Mitochondrial Dysfunction: The “Mother” of All Hallmarks of Aging
We are pleased to highlight a new review by Prof. Volkmar Weissig, President of the World Mitochondria Society: “Mitochondrial dysfunction as the ‘mother’ of all hallmarks of aging” , published in Journal of Mitochondria, Plastids and Endosymbiosis.
This comprehensive review revisits the role of mitochondria in aging, tracing back to Denham Harman’s Mitochondrial Free Radical Theory of Aging. While mitochondrial contributions have often been underrepresented or neglected in discussions of the hallmarks of aging, Weissig synthesizes evidence showing that mitochondrial dysfunction is central to all twelve hallmarks of aging, including telomere attrition, genomic instability, epigenetic alterations, loss of proteostasis, cellular senescence, stem cell exhaustion, chronic inflammation, and more.
Marvin Edeas, Founder of WMS, states that Volkmar Weissig seeks to reposition mitochondrial dysfunction as the primary, “mother” hallmark of aging, arguing it underlies and drives all other mechanisms of aging. He calls for a paradigm shift in therapeutic strategy, moving beyond targeting isolated hallmarks toward preserving mitochondrial integrity and enhancing adaptive plasticity. It further emphasizes the need for anticipatory monitoring and systemic approaches to prevent cascading dysfunction across biological and societal levels.
We are also pleased to remind you that the World Mitochondria Society (WMS), in collaboration with the International Society of Microbiota (ISM), is organizing the Targeting Longevity World Congress 2026, taking place on April 8–9 in Berlin, Germany.