Ageing has a profound detrimental impact on almost all living organisms. Immune systems play a particularly important role in protection against external challenges (pathogens) and internal insults (cancer) but their protective capacity commonly wanes with advancing age. With the rapid increase in the numbers of older people around the world, research in the field of immunity and ageing is becoming increasingly important. This realization, together with recent and ongoing technical advances in analytical capabilities, is facilitating rapid progress towards a better understanding of immunity and ageing and the resulting anticipated improved application of this knowledge to medical treatments in the years ahead.

中文翻译：

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对免疫力和衰老的研究成年

衰老对几乎所有活生物体都具有深远的有害影响。免疫系统在抵抗外部挑战（病原体）和内部侵害（癌症）方面起着特别重要的作用，但是随着年龄的增长，它们的保护能力通常会下降。随着世界上老年人数量的迅速增加，对免疫和衰老领域的研究变得越来越重要。这种认识，加上分析能力的最新和正在进行的技术进步，正在促进快速发展，以更好地理解免疫力和衰老，并有望在未来几年中将这种知识应用于医学治疗。