The digital ageing map: development of web tools for the integration and visualization of age-related changes at various biological levels

哺乳动物衰老过程的特点是在不同的生物水平上发生变化，从普通的生理和功能变化，如随着年龄的增长体重和耐力下降，到分子水平上更微妙的变化。该项目的目的是开发一个数字老龄化地图：一个网络资源，收集了小鼠和人类的分子、细胞和生理年龄相关数据。还将包括与年龄有关的病理学数据，包括特定疾病的死亡率数据。将从各种来源汇编数据，包括可供查阅的在线储存库、政府卫生统计数据以及书籍和其他出版物。数字老龄化地图不仅将通过整合和提供不同类型的研究，成为第一个集中收集老龄化变化的数据库，而且还将开发可视化工具，使用户能够以交互方式浏览信息。用户将能够使用每个生物体的三维模型来查看一个器官的衰老变化如何与另一个器官的变化以及整个身体的整体变化并行发生。只需点击鼠标，用户就可以选择一个给定的器官，以获得更详细的信息，例如分子和细胞水平上与年龄相关的变化数据。数字老龄化地图将非常有助于研究人员将一组给定的变化与老龄化联系起来（例如，一个器官中的分子变化）与其它水平的变化（例如，荷尔蒙变化）。研究人员开发新的衰老模型也将是有益的，包括描述衰老的新数学模型，并可能提供关于不同过程如何驱动衰老和与年龄有关的疾病的新信息。该资源还将为医疗保健政策制定者提供宝贵的数据。

The process of ageing in mammals is characterized by changes at different biological levels, from mundane physiological and functional changes like decreased body weight and stamina with age, to more subtle changes at the molecular level. The aim of this project is to develop a Digital Ageing Map: a web resource featuring the collection of molecular, cellular and physiological age-related data for mice and humans. Data on pathologies associated with age, including mortality data from specific diseases, will also be included. Data will be compiled from various sources, including publically available online repositories, governmental health statistics and books and other publications. Not only will the Digital Ageing Map serve as the first centralized collection of ageing changes by integrating and making available different types of studies, but visualisation tools will be developed to allow users to browse the information interactively. Users will be able to use a 3-dimensional model of each organism to view how ageing changes in one organ occur in parallel with changes in another organ and with overall changes to the entire body. At a single mouse click, users will be able to select a given organ for more detailed information such as data on age-related changes at the molecular and cellular levels. The Digital Ageing Map will be very useful for researchers to relate a given set of changes with ageing (e.g., molecular changes in one organ) with changes at other levels (e.g., hormonal changes). It will also be useful for researchers to develop new models of ageing, including new mathematical models that describe ageing and may provide new information on how different processes drive ageing and age-related disease. The resource will also provide invaluable data for healthcare policy makers.