The Human Ageing Genomic Resources
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Birmingham
Department Name: Institute of Inflammation and Ageing
Abstract
Ageing is a major biomedical challenge of the 21st century and research on the biology and genetics of ageing has an unparalleled potential to improve quality of life and health. The Human Ageing Genomic Resources (HAGR) are a collection of online databases and tools designed to assist basic research on ageing. This project aims to maintain, update and enhance HAGR to sustain its world-leading status and continue serving the scientific community with high-quality data.
In a remarkable series of recent breakthroughs, a number of genes capable of altering the ageing process have been identified in animal models and even a few in humans. This is a fascinating and important area of research, yet there is a tremendous number of genes being associated with ageing and longevity that keeping track of them all is becoming increasingly difficult. To help researchers address these issues we created various databases of genes related to longevity and/or ageing. Numerous researchers employ our gene databases in their work as an informational website and/or as a tool for data-mining and for interpreting experimental results.
Although finding mechanisms of ageing conserved between model organisms and humans is important, the diversity of ageing rates between similar species is remarkable. Understanding why different species age at different rates may provide key insights into the mechanisms of human ageing. Also part of HAGR is a database of ageing in animals with over 4,000 species, featuring the most accurate and complete collection of longevity records available in any format. Our database is an essential resource for researchers working on comparative and evolutionary studies of ageing to identify factors or features that correlate with species longevity.
The HAGR databases are widely-used by ageing researchers worldwide and have been invaluable in many different types of studies. Indeed, HAGR has been cited over 500 times. Besides, our online resources receive over 30,000 visitors per month, showcasing HAGR's importance in the field. All HAGR databases are open access and also provide users with the possibility to export, download and reuse the data for their own analyses.
In a remarkable series of recent breakthroughs, a number of genes capable of altering the ageing process have been identified in animal models and even a few in humans. This is a fascinating and important area of research, yet there is a tremendous number of genes being associated with ageing and longevity that keeping track of them all is becoming increasingly difficult. To help researchers address these issues we created various databases of genes related to longevity and/or ageing. Numerous researchers employ our gene databases in their work as an informational website and/or as a tool for data-mining and for interpreting experimental results.
Although finding mechanisms of ageing conserved between model organisms and humans is important, the diversity of ageing rates between similar species is remarkable. Understanding why different species age at different rates may provide key insights into the mechanisms of human ageing. Also part of HAGR is a database of ageing in animals with over 4,000 species, featuring the most accurate and complete collection of longevity records available in any format. Our database is an essential resource for researchers working on comparative and evolutionary studies of ageing to identify factors or features that correlate with species longevity.
The HAGR databases are widely-used by ageing researchers worldwide and have been invaluable in many different types of studies. Indeed, HAGR has been cited over 500 times. Besides, our online resources receive over 30,000 visitors per month, showcasing HAGR's importance in the field. All HAGR databases are open access and also provide users with the possibility to export, download and reuse the data for their own analyses.
Technical Summary
In spite of a growing body of research and data, human ageing remains a poorly understood process. To facilitate studies of ageing, we developed the Human Ageing Genomic Resources (HAGR), which are now the leading online resource for research on the biology and genetics of ageing. HAGR consists of six core databases: 1) the GenAge database of ageing-related genes, in turn composed of a dataset of >300 human ageing-related genes and a dataset with >2000 genes associated with ageing or longevity in model organisms; 2) the AnAge database of animal ageing and longevity, featuring >4000 species; 3) the GenDR database with >200 genes associated with the life-extending effects of dietary restriction; 4) the LongevityMap database of human genetic association studies of longevity with >800 genes; 5) the DrugAge database with >400 ageing or longevity-associated drugs or compounds; 6) the CellAge database with >200 genes associated with cell senescence. Overall, HAGR provides users with the most comprehensive and accessible online databases available today in the field of biogerontology. As the field of ageing has progressed, the volume of data being generated has rapidly increased. There is a need to put this complex data into context. HAGR extracts and systematically organises this data, providing quantitative data were possible, making a wide variety of studies possible. This project builds on HAGR by continuing to develop existing databases, creating new resources of value to researchers, and improving interfaces, tools and data integration and sharing. In addition to updating our existing databases, the quality and quantity of information provided will be improved and additional resources, such as ageing-related pathways and gene expression changes with age, will be created. Given the current exponential growth in data in the field of ageing and longevity, further developing and updating HAGR is timely and essential for the biosciences community working on ageing.
Planned Impact
Ageing is major biomedical challenge of the 21st century and research on the biological mechanisms of ageing has an unparalleled potential to improve quality of life and health (BMJ, 337, a399 (2008); Cell 159, 709-713 (2014)). The importance of biogerontology to the UK is recognized in the fact that ageing research is a strategic priority of the BBSRC. This project will provide a world-leading collection of online databases and tools for research on ageing. Because ageing is the biggest risk factor for several clinical conditions, no other biomedical field has so much potential to improve human health as research on the basic mechanisms of ageing and thus in the long-term this project may have a profound social and economic impact.
