Call for Papers
Animal Models of Frailty
Biological Sciences section of The Journals of Gerontology, Series A
Guest Editor: Susan E. Howlett, PhD, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Guest Co-Editor: Alice E. Kane, PhD, Institute for Systems Biology, Seattle, Washington, USA
Experience tells us that people age at different rates. Individuals who show accelerated aging are said to be frail and they are most likely to face health related problems as they age. The central challenge is that frail people have a reduced ability to fully recover from even minor insults such as infections or injuries and they are at greater risk for hospitalization and institutionalization. Frailty is common in older adults, and while it might not be an inevitable part of aging, it is likely a competing risk with mortality. Knowledge that the degree of frailty influences the aging trajectory clinically has motived interest in understanding the underlying biology of frailty, the development of molecular biomarkers of frailty, and investigation of the effects of lifestyle and medical interventions on frailty.
The development of techniques to measure frailty in animal models has greatly accelerated research into the biology of frailty. Reverse translation of frailty assessments from humans to mice, rats, dogs, and other mammals has allowed for the study of frailty in preclinical models. This has prompted investigations into fundamental mechanisms involved in the development of frailty, including inflammation, metabolism, and other aging hallmarks. In addition, many investigators are now exploring novel approaches to prevent, delay, mitigate, or even reverse frailty. This special issue will review major developments that have been advanced with the use of animal models of frailty. Accepted articles will be published in the Biological Sciences section of The Journals of Gerontology, Series A.
Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:
- Modeling and measuring frailty in animal models
- Applications of animal models for preclinical research
- Sex differences in frailty in preclinical models
- Links between frailty and inflammation in animal studies
- Biomarkers of frailty
- The influence of energy intake on levels of frailty
- Pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic changes in frailty: implications for drug therapy
- Interventions to increase healthspan and mitigate frailty in animal models
- Targeting the hallmarks/pillars of aging and frailty as therapeutic interventions
- The impact of lifestyle interventions on frailty in animal models
- Interdisciplinary interventions for frailty in animal models
- Cell-based therapies for frailty
- Skeletal muscle in aging and frailty
- Frailty and cognition in preclinical models
Manuscripts will be evaluated using the journal’s usual peer-review process. Submission of a manuscript does not guarantee the manuscript will be accepted for publication.
Manuscripts must be submitted via the submission website for the Biological Sciences section of The Journals of Gerontology, Series A. Authors are advised to carefully read and follow formatting directions detailed in the Instructions to Authors. Susan Howlett, PhD, and Alice Kane, PhD, will serve as guest editors.
For any questions, please contact the editorial office.
Manuscript submissions due
December 1, 2025
Issue publication date (expected)
December 1, 2026
Advance Access availability
Accepted articles will be available in Advance Access within 30 days.
The accepted articles will be continuously published in the journal and will be simultaneously listed on the Special Issues webpage.
