The VI European Congress of the International Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics (IAGG) took place on July 5-8, 2007 in St. Petersburg for the first time in the history of Russia. The Congress was organized by the European Region International Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics in cooperation with the Gerontological Society of the Russian Academy of Sciences. St. Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology of the North-Western Branch of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences was chosen as the host organization of the Congress. It is noteworthy, that the Congress was conducted in the framework of the UN Research Agenda on Ageing for the 21st Century.

The aims of the Congress, as expressed in its slogan “Healthy and active ageing for all Europeans”, were in accordance with fundamental aims and tasks of the UN Research Agenda and with the idea of creating the “society for all ages”. According to the UN Focal Point on Ageing A.V. Sidorenko (New York), the Agenda points out priorities for research information gathering, which are intended to form the basis of the policy on ageing of the population of the Earth. At the same time the Agenda contributes to the concentration of research efforts on specific fields of knowledge related to ageing, where the results of these research efforts may find real practical application.

The scientific program of the Congress was preceded by the IAGG Council Meeting, with participation of the Presidents of gerontological societies from different countries of the world, as well as by the Council Meeting of the European Region IAGG (ER IAGG). During the latter reports by the President of ER IAGG and by the Secretary, Treasurer and section Chairpersons were presented, as well as the report of the Congress Organizing Committee. After that the elections of the new Executive Council of ER IAGG were conducted. Prof. J.-P. Baeyens (Belgium) was elected as the new President of ER IAGG, Prof. A. Stuckelberger (Switzerland) – as the Secretary, Prof. D. Cucinotta (Italy) – as the Treasurer. Prof. E. Topinkova (Czech Republic) was elected as the Chairperson of the Clinical Section, and Prof. P. Crome (United Kingdom) became the Secretary of this Section. Prof. V. Khavinson (Russia) was elected as the Chairman of the Biological Section, and Prof. S. Rattan was elected as this Section’s Secretary. Prof. H.-J. von Kondratowitz (Germany) became the Chairman of the Social Section of ER IAGG, Prof. J. Phillips was elected as this Section’s Secretary. Thus, for the first time in history a scientist from Russia – Prof. V.Kh. Khavinson, Director of the St. Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology of the North-Western Branch of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, Associate Member of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, was elected as a member of the Executive Council of IAGG. During the Meeting the country and city to host the VII European Congress of IAGG in 2011 were also elected. Bologna, Italy, was chosen to host the next congress.

About 1500 scientists from 70 countries of the world, including South and North American countries, Asia, Middle East, as well as Australia and New Zealand, attended the Congress. The Opening Ceremony of the Congress was held in the Taurida palace. Greeting speeches to the participants and guests of the Congress were addressed by the Honorary President of the Congress and Chairman of the Council of Federation of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation S.M. Mironov; Vice Governor of St. Petersburg L.A. Kostkina; President of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences Acad. M.I. Davydov; Pilot-Cosmonaut, two-times Hero of the Soviet Union G.M. Grechko; UN Focal Point on Ageing A.V. Sidorenko; President of the International Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics R. Maia Guimaraes; P resident of the Congress V.N. Anisimov.

Greeting letters to the participants of the Congress were also sent by the Governor of St. Petersburg V.I. Matvienko, Plenipotentiary Representative of the President of the Russian Federation in the North-Western Federal District I.I. Klebanov; Vice President of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Nobel Prize Laureate Zh.I. Alferov; Vice President of the Russian Academy of Sciences Acad. A.I. Grigoriev. During the Opening Ceremony Chairman of the Council of Federation S.M. Mironov granted Honorary Diplomas of the Council of Federation of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation to two distinguished long-living citizens of Russia. The Honorary Diploma “For an outstanding contribution to the implementation of the social policy of the Russian Federation, to the development of medical science and practice and promotion of healthy life style” was granted to the Academician of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences Fedor G. Uglov, who is a 102 years old scientist and a prominent Russian surgeon.

The oldest woman on the planet, the citizen of the Sakha (Yakutiya) Republic Varvara K. Semennikova, born in 1890, was awarded the Honorary Diploma “For many years of conscientious work and an outstanding contribution to the promotion of healthy life style”. This Honorary Diploma was conferred to the Resident Representative of the Sakha (Yakutiya) Republic in St. Petersburg G.M. Makarova.

