Aging is frequently assessed through lifespan extension and proxy biomarkers, yet these approaches may not fully capture the complexity of biological aging. Here, we propose refinements to discovery and evaluation strategies in aging research. Drawing on cross-species data, from humans to invertebrate models, we show mortality is often driven by a narrow set of life-limiting pathologies rather than a uniform systemic decline. This suggests lifespan extension can result from delayed disease onset without broadly slowing aging. Similarly, while tools like DNA methylation clocks and frailty indices offer value for stratification and prediction, their largely correlational nature limits mechanistic insight. Our systematic review exposes a key limitation in the widely cited “hallmarks of aging” framework: many supporting studies conflate baseline physiological shifts with genuine changes in aging rate. We advocate for study designs that enable differentiation of symptomatic effects from alterations to the trajectory of age-related phenotypic change. By integrating these refinements, the field can move toward a more mechanistic, nuanced understanding of aging, one that supports identifying causal regulators and developing interventions that truly modify aging trajectories.

Bruce M. Cohen, MD, PhD, stands as one of psychiatry's most innovative research leaders, transforming our understanding of neuropsychiatric disorders through groundbreaking multidisciplinary approaches at McLean Hospital and Harvard Medical School. As Robertson-Steele Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard and Director of the Program for Neuropsychiatric Research at McLean Hospital, Dr. Cohen has pioneered revolutionary techniques combining brain imaging, genomics, and induced pluripotent stem cell models to unlock the complex biological mechanisms underlying schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and Alzheimer's disease. With over 400 peer-reviewed publications and five awarded patents spanning nearly five decades at McLean, his discoveries in mitochondrial dysfunction and energy metabolism abnormalities have opened unprecedented therapeutic pathways. His laboratory's cutting-edge ability to grow brain cells from patient samples represents what he describes as technology "giving us leads we did not have forty years ago." Named Psychiatrist of the Year twice by the National Alliance on Mental Illness of Massachusetts, Dr. Cohen's impact extends beyond research to institutional transformation. As McLean's President from 1997 to 2005, he reversed the hospital's financial decline, establishing over 30 new programs while achieving record levels of patient care, research funding, and educational training. His current work challenges century-old psychiatric diagnostic models with evidence-based dimensional approaches that better capture the complexity of mental illness. In this comprehensive Genomic Press Interview, Dr. Cohen shares insights from his remarkable journey from molecular genetics at MIT and Case Western to becoming a leading voice advocating for the replacement of stigmatizing terms like "schizophrenia" with scientifically accurate alternatives, while revealing the personal experiences and intellectual curiosity that have driven his dedication to understanding and treating the most challenging neuropsychiatric conditions.

Professor Martin Alda stands as a transformative figure in bipolar disorder research, revolutionizing personalized psychiatry through groundbreaking genetic discoveries that have reshaped treatment approaches worldwide. As the prestigious Killam Chair in Mood Disorders at Dalhousie University and a senior scientist at the Czech Republic's National Institute of Mental Health, Dr. Alda has published over 420 influential papers, developing the internationally acclaimed “Alda scale,” now the gold standard for measuring lithium treatment response in patients with bipolar disorder globally. His pioneering research validated lithium-responsive bipolar disorder as a genetically distinct condition, fundamentally changing how clinicians approach treatment selection and sparking major international pharmacogenetic initiatives, including the ConLiGen consortium. This Genomic Press Interview explores the remarkable career of a scientist whose work bridges molecular genetics with compassionate clinical care, from his early days in Czechoslovakia to receiving the field's highest honors including the Colvin Prize from the Brain and Behavior Research Foundation, the Heinz Lehmann Award from the Canadian College of Neuropsychopharmacology, and the prestigious Mogens Schou Award for Research from the International Society for Bipolar Disorders. Through founding the Maritime Bipolar Registry and Halifax's Mood Disorders Program, Dr. Alda has created lasting infrastructure supporting innovative research into at-risk populations, metabolic dysregulation, and suicide prevention. His unique ability to identify connections across disparate research domains while maintaining deep clinical engagement exemplifies the future of precision psychiatry, where genetic insights translate directly into improved patient outcomes.

Professor Gerhard Andersson stands as a transformative pioneer in digital mental health, revolutionizing how psychological therapy reaches millions worldwide through his groundbreaking internet-delivered cognitive behavioural therapy (iCBT) research. With over 900 research papers, an h-index of 123, and recognition as Sweden's most cited psychology researcher, Andersson has fundamentally reshaped the delivery of psychotherapy by demonstrating that therapist-guided online treatments can match the effectiveness of traditional face-to-face therapy while requiring significantly less therapist time. His extraordinary career spans dual PhDs in clinical psychology and medicine, leadership of over 200 controlled trials, and mentorship of 64 doctoral graduates who now advance the field globally. Receiving the 2017 Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Society for Research on Internet Interventions and the 2014 Nordic Prize in Medicine alongside Sweden's Outstanding Psychologist Award, Andersson exemplifies how innovative clinical research transforms healthcare accessibility. Featured on Clarivate's Highly Cited Researchers list from 2016 to 2024, his influence extends beyond academia through the successful implementation of digital treatments in routine healthcare across Sweden and internationally. In this candid Genomic Press Interview, Andersson shares his unexpected journey from skateboarding punk musician to world-renowned scientist, revealing how two students' “crazy idea” about internet headache treatment in 1998 sparked a revolution that now brings evidence-based psychological care to underserved populations globally, while discussing his unique perspectives on combining clinical practice with research excellence, the future of AI in psychotherapy, and maintaining creativity through skateboarding and unplugged cover band music at age 59.

