Hello,
I was wondering if anyone located close to New York/New Jersey can help me prepare and execute a fundraiser in August 2014 in the NYC area to raise funds for an experiment to test the potential of stem cells to reverse aging in mice.
Stem cells are highly implicated in the process of aging. Several independent studies, over the years, have shown unequivocally that young stem cells, as opposed to old stem cells, have a youth-rejuvenating effect on certain organs and on certain diseases and conditions of aging when injected intravenously into the systemic circulation. This effect depends on the types of stem cells injected, with mesenchymal and bone marrow stem cells showing the most pronounced effect. However, none of those studies have proven conclusively whether or not stem cells can reverse the aging process in general.
In addition, I hypothesize that defective mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is naturally and routinely restored in postmitotic cells such as neurons via intercellular transfer of mitochondria and/or mtDNA between different cells of the body, thus opening the door to the possibility that stem cells and/or their progeny can correct mutant or defective mtDNA in both mitotic and postmitotic cells such as neurons. I further hypothesize that in the case of irreplaceable neurons, intercellular transfer of mtDNA from surrounding replaceable cells, such as astrocytes or microglial cells, routinely maintains the youthfulness of the neurons until old age, when the surrounding replaceable cells have inherited dysfunctional mtDNA from dysfunctional stem cells and are no longer replaced due to a dysfunctional stem cell pool. On the basis of this hypothesis, it may be possible that stem cells may have a more significant role in the maintenance of youth than previously recognized by the mainstream research community.
Here I propose an experiment to extract bone marrow cells expressing pluripotency markers (e.g. NANOG, OCT4, SOX2, etc) from young mice and intravenously inject them into the systemic circulation of old mice of the same inbred strain, after which the injected stem cells "should" populate existing stem cell niches by outcompeting dysfunctional stem cells for limited niche space. The cells and tissues of various organs, such as brain, muscle, intestines, and skin, of old control mice, young control mice, and old injected mice will be compared for (1) numbers of cells showing mitochondrial dysfunction such as defective OXPHOS or cytochrome-C deficiency, (2) numbers of cells staining positive for senescence-associated beta-galactosidase, (3) inflammatory markers such as NF-kappa-B, (4) other biomarkers of aging. It may also be possible to video-capture the old injected mice both before and after the injection to compare their relative levels of physical energy, which may allow for subjective analysis of how much youth rejuvenation had occurred as a result of the injection. Results of the experiment will be published in the public domain.
If aging is definitively reversed as a result of the stem cell injections from this experiment, this experiment could be a game-changer in the battle to reverse the process of aging.
Total required funding depends on many parameters, but I am estimating anywhere from a few thousand to ten thousand dollars, depending on the number of mice used in the experiment. In addition, senescent mice are expensive. As the number of senescent mice used in the experiment increases, the cost will increase but the interpretation of results will be more conclusive. To minimize labor cost, it may be possible to hire a recent college graduate or assign work to volunteer laboratory technicians or interns seeking experience.
There are several ways to raise funding for the experiment, including online crowdfunding. But for this experiment, I would like to hold a life extension fundraising event in a location near New York City or central/northern New Jersey, preferably in August 2014. If enough funds cannot be raised from this event to conduct the experiment, then I may seek remaining funds from the online Longecity and anti-aging community. A physical fundraising event, versus online fundraising, offers the following advantages:
(a) More efficient communication of the details of the experiment and the answering of questions. Face-to-face meetings can communicate more enthusiasm than the written word.
(b) Some potential donors respond more positively and grant more trust when the fundraising proposal is done face-to-face. In addition, donors with any trust issues can visit the local laboratory where the experiment is conducted to verify the proper execution of funds. This can win more potential donors who have big dollars in their bank accounts and who want to do their due diligence before making large donations.
