How reproductive and biological aging affect women's health and diabetes risk
Official title: The interplay among reproductive, molecular, and chronological age in relation to aging-related conditions in women: a longitudinal study
Funded at Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, INC. · NIH-11388748 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project will look at how reproductive milestones (like age at menopause), biological aging markers from blood, and actual age relate to diabetes and other aging-related conditions in women.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, INC. NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Canton, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | May 1, 2026 |
| Project end | February 28, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $706,310 |
| NIH project number | 1R01AG101869-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11388748 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are adult women with documented reproductive history (for example, age at menarche and menopause) and medical records or blood samples that can be linked over time.
✕Less likely to help
Women who lack reproductive history or linked medical/lab records are unlikely to see direct benefits from participating.
What this research studies
If you join, researchers will use existing long-term health records and lab data from women to compare menstrual and menopause history, blood-based markers of biological aging, and calendar age to see which best predicts diabetes and other age-related problems. They will follow medical records, lab results, and measures of thinking and physical function over time to track how these factors change. The team will pay close attention to menopause timing and common risk factors such as obesity, smoking, high blood pressure, and diabetes. Advanced statistical methods will be used to separate the effects of reproductive aging and molecular aging from simply getting older.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the project could help spot women at higher risk for diabetes and other aging conditions earlier so care can be better personalized and prevention targeted.
How similar studies have gone: Previous population studies have tied menopause timing and biological aging markers to heart disease and dementia, but combining reproductive, molecular, and chronological measures in women is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
-
Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, INC.
Canton, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Oken, Emily — Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, INC.
- Study coordinator: Oken, Emily
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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.