Vladimir Putin has talked about living to 150. Now a science institute run by his close friend has created a bank of blood samples from long-lived primates in search of a way to slow aging.

The Kurchatov Institute and a surgery research centre have created a bank of blood samples from long-lived primates to study ageing. The project is intended to investigate how ageing works and, according to institute head Mikhail Kovalchuk, could help lay groundwork for extending human life.

Researchers are studying monkeys aged 18 to over 30, examining their blood vessels, brains and other organs. Kovalchuk said the institute’s breeding facilities house more than 7,000 monkeys from 22 species. The project echoes Vladimir Putin’s interest in longevity: he is 74 and was heard discussing the possibility of living to 150 with China’s Xi Jinping in 2025.