Diplomas of the Honorary Members of the Gerontological Society of the Russian Academy of Sciences were granted to the Academician of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences B.A. Lapin (Russia) and Prof. C. Franceschi (Italy). Diplomas and awards to the winners of the contest of young Russian scientists in gerontology and geriatrics for the year 2006 – E.Yu. Golubeva (M.V. Lomonosov Pomor State University, Arkhangelsk) and A.V. Shmaliy (Research Institute of Medical Primatology of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, Sochi-Adler) were also granted during the Opening Ceremony.

During 3 working days of the Congress 5 plenary and 10 keynote lectures were presented, 49 symposia, 5 free paper communications sessions and 6 poster sessions were conducted. 925 abstracts were published in the Congress proceedings. The Congress reflected the growing interest of researchers and specialists to medical and social problems of older people, as well as to the biology of ageing and to the development of new approaches and methods of premature ageing prevention.

The wide range of issues discussed in the framework of the Congress gave researchers from different countries of the world an opportunity to share their knowledge and display their achievements in the study of social, biological and clinical aspects of ageing, as well as to concentrate the attention on the key issues of gerontology.    

During the working days of the Congress an Exhibition was organized in the Pribaltiyskaya hotel, giving Russian and foreign companies an opportunity to display their achievements and products before potential clients and partners from Russia and many other countries of the world. About 20 companies took part in the Exhibition. Among them were pharmaceutical companies, manufacturers of medical equipment, of nutritional products and food supplements. Beaufour Ipsen Pharma was one of the world famous pharmaceutical companies, which participated in the Exhibition. The attention of many Congress participants was attracted by exhibition stands of the host organization of the Congress, St. Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology, and of one of the main sponsors of the Congress SIA Peptides LLC. The achievements of these two organizations were displayed on the example of the latest published research papers and monographs, information materials and the samples of new pharmaceuticals and biologically active food supplements based on small peptides. The organizers of several major forthcoming international congresses also took part in the Exhibition. First announcements and other information materials of such prominent forthcoming events as World Congress of Geriatrics 2008 (Istanbul, Turkey), XIX IAGG World Congress 2009 (Paris, France), VII IAGG European Congress 2011 (Bologna, Italy) were presented to the attention of the Congress participants from Russia and many other countries of the world.

Clinical section reports were devoted mainly to the issues of diagnostics and treatment of age-related pathology. Traditionally interesting was the symposium “Osteoporosis in the elderly” (chaired by M. Passeri, Italy), during which the Ukrainian researchers presented their most recent findings (in the report by V.V. Povoroznyuk) on the effect of peptide bioregulators on the structural and functional status of the osseous tissue in ageing. Symposium “Alzheimer’s disease: time for prevention”, chaired by B. Vellas (France) gathered a large audience. In the framework of this symposium the results of the study of 2800 patients in the GUIDAGE program were presented. Of great interest were also the following symposia “Hot topics in cardiovascular diseases” (chaired by J. Ribera-Casado, Spain and L.A. Bockeria, Russia); “Sensory problems: assessment and management” (chaired by J.-P. Baeyens, Belgium and S.V. Trofimova, Russia); “Patient safety and quality of care: nursing perspective” (chaired by M. Schuurmans, Netherlands, and E.G. Zotkin, Russia). A Canadian researcher presented a report on the advantages of nursery homes.

 It is necessary to note the interdisciplinary symposium of ER IAGG “Anti-ageing medicine: from myths to practice” with the participation of the ER IAGG Executive Council members from the United Kingdom, Russia, Italy, Belgium, Germany and France, specializing in biogerontology, as well as in clinical and social gerontology. Also noteworthy is the symposium “Geriatric cancer: avoiding over- and undertreatment” (chaired by N.P. Napalkov, Russia and M. Davidovic, Serbia), during which cancer was used as an example in the discussion of the global problem of increasing proportion of non-infective diseases in the structure of disease occurrence in the population of the world.

