An exposomic framework to uncover environmental drivers of aging

Abstract

The exposome, the environmental complement of the genome, is an omics level characterization of an individual’s exposures. There is growing interest in uncovering the role of the environment in human health using an exposomic framework that provides a systematic and unbiased analysis of the non-genetic drivers of health and disease. Many environmental toxicants are associated with molecular hallmarks of aging. An exposomic framework has potential to advance understanding of these associations and how modifications to the environment can promote healthy aging in the population. However, few studies have used this framework to study biological aging. We provide an overview of approaches and challenges in using an exposomic framework to investigate environmental drivers of aging. While capturing exposures over a life course is a daunting and expensive task, the use of historical data can be a practical way to approach this research.