Aging has become a central topic in medical research as life expectancy has increased worldwide. Mauricio Rojas, MD, vice chair of Research for the Department of Internal Medicine at The Ohio State College of Medicine, noted that "until relatively recently, thanks to advances in public health and medicine, a longevity revolution began with a rapid increase in life expectancy." For most of human history, people lived only about 30 years on average.
With more people living longer lives, researchers are focusing on how aging affects the body at the cellular level and its impact on diseases. In pulmonary medicine, the study of aging is relatively new—only about 25 years old—and has been shaped by experts like Dr. Rojas and Ana Mora, MD. Dr. Mora serves as associate director of Lung Research at The Ohio State University Dorothy M. Davis Heart and Lung Research Institute and is a professor in the Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine.
Drs. Mora and Rojas have worked together since their first year of college. Over decades as colleagues, lab partners, and spouses, they have contributed significantly to both pulmonary medicine and broader aging research. Dr. Rojas recalled their early days: "In the early days as medical school students, we spent hours late at night working on research projects that were ungraded and not related to our coursework. Our only motivation was to gain a better understanding of human physiology."
Their collaboration has focused on how the immune system repairs organs and how this knowledge can be applied to lung disease and aging. Their work includes defining key aspects of lung immunology and exploring stem cell therapies.
Even after many years in research and publishing scientific findings, both remain motivated by their desire to help patients and their curiosity about science's possibilities.
