The emerging role of multiomics in aging research

Abstract

Aging is a complex biological process involving coordinated changes across multiple molecular systems. Traditional reductionist approaches, while valuable, are insufficient to capture the full scope of aging’s systemic nature. Multiomics–integrating data from genomics, transcriptomics, epigenomics, proteomics, and metabolomics–provides a comprehensive framework to study aging as an interconnected network. In this Perspective, I explore how multiomic strategies, particularly those leveraging epigenomic and single-cell data, are reshaping our understanding of aging biology. Epigenetic alterations, including DNA methylation and histone modifications, are not only hallmarks but also powerful biomarkers of biological age. I discuss advances in multiomic aging clocks, cross-tissue atlases, and single-cell spatial technologies that decode aging at unprecedented resolution. I also build on a prior review I wrote with colleagues, Epigenomics. 2023;15(14):741–754, which introduced the concept of pathological epigenetic events that are reversible (PEERs)–epigenetic alterations linked to early-life exposures that predispose to aging and disease but may be therapeutically modifiable. This Perspective examines how PEERs and multiomics intersect to inform biomarkers, geroprotective interventions, and personalized aging medicine. Finally, I highlight integration challenges, ethical concerns, and the need for standardization to accelerate clinical translation. Together, these insights position multiomics as a central pillar in the future of aging research.