The opening yesterday of a new building housing ''the Dunedin Study'' will allow the ''fountain of youth'' to keep flowing.
About 100 people attended the opening ceremony of the headquarters for the Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Study on the corner of Union St and Anzac Ave.
Otago University department of psychology head and master of ceremonies Prof Mike Colombo called the new Dunedin Study building ''magnificent''.
Prof Colombo said the study was a ''national treasure'' and could predict adult measures of wellbeing based on childhood measures of self-control by following the progress of more than 1037 people born in Dunedin in 1972 and 1973.
Of the original participants, 95% were still actively involved in the study.
''The knowledge that has been gained from the Dunedin Study is effectively a how-to manual on leading the longest, happiest and healthiest life possible. It is the closest thing I can think of to a fountain of youth.''
As the participants' identities were never revealed, the new building had a private entrance and private parking.
The ground floor was dedicated to research and included interview rooms and specialised testing areas.
The first floor was for offices and meeting rooms for researchers and support staff.
Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Research Unit director Prof Richie Poulton said his team was continuing the work begun by Dr Phil Silva.
When the study started it ''ran on the goodwill of the Dunedin community'', including being housed in the Sunday school rooms behind Knox Church for a decade.
It then shifted to the former Barningham Building behind the School of Dentistry for 30 years.
When the building was set to be demolished, the unit moved to the Logan Park Annexe.
''It had very humble beginnings, a very long time ago; some might say too humble for too long,'' Prof Poulton said.
Now, the study was housed in a ''superb environment'' and everyone involved felt ''very proud, very vindicated and extremely well supported''.
The unit would launch a new assessment in April which would be ''the most complex, broad-ranging, cutting edge assessment we have ever done''.
''Every time we do this we try and get better.''
University of Otago vice-chancellor Prof Harlene Hayne said the new building would ''house a jewel in the University of Otago crown''.
The 580sqm building is covered in mostly vertical cedar, with contrasting elements of cement sheet and was ''a wonderful addition'' to the university.
At the ceremony, Prof Hayne personally thanked Dr Silva for his ''brainchild'', the ''most successful longitudinal study of health and human development anywhere in the world''.
Since the study's ''humble'' beginnings 45 years ago, it had yielded a ''treasure trove of knowledge'', resulting in more than 1300 publications, she said.
''This study is one of the greatest gifts New Zealand has ever given the world,'' Prof Hayne said.
Paul Goldsmith, on his first visit to Dunedin as Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Minister, spoke about the university connecting New Zealand to the rest of the world.
''There is something romantic about this place. It's perched at the absolute end of the world but absolutely and fundamentally connected with human thought, interaction and research with the rest of the world.''
The ''quality data'' from the ''brilliant world-leading'' research was a ''solid foundation'' on which to make public policy decisions in New Zealand and internationally.
The ceremony concluded with the minister unveiling a plaque to officially open the building.