 Biological section symposia were devoted to the key problems of the study of the mechanisms of ageing and longevity, as well as premature ageing prevention. The first symposium topic was “Evolution and genetics of ageing”. Is there a genetic program of ageing, and which genes predetermine longevity? The participants of this symposium tried to give answers to these questions. Symposium chairperson T. Kirkwood (United Kingdom) devoted his report to upholding the well known but not universally supported theory on the non-existence of a genetic program of ageing. In his opinion, ageing is related primarily to the accumulation of somatic mutations. At the same time, genes, which control DNA reparation and antioxidant protection system, may influence life span. Prof. V.S. Baranov, who is one of the leading Russian specialists in genetics, emphasized the importance of the study of genetic markers responsible for hereditary predisposition to multifactorial age-related diseases. Prof. V.S. Baranov has been leading the research programs of D.O. Ott St. Petersburg Research Institute of Obstetrics and Gynecology of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, aimed at the design and implementation of two DNA-arrays: “pharmacogenetic biochip”, identifying the expression of xenobiotics metabolism genes, and “cardiochip” (intended for the identification of genes responsible for the predisposition to cardiovascular diseases). E. Slagboom (Nethderlands) devoted her report to the analysis of genetic distinctive features of long-living citizens of various European countries in the framework of multinational research projects, such analysis being aimed at the identification of genes, which are responsible for longevity.

It is noteworthy, that life span is determined not only by genetic factors, but to a higher extent by life style. Professor V.N. Anisimov, the President of the Congress, presented a plenary lecture, in which he gave a detailed description of the role of interaction between endogenous and environmental factors in the mechanisms of ageing and in age-related diseases. In particular, he emphasized that many environmental factors (such the impact of mutagens and carcinogens, fat-rich diet, influence of light in the night time etc.) may lead to premature ageing and age-related diseases. Experimental studies of genetically modified animals showed a relation between premature ageing and tumor development stimulation. Cancer prevention strategy must include not only reduced level of exposure to exogenous carcinogenic factors, but also the normalization of inner media of the organism.

Symposium “Free radicals and ageing” was also very interesting. The importance of the study of the role of free radicals in the mechanisms of ageing is still high despite several decades of studies of this problem. The search for antioxidant medications capable of holding back ageing and development of age-related diseases, thus increasing human life span, is presently conducted. Research efforts in the framework of a large cooperative study, which is jointly performed by large research centers of Moscow (Moscow State University), St. Petersburg (N.N. Petrov Research Institute of Oncology) and other regions of Russia, as well as by foreign researchers under common lead of the Member of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences Acad. V.P. Skulachev, give interesting results. This is, probably, the largest research project in fundamental gerontology, which has become possible thanks to the financial support from the prominent Russian businessman Oleg Deripaska. This study is based on the hypothesis set forth by V.P. Skulachev on the important role of free oxygen radicals, produced by mitochondria, in the implementation of the program of ageing, related to the induction of apoptosis in different organs of the ageing organism. To delay the process of ageing, Acad. V.P. Skulachev and his research team synthesized a range of antioxidants, which exert their effects on mitochondria. The report by V.P. Skulachev aroused a great interest. His report dealt with the possibility of introducing the results of experimental studies into the clinical practice. Another report, which was presented by Prof. A.A. Boldyrev (Moscow State University) and Prof. A.V. Arutjunyan (St. Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology of the North-Western Branch of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences), who are well-known specialists in the study of free radical processes, showed, that small regulatory peptides Epitalon, Vilon and Carnosine protect the organism from oxidative stress by stimulating antioxidant enzymes, which is accompanied by an increase in the life span of animals, as well as by reduced incidence of chromosome aberrations and decreased rate of tumor development.

Pineal gland hormone melatonin, which is a well known natural regulator, was discussed at a special symposium in terms of its relation to ageing. Prof. Y. Touitou (France) presented an overview of the problem. The analysis of experimental data and presumed mechanisms of melatonin effect on life span and tumor development was presented in the report by Dr. I.G. Popovich, basing on the studies, conducted by the N.N. Petrov Research Institute of Oncology (St. Petersburg). The report by Prof. I.M. Kvetnoy and Dr. T.V. Kvetnaya (St. Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology) was devoted to the key role of extrapineal melatonin in ageing as a paracrine signal molecule, as well as to the use of melatonin metabolite – 6-sulphatoxymelatonin – urinary excretion level as a biological marker in the diagnostics and evaluation of the prognosis of tumor and non-tumor diseases. In particular, reduced level of excretion of this metabolite was registered in Alzheimer’s disease, as well as in lung and gastrointestinal tract cancer. The report by A.M. Olovnikov (Moscow), who is well known as the author of the “telomere theory of ageing”, was also very interesting. A.M. Olovnikov has set forth a “chronomere theory”, which is a further development of his previous hypothesis. He presumes, that organism ageing is determined by the shortening of “chronomeres” – specific DNA molecules, which are hypothetically perichromosomal organelles, which are located in post-mitotic cells of the hypothalamus. The process of chronomeres’ shortening is controlled by the pituitary gland. Thus, the chronomeres are the main link of the “clock of life”, located in mammals’ brain. Cellular ageing in vitro, including Hayflick’s limit, is determined by insufficient replication of terminal segments of other perichromosomal DNA molecules, to which the author refers as “printomeres”, playing the key role in cell differentiation and morphogenesis. 

