Accurate Age Predictions are Possible Using as Few as 50 DNA Molecules: Study
Using deep learning networks analyzing DNA methylation patterns, scientists at Hebrew University achieved chronological age (defined as the amount of time since birth) predictions with a median accuracy of 1.36-1.7 years for individuals under 50. Their results appear in the journal Cell Reports.Using ultra-deep sequencing of>300 blood samples from healthy individuals, we show that age-dependent methylation changes occur regionally across clusters of CpG sites either stochastically or in a coordinated block-like manner. Image credit: Ochana et al., doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2025.115958.“It turns out that the passage of time leaves measurable marks on our DNA,” said Hebrew University’s Professor Tommy Kaplan.
“Our model decodes those marks with astonishing precision.”
“The secret lies in how our DNA changes over time through a process called methylation — the chemical ‘tagging’ of DNA by methyl group (CH3).”
“By zooming in on just two key...
