Deciphering the Factors of Longevity Through a Multi-Omics Study in Long-Lived Individuals in Hong Kong

NCT07356700 | Not Yet Recruiting DMC

• 1 other identifier: HREP-2025-0294
• Study Type: observational
• Target: 2,500
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Population aging is changing societal dynamics and poses significant global challenges. By 2050, an estimated 1.6 billion people worldwide will be over age 65. Because aging is the primary risk factor for many common chronic diseases, it is essential to reduce the burden of age-related illnesses and promote healthy aging. Hong Kong has one of the largest proportions of elderly adults and has the highest life expectancy in the world, with approximately 11,575 centenarians reported in 2021. Thus, the long-lived population in Hong Kong is a valuable resource for studying healthy aging. Longevity is a complex trait influenced by genetic, environmental, and behavioral factors. To unveil the mechanisms leading to longevity and healthy aging, researchers focused on centenarians who are extremely long living. Comparisons between long-lived individuals (LLIs) and others have identified several genetic factors and protein markers associated with longevity. Previous centenarian studies revealed that centenarians and their offsprings have a 5-fold lower risk of developing age-related diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and higher cognitive reserve. Certain protein signatures predict longer survival and centenarians acquire aging signatures much later than elderly in the general population. Certain healthy lifestyle leads to higher chance becoming centenarians, including never smoking, exercise and greater dietary diversity. Despite emerging studies on centenarian population, an integrated approach to understand diverse molecular signatures of longevity is still lacking. Moreover, most of the centenarian studies are based on European descents. To conclude, a multi-omics study examining the genetic, proteomic, metabolomic, and microbiota profiles of LLIs in Chinese population is necessary. Hence, the study proposed herein aims to identify multi-omics biomarkers that can be used to monitor aging processes and related diseases. In addition, it will provide candidate modifiable factors to promote healthy aging, focusing on Chinese population and local Hong Kong population for the first time. Ultimately, the insights gained from this research will inform the development of effective strategies to enhance healthy aging and improve the quality of life of our local aging population.

Conditions

Aging

Keywords

Aging; Multi-omics; AI-based tool; Longevity

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Biobank of LLIs

  A comprehensive cohort of LLIs with data on demographics, clinical profiles, cognitive and functional assessments, lifestyle, and genomic and proteomic biomarkers

  3-5 years

• Genetic and modifiable factors associated with longevity

  Genetic and modifiable factors associated with longevity

  3-5 years

Secondary Outcomes (2)

• AI-based model

  5 years

• Healthy aging strategies

  5 years

Study Arms (2)

long-lived individuals (LLIs)

individuals aged 95 years or older

Other: Observational

Elderly controls

elderly people aged 65-94 years

Other: Observational

Interventions

Observational OTHER

Clinical profile, blood collection, cognitive assessment, questionnaires on modifiable risk factors

Elderly controls; long-lived individuals (LLIs)

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 65 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Older Adult (65+)
• Sampling Method: Probability Sample

Study Population

Elderly with extreme longevity (aged \>=95 years old)

You may qualify if:

• Han Chinese ethnicity
• Able to provide official evidence for being 95 years or older (e.g., a birth certificate)
• Mentally capable of consenting to join the study with or without informant presence
• Consent to donation of biospecimens (i.e., blood)

You may not qualify if:

• Mentally incapable of consenting to join the study even with the presence of an informant
• Refusal to provide blood samples

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Hong Kong University of Science and Technology: lead
• Hong Kong Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases: collaborator

Study Sites (1)

Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

Hong Kong, China

Location

Related Publications (7)

• Li Y, Wang K, Jigeer G, Jensen G, Tucker KL, Lv Y, Shi X, Gao X. Healthy Lifestyle and the Likelihood of Becoming a Centenarian. JAMA Netw Open. 2024 Jun 3;7(6):e2417931. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.17931.

  PMID: 38900423 BACKGROUND

• Sebastiani P, Federico A, Morris M, Gurinovich A, Tanaka T, Chandler KB, Andersen SL, Denis G, Costello CE, Ferrucci L, Jennings L, Glass DJ, Monti S, Perls TT. Protein signatures of centenarians and their offspring suggest centenarians age slower than other humans. Aging Cell. 2021 Feb;20(2):e13290. doi: 10.1111/acel.13290. Epub 2021 Jan 29.

  PMID: 33512769 BACKGROUND

• Holstege H, Beker N, Dijkstra T, Pieterse K, Wemmenhove E, Schouten K, Thiessens L, Horsten D, Rechtuijt S, Sikkes S, van Poppel FWA, Meijers-Heijboer H, Hulsman M, Scheltens P. The 100-plus Study of cognitively healthy centenarians: rationale, design and cohort description. Eur J Epidemiol. 2018 Dec;33(12):1229-1249. doi: 10.1007/s10654-018-0451-3. Epub 2018 Oct 25.

  PMID: 30362018 BACKGROUND

• Zhang M, Ganz AB, Rohde S, Rozemuller AJM, Bank NB, Reinders MJT, Scheltens P, Hulsman M, Hoozemans JJM, Holstege H. Resilience and resistance to the accumulation of amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles in centenarians: An age-continuous perspective. Alzheimers Dement. 2023 Jul;19(7):2831-2841. doi: 10.1002/alz.12899. Epub 2022 Dec 30.

  PMID: 36583547 BACKGROUND

• Tesi N, van der Lee S, Hulsman M, van Schoor NM, Huisman M, Pijnenburg Y, van der Flier WM, Reinders M, Holstege H. Cognitively healthy centenarians are genetically protected against Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimers Dement. 2024 Jun;20(6):3864-3875. doi: 10.1002/alz.13810. Epub 2024 Apr 18.

  PMID: 38634500 BACKGROUND

• Hong Kong Centenarian Study 2 Project Report, 2023, Hong Kong Shue Yan University

  BACKGROUND

• 2021 Thematic Report: Older Persons, HKSAR Census and Statistics Department

  BACKGROUND

Biospecimen

Retention: SAMPLES WITH DNA

blood

MeSH Terms

Interventions

Watchful Waiting

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Outcome Assessment, Health Care; Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care; Quality of Health Care; Health Services Administration

Study Officials

• Nancy Ip, PhD

  Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Central Study Contacts

Nancy Ip, PhD

CONTACT

+852-23587304; boip@ust.hk

Hiu Yi Wong, PhD

CONTACT

+852-23587344; annawong@ust.hk

Study Design

• Study Type: observational
• Observational Model: COHORT
• Time Perspective: CROSS SECTIONAL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Research Assistant Professor

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: January 13, 2026
• First Posted: January 21, 2026
• Study Start: March 1, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): February 28, 2031
• Study Completion (Estimated): February 28, 2031
• Last Updated: January 22, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-01

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

CN (1)