In the framework of symposium “Molecular mechanisms of ageing” very important was the report by J. Hoeijmakers (Netherlands), devoted to the comparison of the symptoms of premature ageing, accompanied by disordered DNA reparation, in humans (pigmented xeroderm, Cockaine’s syndrome, trichotiodystrophy) with similar alterations in mutant mice with DNA nucleotide excision reparation deficiency. Some of these syndromes are characterized by high risk of cancer (pigmented xeroderm), while the others, like trichotiodystrophy, presumably protect from cancer. At the same time it was shown, that the accumulation of DNA damage disrupts the control over the processes of ageing and cancer development, such control involving the insulin-like growth factor (IGF I). The associated problem of insulin resistance was dealt with in the report by the prominent oncoendocrinologist Prof. L.M. Berstein (N.N. Petrov Research Institute of Oncology, St. Petersburg). The author emphasized, that alongside with age-related alterations in the production of steroids and in metabolism, insulin resistance is the basis of age-related chronic non-infective diseases, including cancer.

A special symposium was devoted to immune system ageing. Among all reports, which were presented in the framework of this symposium, the report by Prof. G.M. Butenko (Ukraine), devoted to the role of immunoageing in the programmed ageing, and the report by T. Fulop (Canada), showing the connection between the alterations in lipid rafts in ageing and immune reaction disorders stipulated by T-lymphocytes, this connection being able to cause increased predisposition of ageing humans to infections, cancer and autoimmune diseases, are noteworthy.

  Among theoretical reports on the mechanisms of ageing an interesting report was presented by Prof. V.K. Koltover (Moscow), entitled “Aging versus reliability stochastic free radical modulations of the programmed genetic melodies”. The author maintains, that life span depends on the reliability of critical genes of the upper hierarchic level, which regulate the process of ageing. Basing on the analysis of experimental death rate curves, the author concluded, that there must be about ten such genes. Damage to these genes, caused by free radicals, may limit life span.

  It is noteworthy, that for the first time a “Gerontology in silico” symposium (mathematical models of gerontology) was convened in the framework of a gerontological congress. Prominent Russian specialists in mathematics, now working both in Russia (V. Novoseltsev, A. Mikhalsky), and in other countries of the world – USA (A. Yashin), France (M. Nikulin), South Africa (M. Finkelstein) took part in this symposium. They proposed models, which enable both to evaluate possible mechanisms of ageing and limits of life span (related, in particular, to oxygen consumption, physical load, reproductive status, caloric value, reliability of reparation systems), and to use the data of these evaluations in the analysis of demographic data and longitudinal studies of human ageing.

 One of the most important issues, discussed in the framework of the special symposium, was a prevention of premature aging. The opening lecture of the symposium entitled “Prospects of peptide bioregulators application in gerontology” was given by the director of the Saint Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology associate member of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences. Basing on the results of the long-term studies, conducted and presided by V.Kh. Khavinson together with the researchers of N.N. Petrov Research Institute of Oncology and other scientific centers of the USSR and Russia, it was for the first time convincingly registered that synthesized geroprotective peptides, regulating genes expression and synthesis of specific proteins responsible for cellular differentiation and proliferation, are informational regulators of genetic stability and may be use to correct genetic predisposition of the organism to age-related pathology, this underlay the new approach in the field of geriatrics – the bioregulating therapy. There were presented numerous experimental data on geroprotective effect of synthetic peptides. In the sequential lecture “Peptide correction of pineal gland melatonin-producing function in elderly people” given by academician of the Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine O.V. Korkushko there were reported that the results of the long-term study of the effect of peptide preparations of the thymus and pineal gland, administered to millions of patients, conducted together with the Saint Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology, show that these preparations reduce twice cardio-vascular mortality, frequency of infectious diseases, increase osseous tissue density and thus prevent osteoporosis, increase melatonin level and enhance immune and cardiovascular system functioning.