Who will benefit from this research?
The bioinformatics resources in HAGR greatly assist and enhance research on the biology of ageing. HAGR has already been beneficial to many research groups and allowed them to increase our knowledge of ageing (Nucleic Acids Research (2013) 41:D1027-D1033; BioRxiv: https://doi.org/10.1101/193326). HAGR will also benefit companies by providing new foci of how diet can modulate ageing and health, by providing a list of drugs/compounds that extend longevity in model organisms and by providing systematic and high-quality information on genes associated with human longevity. Furthermore, this project may be of value in providing information to policy-makers involved in healthcare and will be of interest to the general public.
How will they benefit from this research?
GenAge can serve as basis for gene expression and genetic association longevity studies, or even for clinical studies of interventions hypothesized to affect ageing. The database of genes associated with the life-extending effects of dietary restriction facilitates and opens new research opportunities in the context of dietary manipulation of health and ageing not only in academia but in industry as well. Our database of human longevity association studies is relevant to companies and potentially policy-makers involved in healthcare. Having a one-stop reference for genes associated with human longevity is also relevant to the field of personalized medicine and provides a comprehensive set of foci for drug development. Lastly, our DrugAge database opens similar research opportunities to those wishing to study longevity-related drugs/compounds, which is relevant to various companies and potentially for health professionals as well. In the long-term, research conducted using HAGR may be translated into medical research and help ameliorate age-related diseases and preserve health. As such, this project will impact on the pharmaceutical, nutriceutical and cosmeceutical industries and, eventually, the general public in the form of improved knowledge of the ageing process and possibly improved products to combat ageing and age-related diseases. Lastly, HAGR represents a major educational and informational resource for students and the public in general.
How will they benefit from this research?
To engage beneficiaries, publications emerging from this project will be published under open access and favoured in high-profile journals. In addition, all of the results, data and methods developed as part of this project will be made freely available online. Dr. de Magalhaes will inform his extensive network of academic and industry contacts about the new resources and tools emerging from this project, and disseminate the results of the project in scientific conferences and seminars delivered in other institutions, including companies.
In addition, Dr. de Magalhaes will work together with marketing and communication officers at the University of Liverpool to issue press releases to further disseminate the new findings from the project to a wider, non-expert audience.
Who will benefit from this research?
The bioinformatics resources in HAGR greatly assist and enhance research on the biology of ageing. HAGR has already been beneficial to many research groups and allowed them to increase our knowledge of ageing (Nucleic Acids Research (2013) 41:D1027-D1033; BioRxiv: https://doi.org/10.1101/193326). HAGR will also benefit companies by providing new foci of how diet can modulate ageing and health, by providing a list of drugs/compounds that extend longevity in model organisms and by providing systematic and high-quality information on genes associated with human longevity. Furthermore, this project may be of value in providing information to policy-makers involved in healthcare and will be of interest to the general public.
How will they benefit from this research?
GenAge can serve as basis for gene expression and genetic association longevity studies, or even for clinical studies of interventions hypothesized to affect ageing. The database of genes associated with the life-extending effects of dietary restriction facilitates and opens new research opportunities in the context of dietary manipulation of health and ageing not only in academia but in industry as well. Our database of human longevity association studies is relevant to companies and potentially policy-makers involved in healthcare. Having a one-stop reference for genes associated with human longevity is also relevant to the field of personalized medicine and provides a comprehensive set of foci for drug development. Lastly, our DrugAge database opens similar research opportunities to those wishing to study longevity-related drugs/compounds, which is relevant to various companies and potentially for health professionals as well. In the long-term, research conducted using HAGR may be translated into medical research and help ameliorate age-related diseases and preserve health. As such, this project will impact on the pharmaceutical, nutriceutical and cosmeceutical industries and, eventually, the general public in the form of improved knowledge of the ageing process and possibly improved products to combat ageing and age-related diseases. Lastly, HAGR represents a major educational and informational resource for students and the public in general.
How will they benefit from this research?
To engage beneficiaries, publications emerging from this project will be published under open access and favoured in high-profile journals. In addition, all of the results, data and methods developed as part of this project will be made freely available online. Dr. de Magalhaes will inform his extensive network of academic and industry contacts about the new resources and tools emerging from this project, and disseminate the results of the project in scientific conferences and seminars delivered in other institutions, including companies.
In addition, Dr. de Magalhaes will work together with marketing and communication officers at the University of Liverpool to issue press releases to further disseminate the new findings from the project to a wider, non-expert audience.
