Israeli scientists at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem have developed a high-precision tool that can determine a person’s biological age using artificial intelligence and just a tiny DNA sample. The new method, unveiled this week, could reshape both medicine and forensic science by offering a clearer picture of how people age at the molecular level—regardless of how many birthdays they’ve celebrated.
The technique, described in the journal Cell Reports, focuses on methylation, a natural chemical process that alters DNA over time. Researchers zeroed in on just two specific regions of DNA to identify markers of biological aging. From there, they used a deep learning model called MAgeNet to estimate a person’s age. For individuals under 50, the tool predicts age with an impressive median error of just 1.36 years.
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According to the university’s statement, the predictions are unaffected by external factors such as body weight, smoking status, or gender. That means doctors could one day use this kind of testing to personalize treatments based on how old a patient’s body really is—not what the calendar says.
The tool could also have major implications in the legal world. In forensic cases, just a speck of DNA might soon offer investigators a reliable clue about a suspect’s age. And for scientists studying how and why we age, MAgeNet offers a promising new way to track the body’s biological clock.