Reimagining Aging

Getting older is getting better

We’re all aging—and in greater numbers than ever before. Soon, we’ll have more people over the age of 65 than under the age of five, creating massive change in how people live, learn, and work worldwide. But we’re uncovering how aging people and societies can be stronger than ever.

The Harvard Chan School is putting a finer lens on the how and why of aging. From digging into deep cellular mechanisms, to uncovering new patterns in decades of data, to understanding how connecting with others keeps us thriving, we’re unlocking possibilities for lives that are not just longer, but also healthier and happier.

There’s never been a better time to get old. And we’re just getting started.

Harvard Center for Population and Development Studies

As a University-wide initiative, the Harvard Center for Population and Development Studies brings together scientists from all corners of the Harvard campus—and beyond—to make exciting advances in population research. With seven and a half billion people living on the planet and a projected nine and a half billion by 2050, their focus is on examining the most nuanced trends and important challenges in this century.

Ensuring safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines for vulnerable populations

Although COVID-19 vaccines have begun reaching people around the world, challenges remain to ensuring that the vaccines help those who are most vulnerable, according to an article co-authored by experts from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

Better Off: A new podcast from Harvard Chan School

How can we make our families, communities, and our world a little bit better during the COVID-19 crisis, and beyond? That's the question we're asking on Better Off, a new podcast from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public…

Op-ed: Want to make the world a healthier place? Vote.

Voting is one of the most potent ways to effect large-scale change in public health, according to Michelle Williams, dean of Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. In an October 16, 2020 op-ed in The Philadelphia Inquirer,…

Perspective: COVID-19 highlights pressing need to better understand immunity, particularly in elderly

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the vulnerability of aging populations to emerging diseases and underscores the significant need to better understand immunity and vaccine response among the elderly, according to an April 17, 2020 New England Journal of…

Healthy habits in middle age may reduce women’s stroke risk

Adopting a healthy lifestyle in middle age may significantly reduce the risk of stroke in women, according to new research from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. The study analyzed data from nearly 60,000 women who participated…