Aging clocks and biomarkers
"I showed the FDA that we're going to target and then delay or prevent a cluster of age-related diseases…you don't need to call aging a disease…epigenetics is a huge opportunity. It describes the way that the environment interacts with our genes and that there is a lot to learn from understanding that."
– Nir Barzilai, Director, Institute for Aging Research, Albert Einstein College of Medicine
New research shows that epigenetic clocks, as described in the previous chapter can provide insights into why certain tissues age faster than others, and why those tissues may be more cancer-prone. These clocks rely on the body's epigenome, which comprises chemical modifications, such as methyl groups, that tag DNA. The pattern of these tags changes during the course of life, and they track a person's biological age, which can lag behind or exceed chronological age.
Scientists can construct...