Integrative genomics of aging

Traditionally, gerontologists have focused on studying various aspects of aging one at a time. Thanks to recent post-genome technologies, however, this paradigm is shifting and researchers can now focus on more holistic approaches rather than being limited to the study of isolated parts. In this chapter, we review the use of high-throughput technologies to systematically investigate biological systems in aging and longevity research, and discuss how these data can be analyzed to produce information that advances our understanding of such complex processes both in terms of variation in aging and longevity and in the context of molecular changes during the life course. A summary of various online sources of aging-related data is also presented, and the challenges when dealing with heterogeneity, statistical uncertainties, and integration of multiple types of data are discussed. Finally, we review computational methods available to researchers to make predictions that help guide experiments and better understand aging from a systems perspective.