(MIT: Cambridge, MA) -- Patterns of molecular activity in the blood may hold clues not only to how fit someone is but also to the biological processes that support physical performance. Researchers at MIT, GE HealthCare, and the U.S. Military Academy at West Point have developed a computational model that links thousands of these molecular signals to fitness levels, revealing pathways that could inform future studies to improve fitness training and speed recoveries from injury or disease.

To develop their model, the researchers analyzed more than 50,000 biomarkers in 86 cadets at West Point who were training for a military competition. Using these data, the researchers were able to identify molecular pathways that appear to contribute to higher levels of physical fitness.

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