GeroScience - Call for Papers
Understanding the impact of aging on the susceptibility and response to COVID-19 infection
Guest Editors Drs. Janet M Lord, Elizabeth Sapey and Kylie Belchamber and Editor-in-Chief Dr. Zoltan Ungvari, and the editorial team of GeroScience (Journal of the American Aging Association; 2018 Impact Factor: 6.44) invite submission of original research articles, opinion papers and review articles related to research focused on understanding the impact of advancing age and aging processes on the susceptibility and response to COVID-19 infection. The clinical data from the current COVID-19 pandemic make it clear that older adults are more susceptible to this corona virus and have the highest risk of death (52% of deaths in the UK are over 80 years and 40% were 60-80 years). The poor outcomes for these patients are associated with substantial macrophage infiltration in to the lung, low progression to an adaptive immune response and a cytokine storm leading to multi-organ failure. Secondary infections and pneumonia are also common. Much of this is suggestive of a major influence of an aged immune response combined with reduced resilience in major organ systems also related to an aged physiology and repair capability. This call-for-papers is aimed at providing a platform for the dissemination of critical novel ideas related to the role that an aged immune system may play in influencing susceptibility to, but also the response to, COVID-19 infection. We welcome manuscripts focusing on the kinetics of the immune response to COVID-19 and any similarities to the aged immune phenotype, how this might influence patient outcomes. We are also interested in manuscripts concerning the impact that aging of the lung, including senescent cell burden, increased fibrosis risk, play in effecting the rapid decline of the older COVID-19 infected patient. Lastly, as a vaccine is currently proposed as the main way out of the current crisis yet immunesenescence results in poor vaccination responses, we are particularly interested in commentaries on how to improve vaccination responses in older adults or alternatives to the vaccine approach.
Please indicate during the submission process by checking the relevant box that the manuscript is submitted in response to the Call for Papers “Understanding the impact of Aging on the susceptibility and response to COVID-19 infection”. Manuscripts will undergo normal peer review as they are received. Manuscripts will be published online as they are accepted. Articles published from this Call for Papers will be highlighted with a special “Topical Collection” banner on the article PDF, as well as included in the "Understanding the impact of Aging on the susceptibility and response to COVID-19 infection” online article collection at time of publication. Submission of cover image ideas is encouraged. The submission of manuscripts in response to this Call for Papers is continuous. If you have any question please contact Dr. Zoltan Ungvari via email at zoltan-ungvari@ouhsc.edu (this opens in a new tab).