Initiatives
Explore some of our current and planned initiatives aimed at advancing research, education, and public engagement in the biology of aging and longevity in Bulgaria.
GOAL
- Give people the ability to check their biological age in eZdrave and to track how it changes over time relative to their chronological age.
- Develop targeted policies to improve Bulgarians' health and extend their lifespan based on insights generated by the system.
STRATEGY
- Calculate the validated and widely used biological age metric PhenoAge from blood biomarkers measured in routine lab tests covered by the national health insurance system.
- Compare PhenoAge with chronological age to determine the acceleration or slowdown of biological aging. Where repeated tests exist over time, individual trends would also be calculated so that people can view them as charts in eZdrave.
- Use machine learning to uncover links between faster or slower biological aging and factors such as geographic location, pollution levels (e.g., air quality), proximity to and access to green spaces, healthy food sources, educational institutions, GP offices, medical facilities, medication use, procedures performed, and more.
POTENTIAL PARTNERS
- Ministry of Health (to improve eZdrave)
GOAL
- Bring together scientists, programmers, students, and enthusiasts around the use of bioinformatics and AI to uncover the mechanisms of aging and accelerate longevity innovation.
- Position Bulgaria as a regional hub for computational aging research.
STRATEGY
- Work with institutions that have experience organising hackathons in science and technology.
- Organise a hackathon focused on real aging data such as:
- Public genomic and transcriptomic datasets
- Epigenetic clocks
- Proteomic profiles and clinical biomarkers
- A mentor group of biologists, data scientists, physicians, and bioinformatics experts.
- Funding through sponsors or through a possible future fund ("BABA Treasure").
- Prizes such as mini-grants, internships, access to follow-on projects, and academic or industry collaborations.
POTENTIAL PARTNERS
- Centre of Excellence UNITe
- INSAIT Institute
- GATE Institute
- Universities (Sofia University, Technical University, New Bulgarian University, and biomedical faculties)
- Hackaging.ai
- Longevity Hacks London (informal international partner)
- International organisations in longevity and bioinformatics
EXPECTED OUTCOMES
- Real analyses, visualisations, and models created during the hackathon.
- New software, tools, or computational pipelines for analysis of aging-related data.
- Creation of a “Longevity Bioinformatics Hub Bulgaria” — a community of specialists actively working on aging.
- Attracting young talent and encouraging scientific and technology careers in the field.
- Media coverage of Bulgaria as a place for innovation in the biology of aging and related computational research.
- Creation of new companies as a result of the ideas and teams formed.
GOAL
- Create a forum for the exchange of knowledge, ideas, and collaboration among medical professionals, scientists, longevity clinics, and other individuals/organisations working in the field of longevity.
- Coordinate efforts to develop the medical aspect of longevity in Bulgaria and position the country as a regional leader in this field.
STRATEGY
- Form a partnership with the Bulgarian Longevity Association (BLA) for the joint organisation of the event.
- Recruit highly qualified speakers from Bulgaria and abroad to present the latest research, clinical practices, and innovations in medical longevity.
- Find sponsors to finance the event and to secure media coverage.
PARTNERS AND SPONSORS
GOAL
- Create the first systematic review of longevity in Bulgaria by collecting and analysing data on:
- Population health and lifespan, including key metrics such as PhenoAge and comparisons with other European countries.
- Scientific, clinical, entrepreneurial, and educational activities in the country related to longevity.
- Practical measures and policies that can be pursued based on the data collected.
STRATEGY
- An online questionnaire for research groups, clinicians, entrepreneurs, universities, and companies working in the field of longevity.
- Use public datasets such as Eurostat, the WHO Global Health Observatory, Scopus, national health systems, and available digital registries.
- Assemble a team of volunteers and analysts, including bioinformaticians, statisticians, and data-visualisation experts.
- Analyse and synthesise the data into a structured format with maps, charts, rankings, indices, and comparative profiles.
- Produce the “BABA Longevity Report: Bulgaria 2026” — an official document presenting a synthesised model of the ecosystem and its key conclusions.
