The mechanical properties of tissues play a vital role in maintaining health. Elastic fibres, for example, allow tissues such the skin, lungs and blood vessels to deform and recoil whilst the giant protein titin plays a major role in elasticity of the heart. During ageing these tissues become stiffer, contributing significantly to patient morbidity and mortality. Using nano-mechanical, micro-mechanical, biochemical and proteomic analyses of aged and young tissue samples my research aims to characterise the fundamental molecular changes in elastic proteins which underlie age-related changes in tissue elasticity.