Learn your future with an epigenetic clock: You can find out if you will die with a saliva sample

 New York-based biotechnology company Tally Health has developed an epigenetic clock called "CheekAge" that can predict whether a person will die within a year by examining DNA changes in cheek cells.

According to the Daily Mail, CheekAge analyzes cheek cells obtained from saliva samples to examine a person's biological age and changes in their DNA. Research has revealed that epigenetic changes in DNA have a strong link to mortality rates. 

This clock was designed to predict the risk of death within one year and was developed through analysis of data from 1,513 deceased individuals.

The epigenetic clock evaluates an individual's biological age based on factors such as genetics, stress, sleep patterns, dietary habits, and smoking. Therefore, it is possible for a person to be biologically younger or older than their chronological age. 

LIFESPAN ESTIMATIONS ARE POSSIBLE

Experts state that the epigenetic clock could be applied to a wider population in the future and used for lifespan estimations.

Dusko Ilic, Professor of Stem Cell Sciences at King’s College London, emphasized that epigenetic clocks provide risk assessments rather than precise predictions, stating, "It would be more beneficial for CheekAge to promote healthy aging rather than focusing on death." 

Adele Murrell, Professor of Epigenetics at the University of Bath, noted that changes in DNA are reversible and said that epigenetic clocks could serve as a warning for people to lead healthier lives.

News Source: 12punto