Rockefeller researcher Junyue Cao maps aging as a programmed sequence, not random decay

Cell biologist Junyue Cao of Rockefeller University argues that aging follows a structured, stepwise progression rather than being simple molecular wear and tear. Using single-cell genomic tools to track aging in mice across the body, his lab identified distinct stages marked by shifts in molecular signals and cell populations, resembling phases of embryonic development. Cao suggests this programmed decline likely starts before age 30 in humans.