1. LONGEVA project Club of Experimental Sciences EB 2,3/S Dr. Daniel de Matos School, Vila Nova de Poiares, Portugal Pinhal do Rei, Secondary School, Marinha Grande, Portugal

2. LONGEVA Project CV - 1825 ► Pedagogic and scientific project ► Project Methodology ► Club of Experimental Sciences First results: Poster published in a International Scientific Congress (U.S.A)

3. Scientific Method - Problem-Based Learning looked for information proposed problem formulated hypotheses made experiments analysed results divulged scientific discovery Students had:

4. initial problem It is possible to extend human lifespan ?

5. theoretical inquiry ► Longevity has a strong genetic component ► Some foods seem to be associates to the longevity ► Caloric restriction slows aging ► Some biomolecules can activate the sirtuins (genes of “immortality”) and extend lifespan

6. Resveratrol ► Vegetal origin ► Extends life span in many different organisms, including mammals ► Therapy of aging pathologies: Cardiovascular Diseases Cancer Parkinson Alzheimer Polygonum cuspidatum

7. Resveratrol ► Extends Lifespan of Yeast by 70% ► Extends Lifespan of fish by almost 60 % ► Extends Lifespan of Fat Mice

8. Yeast - Saccharomyces cerevisiae ► eucariotic microorganism ► short duration of life ► easy maintenance in laboratory ► it does not raise ethical questions ► it does not have risks for the young students ideal biologic model Leaven of Baker

9. it will be that resveratrol increases the resistance to thermal stress in yeast? Hypothesis If the longevity is correlates with the resistance to oxidative and thermal stresses, then… If we confirmed this hypothesis a rapid test for the identification of others lifespan-extending biomolecules

10. Materials e Methods Yeast culture medium : + 100 ml of Water + 1 g of Leaven + Y C M

11. Control TubeExperience Tube 100 µ l YCM + 100 µ l water + 100 µ l MB* 100 µ l YCM + 100 µ l of resveratrol + 100 µ l MB* Experience (step 1) – oxidative stress MB* – Methylene Blue (after 1 minute)

12. Control TubeExperience Tube Experience (step 2) – thermal stress 30 seconds in Microwaves (900 W)

13. Observation in optic microscope

14. Dead yeast Live yeast Counting cells

15. Results Control 100% mortality Resveratrol 60%

16. Implications ► Resveratrol increases oxidative and thermal stresses resistence ► In only about 2 minutes we could test thousands of vegetable extracts ► Discovery of biomolecules more potents than resveratrol

17. Project impact First results Poster published in a International Scientific Congress (U.S.A)

18. Project impact ► Portuguese television, news: RTP (Portugal directo – 23 June 2006) ► 5 times in national press ► Science program in Portuguese television: RTP (ABCiência) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-EGv5iT53nM&feature=related ► Presented at Science teaching festival, Grenoble, France, 2-6 April 2007

19. New investigation lines ► test several plant extracts with medical effects ► test vegetable extracts of trees with great longevity

20. New results Did we find the elixir of immortality? Without the elixir (100% dead cells)With the elixir (100% live cells)

21. Dr. Alexis Carrel (1873-1944), the scientist who won the Nobel prize for keeping the cells of a chicken heart alive for 34 years stated: "The cell is immortal. It is merely the fluid in which it floats that degenerates. Renew this fluid at intervals, give the cells what they require for nutrition and, as far as we know, the pulsation of life may go on forever.” Is immortality possible?

22. The Free Encyclopedia Elixir of life Life extension First publication

23. Acknowledgements: Entidades e Instituições Todos os alunos e professores que colaboraram na elaboração do poster Project supported by EB 2,3/S Dr. Daniel de Matos School, Vila Nova de Poiares Secondary School / 3 Pinhal do Rei, Marinha Grande