Pillar 3: Fundamental Sciences – Better Understanding the Biological Mechanisms to Prevent Functional Loss and Combat Age-Related Diseases

IHU HealthAge relies on an omics discovery platform shared between teams and species (human, mouse, fish) at the Toulouse site, in collaboration with leading international centres such as the Buck Institute and the US National Institute on Aging. The aim of this research is to develop, through artificial intelligence models, new biomarkers that allow for the early detection and manipulation of biological decompensations before structural changes occur, which trigger irreversible functional decline and disease.

In addition, IHU HealthAge has established a strong network of scientists working on different key mechanisms of biological ageing, such as mitochondrial function, adipose cell distribution, immune cell function, and exerkines, including the muscle protein apelin. The gathering of these scientists and their connection with IHU HealthAge’s clinical and public health scientific teams offers immense potential to accelerate innovation and translate these mechanisms into clinical applications for healthy longevity.

The two programs are based on the INSPIRE mirror longevity cohorts established in Toulouse, comprising 1,129 individuals aged from 20 to over 100 years, more than 1,500 mice (Swiss, outbred), and 300 African killifish. This unique framework enables continuous back-and-forth between clinical data and preclinical models, fostering the identification and validation of future targets in aging research. Within these cohorts, the six essential functions are assessed in accordance with the recommendations of the ICOPE program. To translate this knowledge into concrete applications, we aim to leverage artificial intelligence technologies to develop practical tools that will enable clinicians to improve diagnosis and patient care.

Furthermore, IHU’s open science platform will, in the future, allow other researchers to upload their raw omic data in an interactive format and have the new ageing clocks analysed by IHU HealthAge. This will enable IHU HealthAge to refine its clocks using global data connected to its Open Science Hub.