Aaron King | Aging Biomarker Discoveries @ LBF + Longevity Workshop 2024

Summary

Aaron King from Aon Biomarkers explores the concept of aging as a universal process characterized by changes with age. He analyzes biomarkers using scatter plots to identify age-related patterns. King discusses the potential of personalized healthcare, highlighting the importance of understanding individual differences. He also presents a network diagram of biomarkers, differentiating those that change with age from those that remain constant. The talk touches on the idea of 'health span' and the use of plasma donation to potentially influence biomarker changes, suggesting a novel approach to managing aging.

Takeaways

• 🔬 Aaron King founded Aon Biomarkers to explore the changes that occur with age, aiming to create a comprehensive list of such changes.
• 📊 The company's philosophy is that aging encompasses all changes that occur with age, and these changes are universal among humans.
• 📈 Data visualizations, such as scatter plots, reveal patterns in how certain biomarkers change with age, with some showing clear trends and others remaining constant.
• 🚫 Not all biomarkers change with age; for instance, HDL cholesterol levels remain relatively stable throughout life.
• 🔍 The company investigates biomarkers to understand the differences between those that change with age and those that do not.
• 🔗 By analyzing data, the company identifies associations between biomarkers, such as the relationship between visceral fat mass and plasma fasting glucose levels.
• 📉 The removal of certain data points can alter the observed trends, suggesting that specific factors may influence how biomarkers change with age.
• 🌐 A network diagram of biomarkers is used to identify lynchpin biomarkers that, when adjusted, can influence other biomarkers in the system.
• 💉 Plasma donation is suggested as a potential therapy to reduce PFA toxins in the body, which could impact the aging process.
• ⏱ The concept of 'health span' is redefined as the period from birth to the end of the maintenance phase of biomarkers, rather than the onset of disease.
• 🔍 The speaker plans to conduct personal experiments with plasma donation to test its effects on PFA levels and potentially extend health span.

Q & A

What is the core philosophy of Aon Biomarkers as described by Aaron King?

The core philosophy of Aon Biomarkers is that aging is anything that changes with age, and this process affects everyone.

How does Aaron King use scatter plots to understand changes with age?

Aaron King uses scatter plots to visualize how different biomarkers change with age. He looks at the average and median values represented by red and black dots, respectively, to identify patterns and trends.

What does the arc in the scatter plot of LDL cholesterol indicate?

The arc in the scatter plot of LDL cholesterol indicates that it changes with age, showing a clear trend over the lifespan.

How does Aaron King differentiate between biomarkers that change for everyone and those that change for some people?

Aaron King differentiates by observing whether the median and mean values (red and black dots) overlap in the scatter plots. Overlapping indicates a consistent change for everyone, while separation suggests a change in a subpopulation.

What is the significance of forced exhalation volume and plasma fasting glucose in Aaron King's analysis?

Forced exhalation volume is used as an example of a biomarker that changes with age, while plasma fasting glucose is used to illustrate a pathogenic subpopulation where the change is not consistent across all individuals.

What does Aaron King mean by 'personalized Healthcare' in the context of aging?

Aaron King refers to personalized Healthcare as the understanding that while there are universal biological processes that occur with aging, there is also a significant diversity among individuals that should be considered in healthcare approaches.

How does Aaron King use the concept of 'inflection points' in his analysis of biomarkers?

Aaron King uses 'inflection points' to identify critical junctions in the life of a biomarker where significant changes occur. These points can provide insights into the mechanisms behind the changes in biomarker levels.

What is the significance of the maintenance period in biomarker analysis as described by Aaron King?

The maintenance period is a phase where there is little to no change in a biomarker's level. Aaron King defines health span as the time between birth and the end of this maintenance period, suggesting it as a different perspective from the traditional definition of health span.

How does Aaron King propose to make the graph of PFA toxins a flat line?

Aaron King suggests that by conducting plasma donations or blood donations, similar to the natural process of menstruation in premenopausal women, one can remove PFA toxins from the body and potentially make the graph of PFA toxins a flat line, indicating no accumulation with age.

What is the potential impact of plasma donation on longevity according to Aaron King?

While Aaron King acknowledges that the overall impact on longevity might not be huge, he suggests that there could be some effect. His primary focus is on understanding the core mechanisms behind biomarker changes and measuring the outcomes of interventions like plasma donation.

What is the status of the app mentioned by Aaron King for visualizing biomarker data?

The app mentioned by Aaron King is in the process of transitioning and should be available online soon. It is expected to provide the same level of detailed visualization for biomarker data as demonstrated in his talk.