(Nature) – Cellular-ageing clocks based on gene activity could be more sensitive than previous measures.

A powerful molecular clock calibrated using data on gene activity from thousands of individuals can predict biological ageing in rodents, monkeys and humans — and time to death in people.

The clock, described today in Nature, is based on an analysis of gene activity in more than 25 tissues across four species: mice, rats, the monkeys called crab-eating macaques (Macaca fascucularis) and humans. Although it is not ready for medical applications, the clock could eventually be a boon to biologists keen to learn which drugs or lifestyle changes might mitigate ageing’s myriad effects on the body. (Read More)