Personalized medicine: will it work for decreasing age-related morbidities?

Recent work over the past several decades has identified the key molecular “hallmarks of aging.” These discoveries have paved the way for novel lifestyle and pharmacological strategies for improving human health span. However, not all therapies are likely to work for every person. The most effective strategies for improving human healthspan will likely come from the convergence of two rapidly emerging fields of study: GeroScience—devoted to understanding the molecular mechanisms of aging in order to slow its progression, and Personalized Medicine—devoted to creating tailored treatments based on individual patient characteristics. This chapter will focus on the potential of personalized medicine for creating individualized treatments for preventing or reversing the biological mechanisms of aging.