The 2013 Gordon Research Conference (GRC) on Biology of Aging aims to highlight new developments towards elucidating the mechanisms underlying homeostasis maintenance and breakdown at the molecular, cellular, tissue and organismal level. Aging is intimately linked with a marked decrease of homeostatic potential, in organisms as diverse as the single-celled yeast and humans. Loss of molecular, cellular, tissue and organismal homeostasis emerges as a universal common denominator of the aging process and can have devastating consequences relevant to longevity and the well-being and healthspan of humans. Comprehensive understanding of these mechanisms is of fundamental importance for successful implementation of intervention strategies targeting the decline or loss of homeostasis as manifested in numerous age-associated disorders and during aging, diminishing quality of life in the elderly. The conference will provide a highly interactive forum to discuss the current state-of-the-art in the field by combining the latest concepts, emerging in diverse models systems including yeast, worms, flies, mice and humans. The preceding Gordon Research Seminar (GRS) aims to introduce the next generation of basic scientists to key elements of modern aging research and acquaint them with the concept of homeostasis, thus preparing them for full participation in the GRC to follow.