Space Radiation and Telomere Dynamics
Space weather–related radiation linked to telomere shortening in aging populations.
Brief
Investigated telomere length as a biomarker of biological aging in population studies, focusing on how radiation and environmental exposures influence older adults in the Normative Aging Study, a long-running cohort of U.S. male residents. Findings highlight telomere sensitivity to external stressors and vulnerability of aging populations. This work motivated the follow-up project on epigenome-wide changes and DNA methylation clocks for natural radiation influences.
Key Publications
- Zhai et al.. Annual space weather fluctuations and telomere length in the Normative Aging Study. J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol 2023. doi:10.1038/s41370-023-00616-z
Status: Published • Extending to epigenome-wide changes and DNAm aging.