Researchers at the National University of Singapore engineered DECIPHER, a hybrid biomaterial mimicking heart extracellular matrix properties to study ageing effects. Their work reveals that biochemical and mechanical changes in the extracellular matrix contribute to heart cellular ageing and dysfunction. DECIPHER enables independent manipulation of matrix stiffness and biochemical signals, offering a novel platform to explore therapies that rejuvenate heart tissue by modifying its microenvironment rather than targeting cells alone.