TODAY! - PQG SEMINAR - Steve Horvath

[Andelman, Shaina B]

Next PQG Seminar!

TODAY, Tuesday, May 5, 2015

FXB G12

12:30-2:00 PM

a pizza lunch will be served

Steve Horvath

Professor, Human Genetics & Biostatistics 

University of California, Los Angeles

The Epigenetic Clock and Biological Age

I recently developed a DNA methylation based biomarker of aging known as the "epigenetic clock", which can be used to measure the DNA methylation (DNAm) age of any human (or chimpanzee) tissue, cell type, or fluid that contains DNA (with the exception of sperm). DNA methylation age of blood has been shown to predict all-cause mortality in later life, even after adjusting for known risk factors, which suggests that it relates to the biological aging process. Similarly, markers of physical and mental fitness are also found to be associated with the epigenetic clock (lower abilities associated with age acceleration). These results suggest that we may be close to achieving a long standing milestone in aging research: the development of an accurate measure of tissue age or even biological age. I will present several applications of this measure of tissue age, e.g. obesity and trisomy 21.

*****************************************

Remaining 2015 PQG Schedule

FRIDAY, May 15, 2015

12:30-2:00 PM 

KRESGE G2

Christopher Amos, Dartmouth Medical School

****************************************

For more information on this series, and other PQG related events, please visit: www.hsph.harvard.edu/pqg