Leibniz Institute on Aging - Fritz Lipmann Institute (FLI)
We conduct research on the biology of aging at the molecular, cellular, and systems levels.
Aging Research at FLI
To study the biological foundations of aging — from molecules to entire organisms - we conduct multi-disciplinary research, combining evolutionary approaches, diverse model systems, and cutting-edge omics technologies.
Institute's Research Infrastructure
... combines state-of-the-art core facilities, core services, animal facilities, and specialized units into a powerful network for excellent research.
Research in Dialogue
Whether scientific conferences, lectures, or events for students and teachers, as well as our series Science & Society, or the Long Night of Sciences, and MINT Festival for the general public – we offer insights into our work in aging research.
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News
Storing defective energy: How the aging brain remains efficient
An international research team led by the Leibniz Institute on Aging – Fritz Lipmann Institute (FLI) in Jena, Germany, and the University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, USA, has uncovered new insights into healthy brain aging. Researchers found that aging leads to the accumulation of defective energy molecules in the brains of aged mice, like humans, and identified the responsible genetic sequence. Importantly, no evidence was found that this accumulation would impair brain function, highlighting that age-related brain changes are not necessarily harmful.
Aging research in the spotlight: A look back, the status quo, and a vision for the future
Scientists around the world are trying to solve the “mystery of aging” and understand what “aging” means—biologically, clinically, and socially. In the newly published perspective article “Past, present, and future perspectives on the science of aging” in the Nature Aging journal, more than 50 researchers from various disciplines review the achievements of aging research so far and draw a vision for the future. Among those contributing to the article is Dr. Handan Melike Dönertaş from the Leibniz Institute on Aging – Fritz Lipmann Institute (FLI) in Jena, Germany. With her research group “AI in Microbiome and Aging Research”, she is providing important impetus for the systems biology of aging.
Why do muscles regenerate slower in old age?
A study now published in the journal "Science" shows how muscle stem cells protect themselves from loss in old age: as we age, muscles lose their ability to regenerate quickly, due to increased production of the protein NDRG1 in muscle stem cells. Prof. Dr. Julia von Maltzahn from the BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg, who has spent many years researching muscle regeneration during aging as a group leader at the Leibniz Institute on Aging – Fritz Lipmann Institute (FLI), has published a commentary on this article, as these new findings will change the way we look at changes in stem cells during aging.
The new research project “KreDiT RNA” investigates ribosomal RNA in cancer and aging processes
At the beginning of the year, a new research project was launched at the Leibniz Institute on Aging – Fritz Lipmann Institute (FLI) and Friedrich Schiller University in Jena. The joint “KreDiT RNA” research group is investigating the regulation of genes that code for ribosomal RNA (rRNA) in relation to cancer and aging processes. The aim is to identify mechanisms of cancer development that are closely linked to aging. To this end, the group investigates whether regulatory RNA molecules, including those from the rRNA region of the genome, can function as diagnostic biomarkers and, if so, how new RNA-based therapeutic approaches can be developed. For this purpose, cellular cancer models as well as the short-lived fish Nothobranchius furzeri are used. The project is funded by the Thüringer Aufbaubank (TAB) with 1 million Euro for a period of three years.
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Upcoming Events
UniStem Day 2026 - Internationaler Stammzelltag
Postdoc Circle Invites: Dr. Harald Schuhwerk
Girl's and Boy's Day | Forsche Schüler Tag 2026
Science & Society - Nina Ruge - 2026
On March 19, 2026, Nina Ruge, journalist, TV presenter, bestselling author, and expert on healthy longevity, will give a lecture on “Healthy Longevity: Add More Healthy Years to Your Life (Healthy Longevity. Gib deinem Leben mehr gesunde Jahre)” as part of the public lecture series “Science & Society.” All interested parties are cordially invited to attend this event.
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