The Biomarkers of Aging Consortium has announced the winners of the 2024 Biomarkers of Aging Challenge Series, recognizing significant advances in predicting biological age and mortality risk through innovative data modeling.
BOSTON, Nov. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — The Biomarkers of Aging Consortium is proud to announce the winners of Phase 2 of the 2024 Biomarkers of Aging Challenge Series.
The 2024 Biomarkers of Aging Challenge Series has propelled aging research forward, with winning teams developing groundbreaking proteomic and epigenetic predictive models that promise to transform our understanding and assessment of biological aging.
Participants of this challenge phase were tasked with developing a best-in-class proteomic predictor of mortality. Mortality is one of the most commonly studied outcomes for biomarkers of aging, owing to its binary and clearly defined nature. Both first generation biomarkers of aging as well as newer models trained specifically to predict time to death have been shown to be able to predict mortality, and the latter have yielded some of the best predictors of mortality and age-related disease available to date.
After months of rigorous analysis, groundbreaking research, and innovative data modeling, the top honors for Phase 2 and $40,000 have been awarded to Team Kauai, comprised of members Jakob Träuble (University of Cambridge), Korbinian Träuble (Helmholtz Munich), and Raphael Lermer (German Heart Center Munich), for their proteomic predictive model of mortality, which outperformed the epigenetic clock GrimAgeV2.
These Phase 2 winners join the winners of Phase 1 of the Challenge, which was focused on prediction of chronological age using epigenetics, and showcased remarkable predictive accuracy, achieving an average error of less than 3 years.
1st Place: Julian Reinhard, also known as “DarthVenter,” Machine Learning Scientist at Evotec, achieved a final score of 2.45 years age error. Julian received $15,000 USD in awards.2nd Place: Lucas Paulo de Lima Camillo, Head of Machine Learning at Shift Bioscience, achieved a final score of 2.55 years age error. Lucas received $10,000 USD in awards.3rd Place: Team “ZetaPartition”, comprising academics Jakob Träuble and Stefan Jokiel, achieved a final score of 2.46 years age error. The team received $5,000 USD in awards.
The Challenge Series was designed to push the boundaries of aging research by engaging experts in omics profiling and advanced data modeling to develop reliable biomarkers of biological age. The competition leveraged a unique dataset, featuring comprehensive proteomic profiles—including Alamar Biosciences’s high-sensitivity NULISAseq™ immunoassay panels—alongside DNA methylation data and longitudinal health outcomes from over 500 individuals. This data enabled participants to create predictive models of chronological age, mortality risk, and will next utilize an expanded multi-omic dataset to enable researchers to predict future disease incidence.
Dr. Mahdi Moqri of the Biomarkers of Aging Consortium remarked, “The contributions of Jakob, Korbinian, and Raphael reflect exactly the kind of pioneering thinking we aimed to foster with this challenge. Their approaches have set a new standard for innovation in aging biomarker research, providing potential tools for improved longevity assessments.”
Dr. Yuling Luo, Founder, Chairman & CEO of Alamar Biosciences, added, “We are thrilled to celebrate the exceptional work of these talented scientists. Their achievements underscore the power of collaborative innovation and the potential impact of precision proteomics in transforming longevity research.”
The winners were recently recognized at a dedicated ceremony during the 2024 Biomarkers of Aging Conference at Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA on November 2, 2024. This celebration marked the culmination of Phase II of the Challenge and sets the stage for Phase III, focused on health span prediction and the modeling of multi-morbidity outcomes, beginning in Q3 2025.
For more information about the Biomarkers of Aging Challenge Series and future participation opportunities, please visit www.agingconsortium.org.
About the Biomarkers of Aging Consortium
Established in 2022, the Biomarkers of Aging Consortium brings together leading researchers and industry experts to develop, validate, and apply biomarkers for aging and longevity. The Consortium fosters collaboration to accelerate advancements in the field. For more details, visit www.agingconsortium.org.
Media Contact
Dane Gobel, Biomarkers of Aging Consortium, 1 2066139364, dane.gobel@agingconsortium.org, agingconsortium.org
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SOURCE Biomarkers of Aging Consortium
