Discover the age your body really feels
Do you know your true age?
In Portugal, we are living longer than ever, but the real goal is to live those extra years in good health. Your date of birth tells one story, but your body may tell another.
The Mapa da Idade is a scientific study, led by GIMM (Gulbenkian Institute for Molecular Medicine). Using advanced technology, it estimates your biological age – a measure of how your body is aging on the inside.
Participation is free and open to all adults aged 40 to 80 (inclusive).
Mapa da Idade Study
Portugal has the second oldest population in the EU. But aging does not happen in the same way for everyone.
This study is based on an advanced scientific model called LinAge2, also known as a biological clock, developed by researcher Brian Kennedy and his team. It combines multiple health indicators – including clinical and laboratory data – to estimate your biological age more accurately than traditional method and markers.
This allows us to compare:
- Chronological Age: the number of years since you were born
- Biological Age: how your body is aging based on your overall current health status.
The goal: To adapt and validate the LinAge2 biological clock for the Portuguese population. By using over 100 health indicators, we aim understand the profile of a person aging healthily compared to a person who may benefit from early care or prevention.
The impact: By taking part, you are contributing to important scientific research in Portugal. This work will help to detect health risks years before they develop into serious conditions.
At this stage, individual participants will not receive a personal readout of your biological age – we aim for this option to become available in the future.
Who can take part?
To take part, you simply need to meet the following requirements:
✅ Be aged between 40 and 80.
✅ Live in Portugal.
✅ Sign the Informed Consent form provided below.
✅ Be available to give blood and urine samples, to do a quick physical check-up and complete a questionnaire.
❌ Not be pregnant.
A Journey Designed Around You
We understand that your time is precious. That’s why the entire visit is designed to be smooth, professional, and completed in under 60 minutes.
We have created a fluid, professional, and comfortable experience where your well-being as a participant always comes first.
What to expect during your visit :
Reception & Ethics: We begin with a personalized welcome. Our team will welcome you, explain every step of the study and ensure the total protection of your data (read more in Ethics and Data Security section below).
Quick Physical Check-up: Our specialized nursing team performs quick and precise measurements – including blood pressure, muscle strength, and body composition – providing immediate insights into your physical vitality.
Sample Collection: Our expert technicians perform blood and urine collection quickly and with minimal invasion, adhering to the highest standards of clinical quality.
Your Moment of Pause: We know that fasting can be a challenge. As soon as your collection is complete, we provide a nutritious breakfast to replenish your energy before you complete a questionnaire about your lifestyle. Our team is readily available to assist you with the questionnaire should you need it.
This is not just another check-up. It is an opportunity to take part in cutting-edge research that can shape the future of healthcare in Portugal.
When and Where?
GIMM, Oeiras Site (R. Q.ta Grande 6 , 2780-156 Oeiras) – Google Maps here
21–24 April 2026
21 April 2026
Open only to the GIMM internal community.
22–24 April 2026
Open to the GIMM internal community, family and friends.
To the GIMM Family and Community
Are you outside of the study age range 40 and 80 years old? If you’re a younger or older enthusiast, you can become a Longevity Ambassador. Bring along your family members and/or friends to join us from 22-24 April. This study is open to everyone – high-quality science needs everyone’s participation!
If you want to know more, feel free to reach out (mapadaidade@gimm.pt ).
- Informed Consent: with your consent, your data will be used for scientific research, communications relating to the study and to comply with legal obligations. You can find further information by reading the Mapa da Idade Informed Consent form, which you can access here.
- Anonymity: your data is encrypted. The research team cannot link your name to the laboratory results.
- Ethics: Study approved by the CAML Ethics Committee (ref. 358/25 of 8 January 2026).
- Your contribution: if you consent, the samples are stored in the GIMM-Biobank to facilitate future scientific discoveries.
- Organization: Fundação GIMM – Gulbenkian Institute for Molecular Medicine.
- Partners of Mapa da Idade: Joaquim Chaves Saúde and Corrida do Tempo
- Contact: mapadaidade@gimm.pt | Rua da Quinta Grande 6, 2780-156 Oeiras.
- Funding: Funded by the European Union and co-funded by the Portuguese Government, the National Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), the Francisco Manuel dos Santos Society Group (ARICA – Investimentos, Participações e Gestão and Jerónimo Martins), GIMM and CAML – Lisbon Academic Medical Centre
Chen, H et al. Adherence to Life’s Essential 8 is associated with delayed biological aging: a population-based cross-sectional study. Rev Esp Cardiol 78, 37 (2025)
Fong, S. et al. LinAge2: providing actionable insights and benchmarking with epigenetic clocks. NPJ Aging 11, 29 (2025).
Fong, S. et al. Principal component-based clinical aging clocks identify signatures of healthy aging and targets for clinical intervention. Nat Aging 4, 1137 (2024).
PORDATA. PORDATA Retrata perfil da população portuguesa. PORDATA Fundação Francisco Manuel dos Santos (2024). Access here.
Salih, A et al. Conceptual overview of biological age estimation. Aging Dis 14, 583 (2023).
WHO. Decade of healthy ageing: baseline report. WHO available online (2021). Accessed at https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240017900
WHO. Integrated care for older people approach (ICOPE). WHO available online (2017). Accessed at https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241550109
Zurbuchen, R et al. Methods for the assessment of biological age – a systematic review. Maturitas 195, 108215 (2025)
