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

哺乳动物的衰老过程以不同生物水平的变化为特征，从普通的生理和功能变化，如体重和耐力随着年龄的增长而下降，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衰老地图：一个网络资源，以收集老鼠和人类的分子、细胞和生理年龄相关数据为特色。与年龄有关的病理数据，包括特定疾病的死亡率数据也将列入其中。将从各种来源汇编数据，包括公开的在线存储库、政府卫生统计数据以及书籍和其他出版物。数码老龄化地图不仅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地图，而且还将开发可视化工具，让用户以互动方式浏览这些信息。用户将能够使用每个生物体的三维模型来观察一个器官的衰老变化是如何与另一个器官的变化并行发生的，以及整个身体的整体变化。只需点击一下鼠标，用户就可以选择一个给定的器官，以获得更详细的信息，比如分子和细胞水平上与年龄相关的变化数据。数字衰老图对于研究人员将衰老的一系列变化（例如，一个器官的分子变化）与其他水平的变化（例如，激素变化）联系起来非常有用。它也将有助于研究人员开发新的衰老模型，包括描述衰老的新的数学模型，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.