Researchers from Xi'an Jiaotong University have pioneered a groundbreaking model to predict aging patterns across 13 human organs, including the brain, marking a significant leap in precision medicine. Published in Nature Communications this week, the study addresses long-standing gaps in understanding organ-specific aging mechanisms.
Led by Professor Yang Tielin, the team identified 119 genetic loci linked to organ aging through genome-wide analysis, with only 27 showing cross-organ relevance. This discovery underscores the complexity of aging processes and challenges previous approaches that treated aging as a uniform phenomenon.
The model's identification of 554 organ-specific risk genes opens new pathways for early detection of chronic diseases and personalized anti-aging interventions. Notably, it clarifies how factors like smoking accelerate aging in specific organs, providing actionable insights for preventive healthcare strategies.
With validation across diverse populations, this innovation positions the Chinese mainland at the forefront of aging research, offering clinicians tools to develop targeted therapies and improve life expectancy outcomes.
