In 1994 the Academic Council of the St. Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology came forth with the initiative to establish the Gerontological Society of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Prof. V.N. Anisimov was elected the President of the Gerontological Society, and Prof. V.Kh. Khavinson – the Vice President.

In 1997, at the XVI World Congress of the IAGG in Adelaide, the Gerontological Society of the Russian Academy of Sciences became a member of the International Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics (IAGG). Prof. V.N. Anisimov was elected a Member of the IAGG Council and of the European Region IAGG Council, and Prof. V.Kh. Khavinson was appointed his Deputy in these two Councils.

The primary objectives of the Gerontological Society of the Russian Academy of Sciences are:

• promoting the development of gerontology; integrating the research results with practice internationally;

• establishing and maintaining contacts with other IAGG Collaborating Centres;

• organizing and convening meetings to exchange and discuss research and practical results;

• providing research and methodological assistance in teaching gerontology and geriatrics;

• promoting and distributing knowledge and recent scientific achievements in the field of the Society’s activity.

During the recent 15 years 44 Regional Departments of the Russian Gerontological Society were established, and the total number of Society members accounts for over 1500 persons, including 14 Members and 6 Associate Members of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, 190 Doctors and 290 Ph.D. specialists.

Among the main activities of the Gerontological Society of the Russian Academy of Sciences is convening and participation in the organization of scientific conferences in gerontology and geriatrics.

IAGG-ER entrusted Gerontological Society of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences and the Institute organization and holding the VI European Congress of the International Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics in St. Petersburg on July 5-8, 2007. This is undoubtedly a sign of universal recognition of the Russian gerontological science and of the leading role of St. Petersburg in this field.

The Institute supports regular publication of the following periodicals: «Herald of the Gerontological Society of the Russian Academy of Sciences» (since 1996) and the scientific journal «Advances in Gerontology» (since 1997), with leading Russian and foreign gerontologists in its Editorial Board. Since 2001 this journal is indexed in Index Medicus/MEDLINE and is included into the List of Major Scientific Journals and Periodicals of the Highest Attestation Committee.