Book
Hallmarks of Aging (López-Otín et al. — foundational review)
Last updated 2026-07-02· Last reviewed 2026-07-02· 1 min read
Reviewed by the Ultimate Longevity Bible editorial team. Educational reference — not medical advice. See disclaimer.
The original 2013 review
The authors identified 9 hallmarks:
- Genomic instability, telomere attrition, epigenetic alterations, loss of proteostasis, deregulated nutrient sensing, mitochondrial dysfunction, cellular senescence, stem cell exhaustion, altered intercellular communication.
The 2023 update
Extended to 12 hallmarks by adding:
- Disabled macroautophagy, chronic inflammation, dysbiosis.
The paper also elaborated criteria for what makes something a hallmark (the presence with normal aging, the acceleration of aging when experimentally induced, the retardation of aging when reversed).
Why it's foundational
- Provides a shared vocabulary for the field.
- Structures textbooks, curricula, and this encyclopaedia.
- Catalyses cross-lab collaboration by making hallmarks a common target list.
Reading recommendation
The 2023 update is the current canonical reference. The 2013 original is worth reading for historical context.
- Cambrian Biopharma — Company.
- Geroscience Hypothesis — Concept.
- Genomic Instability — Hallmark.