Biomarkers in the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study The aim of the project described in this application is to develop, evaluate and disseminate the biological data from the pilot phase of the Chinese Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS), specifically data from blood. Like the U.S. Health and Retirement Survey (HRS) and related surveys such as the English Longitudinal Study of Aging (ELSA), CHARLS is collecting a set of biomarkers. The collection of biological data was supported by the pilot project but the assays and analysis (including validation) of the biomarkers is not supported by that project. This application requests support to develop the laboratory capacity in China to perform assays of blood samples collected using dried blood spots from 1873 respondents. It also requests support to perform assays of these dried blood spots to provide measures of high sensitivity C reactive protein (CRP) and hemoglobin. We will also compare results from assays done in China to those done in labs used for HRS assays of dried blood spots. This project will also support the evaluation, documentation, and distribution of data from these assays. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: The Chinese Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) will provide detailed information on the health of the Chinese population over 45. Biomarker data will clarify the level of risk for major health outcomes such as mortality, heart disease and loss of physical and cognitive function in this rapidly aging society which will be a dominant force in world aging. The results of this study will add assay data from blood spot samples to the CHARLS public data, greatly enriching these data.