Research questions:
What are the underlying biological mechanisms and multidimensional patterns of human aging?
How do metabolic, inflammatory, and vascular factors shape these aging trajectories and contribute to age-related diseases such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and neurodegeneration?
To what extent can lifestyle interventions-such as energy-restricted diets or combined high-intensity interval and resistance training-modify biological aging pathways and related disease risks?
Objectives:
To define and characterize biological aging trajectories using molecular and physiological biomarkers; to identify modifiable metabolic and systemic mechanisms linking aging to multiple chronic diseases; and to evaluate the biological effects of lifestyle interventions on aging phenotypes and disease prevention.
Scientific rationale:
Aging represents a fundamental risk factor for most chronic diseases, yet its mechanisms and phenotypic diversity remain incompletely understood. By leveraging UK Biobank’s comprehensive longitudinal and multi-omic datasets, this study will integrate biological, clinical, and behavioral data to quantify biological aging and explore its heterogeneity. Causal modeling and machine learning methods will be employed to uncover mechanistic pathways and potential intervention targets. Ultimately, this research aims to bridge the gap between molecular aging mechanisms, clinical aging phenotypes, and feasible interventions that can slow or reverse biological aging.
