Eline Slagboom

Why are some 90-year-olds still happily riding their bicycles while other people suffer multiple disorders as early as their 70s? Eline Slagboom has devoted her career to studying the genetic factors that stimulate healthy ageing and the biomarkers in blood that reveal biological age and are related to metabolism, inflammation, and the body’s bacterial composition. Slagboom conducted much of this research as Principal Investigator of the unique Leiden Longevity Study, which she also set up. She has broadened her approach in recent years as a board member of Biobanking and Biomolecular Resources Research Infrastructure (BBMRI-NL), in which she has initiated national studies on biomarkers and linked them to lifestyle interventions. She and her team have also examined the long-term effects of environmental factors before birth. Over the past thirty years, Slagboom has left a unique mark on research into ageing. Her success at exploring new avenues has put her at the top of her game.