Understanding biological aging from childhood through adulthood using stored samples
Biological Aging Across the Life Course: Harmonizing Cohort Biospecimen Archives
This project compares markers in stored blood and tissue samples from teens through adults to see how early life and social factors link to how people age.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Michigan at Ann Arbor NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Ann Arbor, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11306621 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers use existing cohorts that collected blood, saliva, and other biospecimens from people at different ages and measure a range of biological markers tied to aging. They will harmonize and compare these markers across childhood, adolescence, and adulthood and across groups defined by sex, race/ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. The team will link those biomarker patterns to survey information about early life experiences and social conditions. The goal is to map when and how faster aging emerges and whether common biomarker signatures connect early life context to later health.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people of any age who have provided or can provide biospecimens and health or social-history information through long-term cohort studies or research registries.
Not a fit: People seeking immediate medical treatment or direct clinical benefit should not expect personal health improvements from participating in this archival biomarker research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help detect signs of accelerated aging earlier and point to social or biological targets to delay age-related diseases.
How similar studies have performed: Some approaches like epigenetic clocks and blood-based biomarker panels have shown promise, but systematically comparing multiple biomarker sets across the life course and diverse cohorts is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Ann Arbor, United States
- University of Michigan at Ann Arbor — Ann Arbor, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mitchell, Colter M.s. — University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
- Study coordinator: Mitchell, Colter M.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 below.