Longevity Testing: Epigenetic Biological Age Clocks

Dr. Lasky-Su has been a leader in applying metabolomics research to epidemiology, covering a range of chronic diseases over the life course, with a focus on respiratory outcomes (e.g. asthma). Much of her work has focused on “integrative metabolomics” - the integration of other omics with using a metabolomic-centric perspective to study complex diseases. With integrative metabolomics as an emerging field, Dr. Lasky’s scholarship has contributed broadly, with peer-reviewed publications that focus on a range of disease outcomes (cancers, respiratory, ocular, infections, metabolic, neurodevelopment/mental health) and exposures (air pollutants, PFAS, nutrition, exercise) that may have an impact on health over the life course. Her investigative success is also demonstrated with >225 peer-reviewed publications. To date, she has been invited to give > 40 national and international talks. Dr. Lasky-Su has recently expanded her focus to study multiomics over the life course in the context of aging using the Mass General Brigham (MGB-Biobank), where she has generated a large, curated biobank cohort with multiomic data. As the most recent past president of the Metabolomics Society – the largest metabolomics society in the world – and the chairman of the NIH’s Consortium of Metabolomics Studies (COMETS) consortium – the largest international consortium of prospective metabolomics cohorts – over the past four years, her leadership in this area is unparalleled. She has also spearheaded new efforts, including initiating STROBE-metabolomics to provide reporting guidelines in this area and the Metabolomic Epidemiology Task Group to define and formalize this emerging field of study. In addition, Dr. Lasky-Su has extensive funding in multiomics; she is the PI/MPI of 4 current NIH R01s in metabolomics, the PI on multiple private grants, and the Consortium PI several R/U NIH grants. Her success is also reflected in the success of her mentees and co-mentees who have received K grants and gone on to have successful research careers, with some achieving a rank as high as full professor.

Dr. Jeffrey Bland is a personable and highly respected thought leader who has spent more than four decades focused on the improvement of human health. He is known worldwide as the founder of the Functional Medicine movement, which represents his vision for a care model that is grounded in systems biology and informed by research that he has a unique ability to synthesize. His pioneering work has created the Personalized Lifestyle Medicine Institute (PLMI), as well as the Institute for Functional Medicine (IFM), the global leader in Functional Medicine education. Since 1991, hundreds of thousands of healthcare practitioners have participated in PLMI and IFM programs, and this collective knowledge has positively impacted the lives of patients all over the world.

Dr. Bland began his career as a Professor of Biochemistry at the University of Puget Sound. He is a natural educator and became involved with numerous academic institutions during the years he spent teaching. This includes the significant contributions he made to the founding and accreditation of Bastyr University, the first federally accredited university offering undergraduate and graduate degrees in natural medicine in the US. In the early 1980s, Dr. Bland was hand-selected by two-time Nobel Laureate Dr. Linus Pauling to serve as Director of Nutritional Research at the Linus Pauling Institute of Science and Medicine. This experience marked both a personal and professional inflection point for Dr. Bland that has become an integral part of his career.

As an expert in a field he helped to establish—science-based nutrition—Dr. Bland has become an iconic figure in the natural products industry. He worked alongside other founders to establish standards for evidence-based formulations, quality ingredient sourcing, and ethical manufacturing practices that stand to this day. He continues to serve as a dynamic mentor and advisor to a new generation of industry leaders.

Dr. Bland is the author of best-selling books and over 120 peer-reviewed research publications. He speaks extensively, and his engaging style makes him popular with both professional and consumer audiences. Dr. Bland’s latest project is Big Bold Health, launched in 2018. He’s on a mission to transform the way people think about one of nature’s greatest innovations: the immune system. Through Big Bold Health, Dr. Bland is advocating for the power of immuno-rejuvenation to enhance immunity at a global level. It is an ambitious and purpose-driven effort that encompasses his active stance on regenerative agriculture, environmental stewardship, and planetary health.

Dr. Lee is an endocrinologist, author and international speaker. Dr. Lee founded the Institute for Hormonal Balance, Orlando, FL in 2008, is board certified in Internal Medicine, Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, and has completed special training in Regenerative and Functional Medicine. He is a graduate of the Medical College of Pennsylvania and finished his 2 fellowships (Critical Care and Endocrinology) at the University of Pittsburgh. He is the author of many books and the latest one is The Fountain of Youth with Peptides.

Dr. Lee is the lead investigator for an IRB approved senolytic study investigating the role of Dasatinib and Quercetin on the changes of the immune system, reducing biological aging, and possible reduction of senescence. He recently published the first human trial of using BPC157 injected into the knee joint for knee pain. Currently, he is the assistant professor of Internal Medicine at the University of Central Florida College of Medicine. Dr. Lee is a co founder of Clinical Peptide Society and has taught many physicians on the power of regenerative peptides.

Dr. Dwaraka is the Head of Bioinformatics at TruDiagnostic, and an aging and longevity investigator specializing in epigenetics and bioinformatics. He has co-authored numerous publications relating to genetics, epigenetic clocks, DNA methylation, and tissue regeneration. In 2020, Dr. Dwaraka was elected as a full member to the Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Honor Society in 2019, and is a 2023 Foresight Fellow in Biotechnology and Health Expansion, awarded by the Foresight Institute. He also serves on the Scientific Advisory Board for SRW Labs based in New Zealand, offering insight into the application and interpretation of epigenetic age biomarkers. Dr. Dwaraka is passionate about implementing machine learning methods to advance predictive medicine, identify novel biomarkers, and create algorithms to better understand the biology of aging.

