Happy Metchnikoff Day! May 15, 2025 – The 180th anniversary of Elie Metchnikoff – the founder of Gerontology

On May 15, there is a significant date in the longevity world – the 180^th anniversary of the birth of Elie Metchnikoff (15 May 1845 – 15 July 1916) – a Nobel Laureate, a founder of cell immunology, and THE founder of the modern science of aging and longevity – GERONTOLOGY, the person who coined the very term “gerontology” in 1903, and paved the way toward its development, from the recognition of aging as a medical condition, to specific areas of interventions for healthy longevity – such as probiotics and microbiome treatments, immunotherapies of aging (vaccines against aging), general healthy longevity promoting and rejuvenative lifestyle regimens.

https://www.longevityhistory.com/read-the-book-online/#_Toc328319983 

It is beneficial for the proponents of a field to commemorate the field’s founding figures, not just to honor their legacy, but to do some “soul searching” of the successes and failures along the way, and seek ways toward future development and improvement. 

In 2015, on Metchnikoff’s 170^th anniversary, many representatives of the longevity community, in several countries, commemorated Metchnikoff’s contribution, with educational events and publications, creating the special “International Metchnikoff Day” campaign around May 15, which helped build up the longevity community and drew additional interest to the longevity field, including the professional community, general public and the press. See an overview of the “Metchnikoff Day” on his 170^th anniversary on 15 May 2015, and yet another celebration of the Metchnikoff Day on his 175th anniversary around 15 May 2020.

https://www.longevityforall.org/170th-anniversary-of-elie-metchnikoff-the-founder-of-gerontology-may-15-2015/

https://www.longevityforall.org/anniversary-of-the-founder-of-gerontology-elie-metchnikoff-lessons-from-history-and-hope-for-the-future/

On May 15, 2025, we mark the Metchnikoff Day on his 180^th anniversary. Few special events and publications commemorate this occasion. Many other events and topics command global attention. Yet, this day is an opportunity to encourage the historical evaluation, analyzing and strategizing the longevity field, building the longevity community and drawing additional interest. We can express our gratitude to the historical creators of healthy longevity science and medicine, and boost the hope of emulating and hopefully surpassing their achievements!