A centenarian study by HLI and LEV Foundation will examine why some people live past 100 and remain healthier for longer.
The collaboration will study blood samples from centenarians and supercentenarians, people aged 100 and 110 or over, to explore the biology of exceptional longevity.
Researchers are trying to answer a central question in ageing science: why do individuals age at different rates?
The study will use multi-omic analysis, including genomics and proteomics, which examine genes and proteins, to identify biomarkers and biological pathways linked to exceptional longevity.
Wei-Wu He, executive chairman at HLI, said: “Centenarians and supercentenarians offer natural insights in human ageing.
“By applying our precision longevity platform to those who have achieved exceptional longevity, we can better understand how to preserve health in late life for everyone.
“The knowledge gained here has the potential to reshape how we approach aging and age-related disease.”
The organisations say these rare groups represent a unique biological resource.
Their blood samples may contain molecular and cellular information that helps explain why some people age more slowly and maintain good health for longer than the wider population.
Building on those analyses, the study is expected to provide new insights into the mechanisms behind exceptional longevity and differences in ageing.
Comparative analyses of exceptionally long-lived people and broader population cohorts will aim to identify key molecular features of extreme longevity and help lay the groundwork for future longitudinal studies.
Human Longevity, Inc. (HLI) and LEV Foundation announced the collaboration. HLI, founded in 2013 and based in South San Francisco, says it integrates genomics, artificial intelligence and multimodal diagnostics to extend human healthspan.
LEV Foundation, founded in 2022, is a California-based nonprofit focused on extending healthy human lifespan, with its flagship Robust Mouse Rejuvenation study series examining combinations of promising anti-ageing interventions.
The project is being spearheaded by Natalie S. Coles-de Grey, who the organisations say brings decades of expertise in the study of supercentenarians.
Both Coles-de Grey and LEVF’s president and chief science officer, Aubrey de Grey, are joining HLI’s scientific advisory board.
de Grey said: “I’m delighted that LEVF is partnering with HLI to further both organizations’ goals.
“There is so much to be learned, from the oldest old in our society, that will refine the preventative medicine for the chronic conditions of late life that HLI has pioneered.
“Such work is immensely complementary to LEVF’s focus on mice, and I’m sure that this collaboration will have synergy that will save many future lives.”
The organisations said findings from the study are expected to contribute to the growing field of longevity science and may inform the development of diagnostics, therapeutics and preventive strategies aimed at extending healthspan across the global population.
