Author: University of Strathclyde, Glasgow
Source: Medical Xpress
Publish date: March 5, 2026
Multi-omics model links medical records to measure biological age
Researchers at the University of Strathclyde have played a central role in an international study that presents a new method to measure biological age—a key factor in predicting health outcomes and understanding the aging process. The study, “OMICmAge quantifies biological age by integrating multi-omics with electronic medical records,” led by Harvard University and published in Nature Aging, introduces a new biological aging model developed using a comprehensive range of molecular data drawn from large-scale population studies.
Biological age
Unlike chronological age—which simply counts the number of years a person has lived—biological age reflects the accumulated physiological changes in a person’s body and can vary hugely between individuals.
Researchers built the model using data from multiple “omics” layers, including DNA methylation—which acts as an “on/off” switch for genes—proteins, metabolites and other biological markers, collected from participants in the ORCADES and Generation Scotland cohorts.
Cognitive function
The study found that OMICmAge consistently outperforms traditional chronological age and single-omic clocks in predicting a range of health outcomes, including markers of physical and cognitive function.
It also showed strong associations with risk factors such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes, suggesting that it could serve as a valuable tool for identifying individuals at higher risk of age-related decline.
Professor Nicholas Rattray from Strathclyde’s Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, who contributed to the study design and analysis of the project said, “This integrative approach has the potential to transform how we understand biological age and its links to disease.
“By combining information from across the molecular landscape of the body alongside electronic health records, we’re able to build a much more accurate picture of an individual’s biological state and how it changes over time.
“Future studies will examine how OMICmAge performs in clinical settings, but the researchers say results so far suggest the model is a promising new tool for research and potential applications in health care.”
The model also provides a platform for future studies aimed at testing how lifestyle, medication or environmental changes may affect biological aging, and how those changes could be used to reduce disease risk or extend healthy lifespan.
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