Dr Oliver Pain, Sir Henry Wellcome Postdoctoral Research Fellow at King's College London, is revolutionizing psychiatric genomics through groundbreaking work on polygenic scoring and precision medicine for mental health disorders. Based at the prestigious Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute since 2021, Pain specialises in statistical genetics, focusing on genome-wide association studies to uncover mechanisms underlying psychiatric and neurological conditions, including autism, antidepressant response, and motor neuron disease. His seminal contribution to the field is the development of GenoPred, a comprehensive open-source pipeline that implements leading polygenic scoring methodologies, making genetic risk prediction accessible to researchers worldwide. This Genomic Press Interview explores Pain's journey from molecular genetics to becoming a pioneer in translational psychiatric genomics, where he bridges statistical and functional genomics to transform mental healthcare. As a contributing author to the landmark 2025 Cell publication, which identified 697 genetic associations for major depression across diverse ancestries, and lead analyst for international antidepressant pharmacogenomics consortia, Pain's research directly addresses critical challenges in personalised psychiatry. His innovative tools for converting polygenic scores to absolute risk scales enable safer clinical interpretation. At the same time, his commitment to developing methods that work across diverse populations ensures genomic advances benefit all communities equitably. Through collaborations spanning academia and industry, including his strategic year at UCB Pharma developing polygenic scoring programmes for drug development, Pain exemplifies how cutting-edge genomic research can be translated into tangible improvements for individuals living with psychiatric conditions.

Dr Miguel E. Rentería illuminates our understanding of brain disorders through groundbreaking computational neurogenomics research that promises personalized treatments for millions worldwide. This inspiring Genomic Press Interview reveals how a curious child from Mexico who “asked too many questions” became a world-leading scientist at QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, where he masterfully combines genomics, neuroscience, and cutting-edge data science to unlock the mysteries of Parkinson's disease and psychiatric conditions. With over 120 publications in prestigious journals, including Nature and Nature Genetics, garnering more than 10,000 citations, Rentería stands as a beacon of scientific excellence and global collaboration. His visionary leadership of the Australian Parkinson's Genetics Study, now encompassing nearly 20,000 volunteers nationwide, represents the largest cohort of its kind in Australia and exemplifies his commitment to building transformative research resources. As Co-Chair of ENIGMA's working group on Suicidal Thoughts and Behaviours and founding member of PGC's Suicide Genetics group, he drives international efforts to understand the most complex brain conditions. His pioneering integration of wearable sensors with genomic data creates unprecedented opportunities for precision medicine. At the same time, his passionate advocacy for global equity ensures genetic research benefits all populations, not just those of European ancestry. Honoured with the 2024 Adèle Green Emerging Research Leadership Award, the prestigious Al & Val Rosenstrauss Fellowship, and recognition as an Atlantic Fellow at the Global Brain Health Institute, Rentería continues to inspire through his determination to transform how we diagnose, monitor, and treat brain disorders, driven by the philosophy of carpe diem and an unwavering belief that science should be for everyone.

Dr. Alexander Charney is a physician-scientist and academic leader at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, where he holds professorships in Artificial Intelligence, Psychiatry, Genetics, and Genomic Sciences. As Vice Chair of the Windreich Department of Artificial Intelligence and Human Health and Director of the Charles Bronfman Institute for Personalized Medicine, he is advancing the frontiers of precision medicine and digital health. Dr. Charney leads high-impact research programs such as the Mount Sinai Million Health Discoveries Program and the Living Brain Project, with a focus on schizophrenia, personalized experimental therapeutics, and AI-driven discovery. He has secured major NIH funding and helped drive landmark findings in psychiatric genetics through the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium. A transformative institutional leader, Dr. Charney has launched pioneering clinical trials, forged strategic partnerships, and helped shape Mount Sinai's research-track psychiatry residency. His work bridges the gap between science and clinical care, setting new standards in translational neuroscience and personalized medicine. In this exclusive Genomic Press Interview, Dr. Charney shares with our readers insights into his life and career.

Spanning over four decades at France's premier research institutions (CNRS and INSERM), Dr. Yehezkel Ben-Ari's groundbreaking neuroscience research has fundamentally transformed our understanding of brain development through his seminal discovery of the GABA excitatory-to-inhibitory developmental shift, an evolutionary conserved principle later validated across all species from worms to humans. After directing the INSERM unit at Port-Royal Maternity and founding the Mediterranean Institute of Neurobiology (INMED), Ben-Ari's unexpected observation of GABA's paradoxical excitatory role in immature neurons, which he initially set aside for over a year before recognizing its significance earned him prestigious recognitions including the Grand Prix INSERM, the Milken award of the Epilepsy Foundation of America (EFA) and an award from the European Society of Epilepsy. In this Genomic Press Interview, Ben-Ari reflects on his scientific journey, including his transition after French mandatory retirement to founding innovative therapeutic ventures targeting autism spectrum disorders, epilepsy, and brain tumors based on his unifying “Neuroarcheology” concept, proposing that many neurological disorders stem from developmental mechanisms that can be targeted with specific medications like bumetanide, which has shown promising results in clinical trials by modulating chloride transporters. While continuing to teach at the Pasteur Institute's brain development doctoral program, Ben-Ari's career exemplifies how persistence in investigating unexpected observations can lead to transformative discoveries with profound clinical implications, bridging the gap between fundamental neuroscience research and innovative therapeutic applications for previously untreatable neurological conditions.