Nature agingMay 20, 2026

Biological Age Clocks from Whole Body to Specific Organs

Longevity & Aging Weekly Brief ↗PubMed ↗DOI ↗

Updated Jun 27, 2026

Abstract

Essence

Organ-specific biological age clocks aim to map how individual organs age and how those changes may interact across the body.

Evidence

This review outlines omics and imaging methods for estimating organ biological age and synthesizes emerging findings from multi-organ aging research.

Caveat

Routine organ-age assessment still needs longitudinal tracking, highly organ-specific biomarkers, and reference ranges for organ age gaps.

Simplified

Recent work leveraging omics and imaging data now enables the estimation of aging at the level of individual organs. Emerging findings suggest that organs age at different rates, which may be linked to environmental exposures and genetic factors. However, premature aging in one organ may also drive aging in connected organs within multi-organ aging networks. Here, we outline methods for measuring organ-specific biological age and discuss insights derived from recent progress in multi-organ aging research. We put forward recommendations, best practices and research priorities, including the importance of longitudinal tracking, biomarkers with high organ specificity and reference ranges for organ age gaps. We envision routine organ-specific biological age assessments as tools for developing personalized organ aging maps and tracking organ aging across the life course, thereby facilitating early, targeted interventions to delay organ-specific decline and interorgan consequences.