The present invention relates to HSF activating compounds, methods for their discovery, and their research and therapeutic uses, as well as pharmaceutically acceptable salts, solvates, chelates, non-covalent complexes, prodrugs, mixtures (including both R and S enantiomeric forms and racemic mixtures thereof), and pharmaceutical Formulations thereof. In particular, the present invention provides compounds capable of facilitating HSF1 homotrimerization, and methods of using such compounds as therapeutic agents to treat a number of conditions associated with irregular HSF1 activity.