As the Baby Boom passes that traditional threshold, the number of people turning 65 is rising rapidly. It is estimated that at least 20% of the existing population in Taiwan will be aged 65 or older by 2025, creating a hyper-aged society. These demographic changes will cause crises and pose challenges for our society and economy. With multiple pathogenic or degenerative processes occurring simultaneously, aging comes with a particularly heightened risk of disability and disease. Without thorough research-based planning for the aging process, aging prevention strategies, aging-related disease management, and policy issues, our aging society will endure potentially intractable healthcare and socioeconomic problems.

As Minister of MOST, the leading agency of science and technology promotion, I am committed to supporting researchers in Taiwan who are devoting themselves to this important issue from a wide spectrum of aging-related perspectives. The subject featured in the August issue highlights the state-of-the-art findings of the research on aging. This issue addresses the integrative teamwork on the prevention and intervention of aging, and specific aging research topics such as the aging process, neurodegenerative diseases, age-related cardiovascular diseases, sarcopenia/frailty, metabolic syndrome, and the application of technology, as well as international collaboration on the aforementioned areas. I hope this series of aging-related studies in Taiwan will inspire researchers and specialists around the world to further work together to resolve global challenges imposed by aging.