The EMBO Workshop "Molecular and Cellular Gerontology" provided a comprehensive analysis of recent developments in experimental gerontology. Various animal models for aging were presented. The focus of the conference was on the role of oxidative stress in aging at the cellular and organismal level. Evolution of aging was another topic discussed in the course of the meeting. Another focal point of the meeting was on age-related changes in cellular repair systems, in particular DNA repair and protein repair. Emphasis was also placed on the role of mitochondrial function and mitochondrial DNA mutations in the aging process. These molecular approaches were complemented by a session on age-related diseases, including aging of the immune system, cardiovascular disease and Alzheimer's disease.