The Cologne Cluster of Excellence on Cellular stress response in Aging-associated Disease – short CECAD – is a DFG-funded Cluster of Excellence dedicated to unravelling the underlying mechanisms of aging and aging-associated diseases. Aging is a lifelong process and root for a range of chronic diseases such as cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, renal failure, and neurodegenerative disorders. With the increasing life expectancy in societies, aging-associated diseases pose a major societal challenge with a far-reaching economic impact. CECAD addresses that challenge by exploring the molecular basis of the aging process and developing new therapeutic concepts for aging-associated diseases. With more than 400 basic and clinician scientists working at the University of Cologne, the Cologne University Hospital, the Max Planck Institutes for Metabolism Research and Biology of Ageing, and the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), CECAD is one of the largest academic centers for aging research in Europe. CECAD is devoted to biomedical aging research, training young scientists for the challenges of the aging society, and translating discoveries into clinical practice. The Cologne Graduate School on Aging is training PhD students from 22 countries. CECAD’s translational platform follows the bench to bedside and back approach to derive therapies from discovery science and address new clinical challenges by basic research. CECAD hosts a wide range of cutting edge technological platforms including imaging, genomics & bioinformatics, proteomics, lipidomics, metabolomics and in vivo research. CECAD is devoted to promote researchers at all stages of their career from training undergraduate and graduate students, to mentoring postdocs and group leaders. Our scientific community is particularly aiming to advance diversity and support the careers of female scientists at all levels and generate an inclusive and family friendly work environment.