I hypothesize that the various plant extracts are added to the yeast or what is being used to mimic the cancer cells. Then the growth will be deprived and eventually result in visibly stunted growth. Because plants are known for their antimicrobial properties and because of the research completed. It will either kill the yeast or what is considered the cancer cells and/or weaken its advancement. 

*NOT COMPLETE* 

 

 

Previous research

Research has been done on this topic. Scientists for decades have been trying to find a cure for cancer. Cancer is a leading cause of death globally and one of society's greatest issues. Acknowledging that a cure may never be found, since cancer is different for individuals, a treatment can be, or something to make life easier for patients dealing with the deadly disease.

 

Cancer growth

Our bodies consist of trillions of cells clumped together that make up our tissues and organs. Our genes (or DNA) inside the nucleus tell the cell when to provide its functions (die, divide, grow, work). Cells usually follow these instructions to stay healthy. But when the DNA is changed or damaged in the process a gene can mutate. Mutated genes do not work properly because the instructions included in the DNA are mixed up. This can cause cells that should be relaxed to grow out of control which can lead to cancer. When the genes are working like regular, they tell cells how to divide and they make identical copies of themselves.

One healthy divide into 2, those 2 divide into 4, and so on- this process is called prolifation. (Regular cell division). But cancer cells are not the same. They have mutations in the genes that turn the normal cell into a cancer cell. These mutations could be gained from various sources like smoking or radiation (like ultraviolet radiation from the sun). Cancer cells start to grow and divide uncontrollably and do not die when it is time. They also mature much slower than a standard cell. Even though there are lots of types of cancer, they all begin when cells aren’t growing typically, but cancer can start in every single cell in the body. In a nutshell, cancer cells grow by dividing. A tumor is a mass of cancer cells. Tumors need more blood and oxygen, so the cancer cells send signals to the tumor to create new blood vessels. This is one of the reasons cancer grows so fast.

 

Yeast growth

Yeast, also known as Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Is one yeast organism made up of one cell but lives together in colonies (multicellular). Their reproduction process is called budding where a mother cell produces another cell (the daughter cell) that grows to the same size and eventually will detachs from its mother to become a new cell. Eventually, this process will lead to larger multicellular colonies forming, which in some way does represent a cancer tumor. Yeast usually grows best at 30 degrees but can vary.

 

How are they similar?

Human cells (including cancer cells) and yeast already are very similar, using similar genes. Their basic metabolism is very closely the same. The parts for their growth and division are nearly the same. For this reason, many laboratories in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics at the University of Colorado employ yeasts in their experiments. Enzymes involved in lipid metabolism (lipids (fats) being broken down and stored for energy) play a huge role in cancer growth. These enzymes can also be found in yeast, one being Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Budding, the process for yeast, and binary fission (when a cell splits in half) for cancer cells is similar. This is because they are both forms of asexual reproduction and both processes have a necessity of cell division. Quoted from a study of the similarities in lip metabolism, the Nation Institutes of Health “Cancer cell physiology and metabolic fluxes are very similar to those in the fermenting and rapidly proliferating yeast.”. Yeast also makes a very good alternative to cancer cells, because we understand them, but they are genetically similar.

 

Why I choose the plants 

These plants were the plants that were chosen because they are known for their antibacterial properties which can reduce growth. A few were picked to see exactly how it works. One without any extracts was also grown to tell the difference between the ones with the extracts in the growing yeast (or cancer cells).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Slide show link (with all the research) https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/18mvwtPBS1L6-y9Kg5Y5UiHS_7vbs79CUSXA-ctEh9q0/edit?usp=sharing

 

 

Controlled variable- In my project, the controlled variable is the yeast and petri dishes.

A controlled variable is a variable that stays the same in all aspects of the experiment. In my experiment, they stay the same because they never change. Because there are Petri dishes and yeast in each one.

