House of Lords Science and Technology Committee’s Ageing Inquiry
Dr Riccardo Marioni gave evidence to a House of Lords Inquiry into Ageing. Nov 2019
On Tuesday 22nd October, CGEM group leader Riccardo Marioni was invited to be an expert witness for the House of Lords Science and Technology Committee’s Ageing Inquiry. He was joined by Professor Graham Kemp from the University of Liverpool to discuss the current and future use and application of biomarkers of ageing to improve the health span of the population.
The one-hour session followed a discussion on the signs of ageing and associated factors with other academic experts from around the UK. The panel heard how the University of Edinburgh-based studies Generation Scotland, the Lothian Birth Cohorts and PREVENT Dementia are leading the way with biomarker development and application for age-related health outcomes, such as cognitive decline and dementia.
Dr Marioni was asked by the panel to define biomarkers of ageing and how they are derived, why they are a useful concept, and what difficulties arise when trying to establish robust biomarkers. Finally, the panel also discussed the current and future clinical uses of biomarkers of disease and ageing. A copy of the meeting transcript is available online.
It was exciting to discuss some of our research on biomarkers of aging. It is encouraging to know that healthy aging is a priority for the Westminster.