This public-private collaboration project – in which the Autonomous University of Madrid (UAM) also participates and which has received 1,113,066.55 euros for execution during its three years – is part of the strategic line of research in geroscience, gerotherapeutics and healthy aging of the State Research Agency.

The project will carry out a procedure for the systemic research of human genes and microorganisms involved in the Frailty Syndrome, as well as a new technology based on DNA chips for the early detection of this condition. DNA chips are used as techniques to analyse the expression of genes, since thousands can be monitored simultaneously.

The proposal is led by Andrés Moya (Professor of Genetics at the UV and researcher at Fisabio, UV, CSIC and CIBERESP), and by Fernando Rodríguez Artalejo (Group of Cardiovascular, Nutritional and Aging Epidemiology at the UAM and researcher at CIBERESP and IMDEA-Food). It also has the collaboration of the biotechnology company Sabartech, located in the UV Science Park and directed by co-founders Javier Sarasqueta (general manager) and Javier Escobar (scientific director).

Andrés Moya, also a researcher in Fisabio’s Genomics and Health Area, and project coordinator, explains: “The FRAGILTEC consortium has brought together the strengths and talents of the academic, clinical and business fields to make scientific advances and more avant-garde techniques and, thus, put them at the service of society. We are convinced that it will have a significant impact on all stakeholders in our value chain”.

The Frailty Syndrome is associated with aging and is characterised by the loss of reserves in numerous organs and systems, which increases the individual’s susceptibility to external and internal stressors. It is a state that precedes disability, and its early detection and prevention are crucial to avoid harmful clinical consequences in older people. The technical proposal involves the combination of omic sciences, bioinformatics and information and communication technologies to develop a fast and effective method of early detection.

The novelty of the proposal consists in combining two DNA sequencing technologies. “Our proposal to generate the dataset resulting from the combination of these technologies would solve the problems described by the two technologies, implementing a much more accurate and robust DNA chip-based genetic imputation and genotyping system for cover a greater proportion of hot spots throughout the genome. This will make it possible to develop a quick and low-cost solution for the massive sieve of fragility”, explains Vicente Pérez Brocal, of the Fisabio Simbiosis Group.

In addition, a new Multiscalar Frailty Risk Calculator will be created that provides information (genetic, microbiota, anthropometric and clinical) to an algorithm. This will provide doctors (mainly gerontologists, but also those in primary care) with an easily accessible and usable tool to assess the risk of frailty in patients and family members.

“There is, therefore, a need to improve the health of the older population in terms of independence and functional autonomy, and not focus on longevity or increasing life expectancy”, comments Susana Ruiz Ruiz, from the Group Symbiosis of Fisabio.

The project is funded by the Ministry of Science and Innovation, the State Research Agency and the European Union through the NextGeneration funds and the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan, within the aid to projects in strategic lines, of state plan for scientific, technical and innovation research 2021-2023, within the framework of the recovery, transformation and resilience plan, corresponding call in 2022.