Our body’s cells are constantly changing. But which of these changes are healthy developments and which lead to serious diseases? This is what LifeTime, a new transnational and interdisciplinary initiative of leading European researchers, aims to discover. The consortium is jointly coordinated by the Max Delbrück Center in Berlin and the Institut Curie in Paris, with the Helmholtz Association and the CNRS. It has now cleared an important hurdle: LifeTime will be given one million euros and one year to develop a plan to embed its vision for a healthier future within the European research and innovation landscape.