Identifying organ blood biomarkers of aging and their effects on heart health
Official title: Identifying Organ-Specific Blood Biomarkers of Aging and Assessing their Effects on Cardiovascular Health
Funded at Buck Institute for Research on Aging · NIH-11305227 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A research project aims to find blood-based signs of aging in different organs and understand how they influence heart health.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Buck Institute for Research on Aging NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Novato, United States) |
| Project start | June 15, 2024 |
| Project end | March 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $776,000 |
| NIH project number | 5U01AG086214-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11305227 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults across diverse ages and backgrounds who consent to provide blood samples and health data for aging studies.
✕Less likely to help
People who do not participate or whose data do not reveal actionable aging signals may not benefit.
What this research studies
Young-to-old adults will have their blood and organ health tracked over time, with deep learning used to map how aging in one organ relates to aging in others. The study analyzes large datasets like UK Biobank to create sex-specific estimates of organ aging. It will explore how aging signals in the blood, including SASP factors, may spread between organs and affect cardiovascular risk. The goal is to build a clearer picture of how aging accelerates heart disease so future interventions can target the whole-body aging process.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to blood tests that indicate organ aging and help guide treatments to protect heart health as people age.
How similar studies have gone: Prior studies have linked aging biomarkers in blood to organ function, but this project seeks integrated, sex-specific organ-aging maps that are still being developed.
Where this research is happening
-
Buck Institute for Research on Aging
Novato, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Furman, David — Buck Institute for Research on Aging
- Study coordinator: Furman, David
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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.