Building a Pause Button for Biology
A technology is under development to pause molecular motion in biology, benefiting neuroscience research, organ transplantation, and medical hibernation. Challenges include fast cooling rates and cryoprotective agents. Milestones involve functional preservation demonstrations.
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A technology is being developed to pause molecular motion in biology, aiding patients in three critical medical areas. Firstly, in preclinical translatability, cryopreserved brain tissue slices could accelerate neuroscience research by providing human neural tissue samples. Secondly, pausing molecular motion in donor organs post-excision could enhance organ viability and reduce rejection rates during transplantation. Lastly, the concept of medical hibernation aims to extend the window of care for patients without immediate treatment options, potentially offering cures for diseases. The technology relies on controlling molecular motion through temperature adjustments, with cryopreservation techniques like vitrification playing a key role. Challenges include achieving fast cooling and rewarming rates to prevent ice formation and implementing cryoprotective agents to reduce ice nucleation. Milestones include demonstrating functional preservation in neural tissue and whole organs, leading towards human organ cryopreservation trials. Various technical approaches are being pursued, such as engineering systems for rewarming, developing biocompatible cryoprotectants, and creating neuroscience assays for viability assessments. Surgical protocols for organ preparation and perfusion control are also crucial aspects of this innovative medical technology.
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2 commentsIt's a really hard problem. Current approaches do excessively lethal damage to the human being suspended; the only hope is that future medical technology will be able to repair that, but 'future' still means 'post-singularity' or so.
Admittedly that doesn't feel as far out as it used to. But since I'm not competent to comment on the actual contents of this article, here's a thought instead:
The more advanced our suspension technology gets, the less damage it will do. Simultaneously, the better we will get at repairing such damage. This culminates at a crossover point where reviving someone who has just been suspended becomes feasible.
After that point, you can imagine our repair technology will keep getting better; and older and older patients will be revived and healed. So, you can imagine a chain of revived patients learning to live in whatever completely bonkers future world this is going to be -- because future realities are always bonkers, from the perspective of anyone who didn't live the years leading in to it -- and teaching each other what to do.
There's probably a science fiction story in there somewhere.
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