We all grow older and are affected by age-related declines in health and cognitive function. In recent years, large investments have been made in aging research to identify interventions that slow down the process or even try to reverse it; however, no potential anti-aging solutions have yet emerged that have had a significant impact. As we reach the halfway point in the UN Decade of Healthy Aging, the time seems ripe to look at what we know about the biological processes that underlie aging and how they could be harnessed in the future. This collection of articles explores different aspects of the aging process, highlighting the research underpinning our current knowledge and looking towards the future of the field. Articles cover topics including rejuvenation, aging across the life course, the influence of sex and aging on the immune system, the aging microbiome, ovarian aging, stem cells in the aging brain, and medical advances in longevity. The image shows “The three ages of woman” (“Die drei Lebensalter der Frau”) by Gustav Klimt. Mair et al. 2026
Image Credit: Gustav Klimt
Editorial
Do you want to live forever? Lessons learned from the biology of aging
PLOS Biology: published May 29, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.3003835
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Essays
Remembrance of things past: Towards a life-course biology of aging
PLOS Biology: published May 26, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.3003794
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The problem with one-size-fits-all medicine: Biological sex and the aging immune system
PLOS Biology: published May 11, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.3003763
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From germline immortality to somatic rejuvenation: Unlocking the ovarian blueprint for longevity
PLOS Biology: published May 26, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.3003804
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Unsolved Mystery
Immune surveillance and microbial escape in the aging host: Why does the microbiome lose its balance?
PLOS Biology: published May 20, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.3003815
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Perspectives
Harnessing the stem cell potential in the human hippocampus to limit cognitive aging
PLOS Biology: published May 22, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.3003787
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Beyond survival: Redefining successful aging in the era of medical complexity
PLOS Biology: published May 14, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.3003784
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Beyond reproduction: The ovary as a systemic regulator of female health and aging
PLOS Biology: published May 27, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.3003800
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Research Articles
Targeted sequencing enhances detection of pangolin trafficking hotspots and dynamics of both domestic and global trade markets
PLOS Biology: published May 7, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.3003762
Incorporating variation in death times improves predictions of ectotherm responses to stressful temperatures
PLOS Biology: published May 21, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.3003623
Surveillance on California dairy farms reveals multiple possible sources of H5N1 influenza virus transmission
PLOS Biology: published May 5, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.3003761
Environmental uncertainty shapes human effort learning
PLOS Biology: published May 7, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.3003791
Past and present goals are represented concurrently during visual search
PLOS Biology: published May 4, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.3003779
Flexible goal learning involves coordinated population activity in dCA1 and medial orbitofrontal cortex
PLOS Biology: published May 29, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.3003824
Ultrasound neuromodulation reveals distinct roles of the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex and anterior insula in learning
PLOS Biology: published May 5, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.3003767
Olfactory bulb-cortex oscillations encode perceived odor intensity rather than concentration
PLOS Biology: published May 29, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.3003810
Encoding performance of cortical neurons critically depends on their morphological and neurophysiological properties
PLOS Biology: published May 14, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.3003789
The anti-neural role of BMP signaling is a consequence of its ancestral function in dorsoventral patterning
PLOS Biology: published May 21, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.3003803
Redundant and distinct mechanisms suppress innate immune activation during SARS-CoV-2 infection
PLOS Biology: published May 20, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.3003808
A non-canonical JAK/STAT pathway promotes viral replication through the lipoprotein receptor-related protein in ticks
PLOS Biology: published May 21, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.3003797
Mannose-binding lectin 2 secreted by hepatocellular carcinoma cells recruits and activates natural killer cells to reshape an immune-activated microenvironment
PLOS Biology: published May 20, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.3003793
Cryptococcus neoformans adapts to host CO2 concentrations via metabolic and stress-response remodeling
PLOS Biology: published May 5, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.3003561
USP39 promotes antiviral defense through post-transcriptional control of RIG-I and stabilization of STING
PLOS Biology: published May 11, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.3003796
Environmental redox conditions and strain variation define phenazine-mediated antagonism in co-infecting bacteria
PLOS Biology: published May 20, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.3003809
The KMT2F histone methyltransferase interacts with the RNA polymerase I machinery to promote ribosomal RNA transcription
PLOS Biology: published May 7, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.3003785
Acoustic delivery of indocyanine green via biosynthetic gas vesicles for tumor photothermal therapy
PLOS Biology: published May 13, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.3003786
Structured water molecules drive activation and G protein selectivity in the GPR174 receptor
PLOS Biology: published May 7, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.3003447
Short Reports
Premotor cortex hemodynamic responses primarily reflect perceptual rather than specific motor aspects of decision making
PLOS Biology: published May 13, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.3003768
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Type II tRNA cleavage by SLFN14 endoribonuclease variants linked to inherited thrombocytopenia drives global translational repression
PLOS Biology: published May 29, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.3003830
Structural basis for hemoglobin scavenging by CD163 reveals mechanism of ligand promiscuity
PLOS Biology: published May 14, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.3003788
Methods and Resources
An anatomical and connectivity atlas of the tree shrew brain to bridge rodent and primate neuroanatomy
PLOS Biology: published May 4, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.3003773
Discovery Report
Symbiotic bacteria may support calcium carbonate precipitation in the Gulf toadfish
PLOS Biology: published May 18, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.3003764
Update Article
The Pseudomonas aeruginosa ribonuclease Ribocin cleaves eukaryotic ribosomes at helix 69 to inhibit host translation
PLOS Biology: published May 20, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.3003790
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Editorial Note
Editorial Note: The Signal Sequence Coding Region Promotes Nuclear Export of mRNA
PLOS Biology: published May 26, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.3003822