What is The Longevity Study?
The Longevity Study at Harvard is a comprehensive longitudinal multi-omics study uniquely dedicated to understanding human aging and unlocking the potential of cutting-edge aging biomarkers. This study is modeled after the long-standing successful Harvard Happiness Study and the precision health Stanford Human Personal Omics Profiling (HPOP) study and will be conducted in collaboration between investigators at Harvard, Stanford, and the National Institute on Aging.
Leveraging a community-based cohort for collection of biological samples and functional data alongside state-of-the-art molecular profiling, this biobanking study will contribute substantially to our understanding of how our bodies change as we age and help to benchmark and validate existing and new aging biomarkers.
The study will be initiated at the end of October and beginning of November 2024, coinciding with our upcoming 2024 Biomarkers of Aging Conference at Harvard Medical School, where we plan to recruit the first 100 participants who will help us map how aging affects molecular components at both personal and population levels. This study will be expanded over the years and we aim to set standards for longevity-focused biobanks, including standardized data and sample collection and procedures.
Goal
Many biomarkers of aging have been developed. Such biomarkers have the potential to inform us about our biological age and assist in personalizing health monitoring, treatment selection, and checking whether longevity interventions work. However, few longitudinal studies exist that collect samples over several years and link them to health.
The Longevity Study will provide new insights into how various molecular biomarkers are influenced by aging. By tracking personalized omic profiles, our study’s biobank will enable a broad range of research questions related to aging biomarkers and longevity, including whether such biomarkers have the potential to predict future health outcomes and trajectories, and which biomarkers may be the most promising for clinical applications.
We plan to make all the de-identified omics data publicly available for broadest reuse and impact.
We plan to make all the protocols for this study publicly available to set new standards for the research community.
Timeline
Now – October 2024: Pre-enrollment, Pre-Pilot
Register your interest to learn more about the study and our long-term goals.
October 23rd: Information webinar and briefing
Join us online for an informational webinar with a chance to ask questions.October 31st and November 1, 2024: Study Kickoff, coinciding with the 2024 Biomarkers of Aging Conference
Recruited participants will join us at Harvard Medical School’s NRB Building for sample collection. Biobank participants are eligible for a discount for conference attendance.2025: Molecular Profiling
Study samples will be analyzed using state-of-the-art omic profiling technologies.2025 Biomarkers of Aging Conference: Results and Insights
Overall findings from the study will be communicated to the wider research field, including study participants.2025-2030: Annual Follow Ups will take place (in-planning)
2030: 5-year Follow Up will take place (in-planning)