Northwestern Longevity Institute expands global push to measure biological age and slow aging

Researchers are expanding efforts at Northwestern University’s Longevity Institute to measure biological age across multiple dimensions and to run global, pragmatic trials aimed at slowing aging and extending healthspan.

Dr. Douglas Vaughan, director of Northwestern’s Potocsnak Longevity Institute and its Human Longevity Laboratory, says biological age reflects the condition of organs and systems rather than the number of years a person has lived. He notes that a person can be biologically older or younger than their chronological age and that slowing aging could reduce the risk of many diseases. Vaughan, a former chief of cardiology at Vanderbilt University, says the institute’s mission is to ensure these advances benefit the broader population, not just the ultra-rich. "We want to find ways to slow down aging for the 99% of people in the world, not the 0.01%."

The lab measures biological age with a suite of tests, including DEXA body composition scans, assessments of cardiac and vascular aging, gait speed, grip strength, and pulmonary function, plus molecular and AI-based clocks. One approach uses retinal photographs analyzed in the cloud by a partner in New Zealand to estimate biological age in seconds. Vaughan says the tests help identify gaps between chronological and biological age and guide personalized health guidance.

The Northwestern lab opened more than a year and a half ago and has run more than 300 participants through its protocol, allowing researchers to compare methods and refine what is most informative for individuals. Vaughan emphasizes that results come with caveats; conversations with participants are nuanced, and the institute provides guidance on health and lifestyle improvements rather than presenting single-test verdicts.

Participants are encouraged to pursue a healthy weight (BMI under 25) and regular exercise, which can lower biological age. If aging appears concentrated in a particular organ system, clinicians may direct individuals to specialists to optimize care in that area. Vaughan cautions against unproven interventions, noting there is little solid data yet on supplements or therapies such as creatine, NAD boosters, stem-cell infusions, or plasma infusions. He says Northwestern plans to test a range of interventions—potentially including stress-reduction programs, rapamycin, metformin, or Ozempic—while evaluating their effects across multiple aging dimensions.

The clinic charges about $4,200 for its most comprehensive biological-age assessment, a price Vaughan says reflects the breadth of testing offered. Some participants join related research trials, with costs underwritten by the project. The Longevity Institute describes several centers, including HIV & Aging and Population Science & Aging, and is developing wearables that monitor aging-related changes across systems. Researchers are also exploring environmental factors, such as the impact of green space on aging, and the negative effects of smoking and, more recently, cannabinoids.

Northwestern is advancing a global expansion plan that includes collaborations with Tohoku University in Japan, Mount Sinai Medical Center in Miami, and the London Clinic, with a long-term aim of opening labs across more regions, including South Africa’s Stellenbosch University, within the next year. The institute intends to enroll participants in pragmatic, short-term clinical trials to determine whether interventions can slow aging in diverse populations, regardless of ethnicity, diet, or environment. The first study slated to begin enrollment will examine whether stress-reduction strategies can influence biological age.

Vaughan argues that genetic factors play a smaller role in aging than commonly believed—likely less than 20%—with environment and lifestyle exerting greater influence. While breakthroughs toward a 150-year life may be possible only for a small number of people, the goal is to extend healthspan, giving people two to four more healthy years on average. He says the focus is on broad, practical benefit for society rather than speculative longevity promises. The effort, part of TIME Longevity, reflects a growing interest in measuring and modulating aging to improve everyday health outcomes across populations.