back, Trojans! We’re excited to kick off the new semester here at the USC Leonard Davis School and wish everyone a great start to classes! ✌️☀️

08/12/2026

USC Leonard Davis Dean Pinchas Cohen recently spoke with the Los Angeles Times about the black-market use of MOTS-c, a peptide first identified by his lab:
“Turns out that tens of thousands of people are injecting themselves with MOTS-c [that’s] black market, illegal, from unknown sources, unknown purity, unknown sterility, and I strongly object to that,” Cohen said.
Read more: https://www.latimes.com/science/story/2026-08-06/unregulated-use-of-peptides-raises-alarm-among-researchers

Driven by social media hype and a growing distrust of public health guidance, consumer demand for experimental peptides has exploded over the last decade.

08/07/2026

A $7.5 million NIH grant is launching USC GeroSCORE, a new research center exploring why aging isn’t the same for everyone.

Researchers across disciplines will investigate how biological s*x, genetics, hormones, behavior and social factors influence aging throughout life, creating new tools that could help advance healthy aging research. Through USC GeroSCORE, researchers will empower current and future scientists studying s*x differences and aging.

Learn how USC GeroSCORE plans to research s*x differences while improving health and quality of life for generations to come: https://uscne.ws/gbb

08/04/2026

What if we stopped asking, “How old is the brain?” and started asking, “Which parts of the brain are aging fastest?” 🧠

New research from Andrei Irimia and colleagues at the University of Southern California uses AI-enabled measurements of local brain aging to reveal region-specific aging patterns, offering new insights into dementia, Alzheimer's disease, and other neurological conditions.

https://gero.usc.edu/2026/08/03/ai-enabled-measurements-of-local-brain-aging-offer-detailed-insights-on-dementia-and-more/

A USC study shows how patterns of neurodegeneration in specific brain regions relate to changes in cognitive function.

07/27/2026

A plant- and fish-based, low-protein diet paired with small amounts of an amino acid commonly found in eggs, meat and dairy increased healthy and decreased frailty and fat mass in mice, according to a new University of Southern California study published in Cell Metabolism.

Animals fed the Mediterranean-inspired diet showed improved cardiometabolic markers. Additional human data analysis supports health advantages of eating less protein from animals and supplementing essential amino acids.

07/16/2026

Why does the immune system become less effective as we age?

New research from University of Southern California shows that macrophages — immune cells that protect and repair tissues throughout the body — age differently depending on where they're located, with aging patterns also differing between males and females. The findings offer new insight into why the immune system changes with age and may help guide future therapies to promote healthier aging.

📝 🧫 Senior Author: Berenice Benayoun, PhD
Lead Author: Ella Schwab

New study reveals why aging affects the immune system in complex ways and points to potential targets for healthier aging.

06/24/2026

Join us tomorrow at 4-5pm PDT for our final GeroConnect session, Real Student Voices: Online, In-Person, and International Experiences.

Hear from experts, students, alumni, and an admission counselor about groundbreaking research and diverse degree paths to support your career goals.

RSVP: tinyurl.com/NextGen-Aging

06/17/2026

Join us tomorrow at 4-5pm PDT for our third GeroConnect session, The Business of Longevity: Future of AI, Policy and Innovation.

Hear from experts, students, alumni, and an admission counselor about groundbreaking research and diverse degree paths to support your career goals.

RSVP: tinyurl.com/NextGen-Aging

06/16/2026

In a recent Health article, Berenice Benayoun emphasized that is about more than fertility, explaining that declining estrogen and progesterone levels are linked to increased risks of heart disease, stroke and osteoporosis.

People may look to trendy treatments like rapamycin and red light therapy to help delay menopause, but the science behind ovarian aging is complicated.