Early-Life and Late-Life Predictors of Exceptional Longevity in the United States
Funded at National Opinion Research Center · NIH-11286240 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at why some people live to 100 or more and what biology and life experiences are linked to that long life.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | National Opinion Research Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chicago, United States) |
| Project start | August 15, 2026 |
| Project end | July 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $380,250 |
| NIH project number | 1R21AG098294-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11286240 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates include adults across the lifespan whose data may be part of the database or future cohorts studying aging and longevity, and individuals whose family histories are connected to the centenarian database.
✕Less likely to help
People not represented in or connected to the longevity database may not directly benefit.
What this research studies
Researchers will combine many U.S. data sources, like census records and birth/marriage histories, to study how early-life, midlife, and late-life factors relate to living to extreme ages. The project uses new information technology to analyze these data across individuals and populations. It builds on an existing database of centenarians and their peers to test ideas about education, occupation, income, health, and social factors that influence longevity. The work is interdisciplinary and aims to expand a long-standing resource for studying exceptional lifespan.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the study could improve understanding of factors that contribute to very long life and inform public health approaches to healthy aging.
How similar studies have gone: Past work has identified associations between social and early-life factors and longevity, with ongoing expansion of centenarian databases.
Where this research is happening
-
National Opinion Research Center
Chicago, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Gavrilova, Natalia S — National Opinion Research Center
- Study coordinator: Gavrilova, Natalia S
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.