Kara Fitzgerald, ND, received her doctor of naturopathic medicine degree from the National University of Natural Medicine in Portland, Oregon. She completed the firstCouncil on Naturopathic Medicine-accredited post-doctorate position in Nutritional Biochemistry and laboratory science at Metametrix Clinical Laboratory (now Genova Diagnostics) under the direction of Richard Lord, PhD. Her residency was completed at Progressive Medical Center, a large, integrative medical practice in Atlanta, Georgia. Dr. Fitzgerald is the lead author and editor of Case Studies in Integrative and Functional Medicine and is a contributing author to Laboratory Evaluations for Integrative and Functional Medicine and the Institute for Functional Medicine (IFM)’s Textbook for Functional Medicine. Most recently, with Romilly Hodges, she authored the eBook TheMethylation Diet and Lifestyle. Dr. Fitzgerald is actively engaged in clinical research on the methylome using diet and lifestyle interventions in conjunction with Helfgott Research Institute. She is a research clinician for The Institute for Therapeutic Discovery. Dr.Fitzgerald is on the faculty at IFM, is an IFM Certified Practitioner and lectures globally on functional medicine. She runs a Functional Medicine Clinic Immersion program for professionals and maintains a podcast series, New Frontiers in Functional Medicine and an active blog on her website, www.drkarafitzgerald.com. Her clinical practice is in Sandy Hook, Connecticut.

Hannah Went has a lifelong passion for longevity and breakthrough, disruptive technologies that drive radical improvement to the human condition. She attended the University of Kentucky and graduated with a degree in Biology. During that time, she had multiple research internships studying cell signaling and cell biology. After graduation, she worked for the International Peptide Society as their Director of Research and Content. Through work in the integrative medicine industry, Hannah saw an opportunity for methylation based age diagnostics and started TruDiagnostics in 2020. TruDiagnostic is a company focusing on methylation array-based diagnostics for life extension and preventive healthcare serving functional medicine providers. TruDiagnostic has a commitment to research with over 30 approved clinical trials investigating the epigenetic methylation changes of longevity and health interventions. Since TruDiagnostic’s inception, they have created one of the largest private epigenetic health databases in the world with over 30,000 patients tested to date. Hannah has since created Everything Epigenetics where she shares  insights on how DNA regulation has an impact on your health.

Dr. Bernert is a Clinical Associate Professor at Midwestern University with expertise in laboratory medicine, education, medical leadership, and the business of medicine. Dr. Bernert completed his residency at the University of Arizona in Tucson followed by a Fellowship in Dermatopathology under the Direction of A. Bernard Ackerman in Philadelphia. Major Bernert then served in the USAF at Wilford Hall Medical Center, Lackland AFB before returning to Arizona where he served as Medical Director for the state’s busiest laboratory, started his own dermatopathology practice, and later merged it with Sonic Healthcare USA. Throughout his career he has been medical director of high-complexity laboratories, provided strategic planning and business development for private and public organizations, impacted state legislation on behalf of physicians, and continues to train medical students, residents, and peers. As an anatomic and clinical pathologist, he has seen the devastating impacts of advanced stage cancer on patients. For the concluding chapter of his career, Richard has turned his attention to having a greater impact on patients at the earliest stage possible - when malignancy is curable and is focused on cancer diagnostics through epigenomic testing.

Dr. Halland is a Double Board-Certified physician specializing in natural ways for patients to heal faster and feel better. He is an expert in longevity, NAD, stem cells, peak performance, anti-aging and non-surgical options for pain relief and repairing injuries.

As a Double Board-Certified physician, Dr. Halland specializes in interventional pain management, peak performance and longevity through Regenerative Medicine. Dr. Halland has traveled the world to learn and lecture with the top thought-leaders and innovators in the field of anti-aging, incorporating global discoveries and advanced pioneering technologies into his multidisciplinary practice and projects. He works with corporations to create wellness programs and likewise sees his Concierge clients one-on-one to create personalized treatment plans so they can lead longer, healthier, and optimized lives. By using cutting-edge techniques from Regenerative Medicine, biohacking, and supplementation, he helps clients find their best self by addressing systemic health concerns, reducing inflammation, boosting the immune system, improving sleep, achieving longevity and working towards peak performance.

Dr. Routh is an Associate Professor of Pathology at Midwestern University with research focusing on molecular diagnostics and precision medicine. Dr. Routh has a broad background in pathology and laboratory medicine, with specific training and expertise in bioinformatics and molecular oncology. As the laboratory director for multiple high-complexity clinical laboratories, he has provided scientific and clinical oversight for testing that directed the clinical care of a broad range of patients.

His recent experience includes oversight of a clinical laboratory that performs next-generation sequencing, whole-exome, and whole-transcriptome sequencing of cancer samples for patients with advanced cancer. His oversight included all phases of testing including wet chemistry, bioinformatics, interpretation and reporting of results for over 20,000 cancer patients over two years. Dr. Routh received his MD from the University of Arizona, completed a residency in Anatomic and Clinical Pathology as well as a fellowship in Molecular Genetic Pathology at the University of New Mexico.

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