Webinar: Biomarkers of Healthspan and Performance
Biomarkers of Longevity, Healthspan, and Performance: From Disease Detection to Defining Health
For over a century, the evolution of biomarkers has mirrored the health challenges of society. In the early 20th century, biomarkers addressed acute diseases and survival; by mid-century, they focused on chronic disease risk factors like cholesterol, blood pressure, and glucose. The late 20th century brought genomic and proteomic breakthroughs, enabling precision medicine and targeted therapies, especially in oncology. Yet, despite this progress, gains in healthspan have stalled. Our system remains optimized for diagnosing disease, not for defining or extending health.
This webinar challenges that paradigm. We will explore how biomarkers can be reimagined to capture functional capacity and resilience, moving beyond the absence of disease to measurable indicators of healthspan. Clinicians and performance professionals will learn the characteristics that define a good biomarker, how traditional and fitness-based metrics like VO₂max serve as leading predictors of longevity, and what emerging omics-based biomarkers (proteomics, metabolomics, epigenetics) reveal about human functional capacity.
By integrating clinical, performance, and cutting-edge molecular markers, practitioners can design longevity-focused programs that not only prevent disease but actively enhance quality of life, resilience, and performance. The future of healthcare will be defined not by disease management alone, but by the ability to measure and extend human healthspan.
Learning Objectives
1. Define the Characteristics of an Effective Biomarker for Health and Disease
Participants will be able to identify the criteria that distinguish a useful biomarker (validity, reliability, sensitivity/specificity, actionability) and explain how these standards apply differently when assessing disease risk versus monitoring healthspan and performance.
2. Evaluate Traditional, Fitness-Based, and Emerging Biomarkers of Human Functional Capacity
Participants will compare traditional clinical biomarkers (lipids, glucose, inflammation markers) with performance indicators such as VO₂max and strength metrics, while also assessing emerging omics-based biomarkers (proteomics, metabolomics, epigenetics) that capture human functional capacity in real time.
3. Integrate Biomarker-Based Strategies into Longevity-Focused Clinical Practice
Participants will learn to apply a multi-modal biomarker approach—combining clinical labs, performance testing, and omics innovations—to design patient-centered strategies for extending healthspan, preventing chronic disease, and enhancing functional performance across the lifespan.
Speaker: Dr. Brooks Leitner, CEO/Co-Founder of VO Health
Brooks Leitner, MD, PhD, is the CEO and Co-Founder of VO Health, an applied deep biotech company pioneering next-genomics-based biomarkers of healthspan and performance. With over 30 peer-reviewed publications and 1,700+ citations in metabolism, physiology, and translational research, Brooks brings a unique perspective at the intersection of cutting-edge science and practical application. He trained at Yale University and the NIH, serves on the Physician Advisory Council of the Medical Fitness Association, and has experience spanning biomedical research, venture capital, and company building. Prior to medicine, he worked as a personal trainer at the #1 gym in Washington, DC. He is also a second-time founder, having previously launched a biotech startup where he raised early capital and recruited executive leadership.