𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝗯𝗶𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝗿?
A biomarker is a biological molecule found in blood, bodily fluids, or tissues that reflects normal bodily functions, disease states, or responses to treatments. Scientists value biomarkers because they can be objectively quantified and used to predict morbidity and mortality. Common biomarkers measurable through a blood test today include glucose, cholesterol levels, vitamin D, thyroid hormones, and inflammatory markers like IL-6 and CRP.
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝗯𝗶𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴?
While these biomarkers provide valuable insights into overall health, they do not fully capture the complexities of aging. Aging is a multifaceted process, and human lifespan alone may not be the most informative or practical measure for evaluating longevity interventions, particularly in clinical settings. To address this, researchers are working to develop aging-specific biomarkers that can more accurately gauge an individual's biological age and track responses to interventions. Promising biomarkers currently under investigation include epigenetic clocks, mitochondrial health indicators, exosomes, and advanced glycation end-products.
The Biomarkers of Aging Consortium, a group of leading scientists dedicated to identifying reliable, clinically applicable aging biomarkers has published three articles over the past year on the characterization, validation, and translation of aging biomarkers. Their most recent paper, Challenges and Recommendations for the Translation of Biomarkers of Aging, highlights six major barriers to clinical application, including limited data sharing, appropriate age ranges, and integration into healthcare systems.
Today marks the beginning of the 𝟮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗻𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗕𝗶𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗔𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗦𝘆𝗺𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘂𝗺, hosted by the consortium, where several of our strategic partners will be providing updates on their companies' latest developments.
We look forward to learning about the latest discoveries in aging biomarkers and the discussions on how the scientific community can address these critical barriers. You can buy a livestream ticket of their Day 2 https://lnkd.in/evdW9ea5.