POTENTIAL PARTNERS
- Academic and clinical institutions, including universities, hospitals, and laboratories.
- Research groups in the biology of aging, public health, health economics, and epidemiology.
- Startups and organisations working on health innovation and longevity.
- Media partners for dissemination and public outreach.
EXPECTED OUTCOMES
- The first comprehensive overview of the health, science, and innovation state of longevity in Bulgaria.
- A data-grounded resource for media, investors, and institutions.
- A basis for policy, national strategies, and future partnerships in prevention, public health, and innovation.
GOAL
- Introduce lessons and materials on aging and longevity into school curricula, starting with private schools.
- Secure an official requirement from the Ministry of Education and Science that future editions of biology textbooks include lessons on aging and longevity.
- The result would be greater awareness among young people of aging, the mechanisms behind it, and the ways it can be influenced, so that they adopt healthy practices in daily life and encourage older people to do the same. We also hope some students will become genuinely interested in aging and longevity and pursue a professional path in the field.
STRATEGY
- Create and launch a pilot educational programme in select private schools to introduce students to the fundamentals of the biology of aging, current longevity practices, and innovative approaches under development.
- Improve the programme based on feedback from teachers and students.
- The pilot programme would serve as proof of concept, build allies among teachers and principals, and accelerate the adoption of official lessons in the national curriculum once we formally move in that direction with the Ministry.
POTENTIAL PARTNERS
- Private schools in Sofia
- Ministry of Education and Science
GOAL
- Introduce lectures and practical sessions on the biology of aging and ways to influence it in higher education institutions that already have strong medicine and biology programmes.
- The end result would be that young medical professionals and scientists become familiar with the aging process, its importance, and the methods that can affect it now and potentially in the future. This would help medical professionals offer more scientifically grounded prevention and treatment to patients, while making it more likely that researchers begin working on questions related to aging and its control.
STRATEGY
- Identify lecturers and other staff in authoritative university positions who are open to introducing aging-related material into the curriculum.
- Work together with lecturers to develop aging-related materials that can be integrated well into existing educational programmes.
- Adapt the materials based on feedback from the first students and lecturers who test them.
POTENTIAL PARTNERS
- Medical University of Sofia
- Medical University of Plovdiv
- Medical University of Varna
- Faculty of Biology at Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”
- Faculty of Biology at “Paisii Hilendarski” University of Plovdiv
GOAL
- Turn longevity science into something real, accessible, and experienceable for people in Sofia through movement, community, education, and practical activities for all ages.
- Build a recognisable annual initiative that promotes prevention, healthy living, and scientific progress in aging.
STRATEGY
- Two flagship events:
- Longevity Fest conference
- HackAging Bulgaria hackathon
- A seven-day programme of activities across different parts of Sofia led by partners and sponsors:
- Morning sport events and activities for children, adults 18-60, and adults 60+.
- Urban workshops on nutrition, sleep, stress management, and prevention.
- Hands-on demonstrations and mini-lectures on longevity in parks, libraries, and cultural centres.
- Open days at clinics, sports centres, and other partners.
- Discounts on tests, procedures, and classes.
- A media and digital campaign, “Live Longer, Live Better,” through videos, interviews, social media, and partner channels.
- A strong emphasis on community participation through events that encourage movement, connection, social engagement, and informed health choices.
- Collect participant feedback to assess impact and inform future editions.
POTENTIAL PARTNERS
- Longevity Fest
- Sofia Municipality for logistics, venues, and civic engagement.
- Universities and research institutions for lecture and panel expertise.
- Sports clubs, fitness organisations, and healthy-food brands for events, demonstrations, and prizes.
- Media partners to drive coverage and engagement.
EXPECTED OUTCOMES
- Strong national visibility and positioning of Sofia as a city that supports active and healthy longevity.
- A lasting annual tradition: “Longevity Week - Sofia” as a permanent element in the city calendar.
- Proof through action that BABA is not only an analytical organisation, but a real movement with concrete public impact.
- Greater civic engagement with health, prevention, and aging science.