 

Independent variable- The different yeast extracts. (Aloe vera, ginger, turmeric, and garlic)

An independent variable is what changes and is not the same. In this experiment, it would be the different plant extracts, because none of them are the same.

 

Dependent variable- How the yeast (the cancer cells) react to the various plant extracts.

The dependent variable is how it responds. So in this case it would be how the plant extracts growth is affected.

 

    1. Find an alternative.

First I had to find an alternative to cancer cells to pursue this question as an experiment. With lots of research, I settled on yeast. Quite a few studies have been conducted on its similar properties to the growth of cancer cells. Though they are not the same, yeast can serve as a good alternative to use to imitate cancer cells.

   2. Choose the plant extracts

Then came choosing the plant extracts. Which was a crucial part of the experiment, since they are what we will be testing. The plant extracts I chose were because of their already known properties and I wanted to see how they would affect cancer cells if they have already revolutionized the health industry. 

   3. Plan the project and figure out how it is gonna take place.

Tricky was a bit of an understatement of how to find a way to make this take place. Knowing yeast is a fungus, I took that to my advantage and decided to grow it in a petri dish, because it has everything it needs, like food in the form of agar. Then came the next part the plant extracts which I decided on the reasons mentioned above. The reason the amounts were chosen had no actual reason, but just for experimentation and to see how.

 

EXPERIMENT PROCEDURE

    1. Gather materials

- Yeast to mimic the cancer cells.

- The numerous plant extracts- including, Aloe Vera, Ginger, Garlic, and turmeric.  It is important to see how plant extracts affect yeast.

- Petri dishes with agar (for the yeast to have food- similar to the food the cancer gets from the body) to grow the yeast into imitate cancer cells.

     2. Put the yeast in the petri dishes.

  Add 1.25 grams (1/4 a teaspoon) of yeast into each of the petri dishes. This is so the yeast can start growing to mimic the cancer cells and start the growth to compare it from the beginning and end.

      3. Add the plant extracts to each of the petri dishes. 

Add 0.65 grams (1/8 teaspoon) of each of the plant extracts to view the effects. 

       4. Collect data over the next two weeks of the growth.

 To see and prove how it is affected.

       5. Combine my data into graphs, charts, and reports.

  To make it easier to showcase, and to visually understand and give you a real-life visual of how it is truly affected.

      6. Conduct the experiment (steps 2-5) again.

To get more data and for the results to be more accurate. Because the more experiments conducted the more precise the results will be because it can correct the mistakes made in the first experiment.

 

Abstract

 

 

 

 

 

Observations 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All recorded in logbook (paper copy)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All recorded inside of logbook (paper copy)

About 20% of people or 1/5 people experience cancer in their lifetime. And 1/9 (11%) of men die because of it, not even including the 1/12 (8%) of women lose their lives because of the terrible circumstances. The deadly disease is the leading cause of death globally. All things considered, after a whole experiment and research, I conclude that plant extracts have a positive impact on cancer cells, and a negative impact on growth, which is a good thing considering the growth is slowed down. I know this because, the empty dish (1) had the most signs of growth whilst the ones with the plant extracts (2, 3, 4, and 5) showed decreased rates of growth. The dishes that held the extracts had dried out and dead yeast (or “cancer cells”) and visibly fewer spots of mold (or “tumors”). Thus as a result proves that plant extracts have a beneficial impact on slowing down the growth of yeast and/or cancer cells.

Show proof of how plant extracts affect growth. Maybe not creating a cure but building a pathway for a successful treatment to save lives and make the lives of cancer patients better.

I wish I had chosen to use more plant extracts, to go deep into the topic. Maybe even used one that wasn't known for its properties. I also should have taken an opportunity and try to do more experiments, if I were I would conduct 4 or 5 to get more accurate results.

I acknowledge my family, friends, and mentors for giving me the support for this project. I acknowledge the help I received for my project that helped me make it the way it was. I am very grateful for all the help I received to make this awesome project! Special thanks to, Sanaiya Satwant, Liv Multani, and My mom and Dad.