ELSA hosts UK and Irish ageing studies for BILS meeting in London

Researchers from across the UK and Ireland gathered in London this month for the latest British and Irish Longitudinal Studies of Ageing (BILS) meeting, hosted by the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA).

The two-day event, held at the Institute for Fiscal Studies on 16-17^th April, brought together leading experts from The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA), Northern Ireland Cohort for the Longitudinal Study of Ageing (NICOLA), Healthy Ageing in Scotland (HAGIS), as well as ELSA and partner institutions to share new findings on ageing, health, and social inequalities.

Opening the meeting, Professor Andrew Steptoe highlighted the continued value of cross-cohort collaboration in addressing shared challenges in ageing research. The programme reflected the breadth of work across the studies, spanning biological mechanisms, cognitive ageing, health trajectories, and innovations in data collection.

Early sessions focused on biological and molecular processes underpinning ageing. Presentations examined links between socio-economic position and gene expression, sex differences in health and survival, and biological pathways connecting diet and mental health. These were followed by a strong emphasis on cognitive ageing and dementia, including new evidence on infection-related cognitive risks, cardiovascular health and cognition, and emerging findings on dementia prevalence and resilience.

A key theme running through the meeting was methodological innovation. Updates from ELSA included work on transitioning to multimode fieldwork, while TILDA researchers presented advances in health assessment and psychological measurement. These developments point to how longitudinal studies are adapting to maintain high-quality data while reducing participant burden.

The second day shifted focus to health, wellbeing, and inequalities in later life. New analyses explored physical activity patterns using device-based measures, trajectories of multimorbidity, and mental health among caregivers. Other presentations addressed financial outcomes linked to cognitive decline, ethnic inequalities in mortality, and trends in polypharmacy among older adults.

Discussions throughout the meeting emphasised the importance of harmonisation across studies, particularly in areas such as cognitive assessment and health measurement. This alignment enables more robust cross-national comparisons and strengthens the evidence base for policy.

The meeting concluded with reflections from Professor Paola Zaninotto on future directions for collaboration. With shared priorities around ageing populations, health inequalities, and care systems, the BILS network continues to provide a platform for coordinated research across the UK and Ireland and the HRS family of studies worldwide.