Nordic Life Science 1
Autophagy is the body's cellular "garbage disposa
l" and recycling system. It is the process by which cells degrade and recycle proteins and organelles to maintain intracellular homeostasis. The autophagy mechanism loses efficiency as part of the aging process and leads to an accumulation of damaged components. AN AGING EUROPE The EU population was estimated at 450.6 million people on January 1, 2025, and more than onefifth (22.0%) of it was aged 65 years and over. The median age of the EU's population reached 44.9 years on January 1, 2025. The number of Europeans aged over 65 is expected to nearly double from 85 million in 2008 to 151 million by 2060, and the number of those over 80 is expected to rise from 22 to 61 million in the same period. Source: European Commission, Eurostat, European Union Research on human development and aging in EU includes: determining the biomarkers of aging, understanding the developmental processes of long-lived organisms throughout their lives, studying the immune system in old age, establishing a roadmap on aging research in Europe, increasing the participation of elderly in clinical trials, studying determinants of aging and longevity and the role of environment, and building a consensus definition of frailty. 62 | NORDICLIFESCIENCE.ORG EUROPE // SCIENCE