© Ability to reach new people outside of the online anti-aging communities. Whereas the online anti-aging communities may have exhausted their capital on earlier anti-aging causes, new people outside of these communities may have fresh money to donate. Some may become loyal, long-term donors. Certain local areas, such as Manhattan's Upper East side, are enriched with people in the higher income levels. Wealthier people also value their lives highly and many of them would welcome significant life extension. In addition, they generally have more money to donate and their tax incentives for donation are higher than people who are less wealthy.
(d) Easier recruitment of new supporters for life extension in the New York and New Jersey areas for the formation of a new Longecity chapter that meets regularly and plans accurately to defeat aging.
(e) Opportunity to capture the event on video to be published on YouTube, which may win additional supporters online.
(f) Opportunity for existing Longecity members in the New York and New Jersey areas who are serious about anti-aging to come together for a common cause and to cement online relationships.
The event can take place in a rented auditorium where we can present our ideas in front of an audience who may be unaware of the current state of anti-aging science. We can present short videos, show PowerPoint slides explaining the biological concepts of the stem cell experiment, explain how this experiment could be a game-changer in the battle against aging, make compelling speeches promoting the importance of life extension and age-reversing technology, introduce biotech researchers, play music, and serve food and refreshments (anti-aging food, of course). We can even give the audience tips on what they can do right now to slow the aging process in their own lives. Most importantly, we ask them sincerely for their generous donation. For credibility reasons, we should seek permission from Longecity to represent Longecity at this event so that we can be perceived as being more than just a bunch of isolated individuals claiming to work on anti-aging. This would mean that funds raised from this event go directly to Longecity, which we would have prearranged beforehand to fund this stem cell experiment and to assure that the experiment is conducted in a professional manner. If Longecity declines this deal, then we may have to conduct the experiment under my New Jersey State registered, science-related business entity, which has been registered since 2008. Funding for the event can come from local advertising sponsors who will be allowed time to present their products/services to the audience. Such presentations from sponsors can be included in the final YouTube videos, which may increase the value of the sponsor proposition and thus, revenue from sponsors. The products/services should be related to anti-aging. The sponsoring technique is standard operating procedure in the world of physical fundraising events.
I cannot execute this event alone. I will need help from several or more volunteers who would like to make a positive impact in the fight to reverse the aging process. The results of this stem cell experiment can reveal very important mechanisms in the process of aging. Who knows -- maybe young, multipotent stem cells can dramatically and genuinely reverse many parts of the aging process and shoot our life expectancy to the moon. We already know from previous research that stem cells are highly implicated in the process of aging. Many phenotypes of aging, such as wrinkled skin, graying/balding hair, immunosenescence, and intestinal senescence have been strongly linked to stem cell dysfunction. Almost anyone with modern knowledge of aging biology would agree that a young immune system (arising from young hematopoietic stem cells) can more effectively remove senescent cells from the tissues of the body than an old immune system. That one fact alone suggests significant age reversal. There are also studies showing transfer of mitochondria, mtDNA, and organelles from mesenchymal stem cells and progenitor cells to other cells of the body in various attempts to repair "damage". Thus, much of the mitochondrial dysfunction that occurs with aging may be reversible through repeated, systemic injections of sufficient quantities of young, autologous, multipotent stem cells derived from super-young, induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) that have already cleaned up their mtDNA through purifying selection.
If you live in the New York City or New Jersey area, please consider helping me to prepare and execute this event. This includes:
(1) Calling potential advertising sponsors to sponsor the event.
(2) Advertising in local publications or promoting the event online.
(3) Setting up audio/video/lighting for the auditorium.
(4) Setting up signs, artwork, and other visual props near the entrance and on stage.
(5) Preparing food and refreshments.
(6) Video recording the event. Postproduction of final video product to be placed on YouTube and/or distributed on DVDs.
(7) Speaking in front of the audience if you have something to say that can help convince them to donate.
(8) Becoming treasurer to collect funds and eventually distribute them to Longecity if Longecity has agreed to the deal.
We should probably strive for an audience size of at least 200 people at the event. If each person donates an average of only $30, then that would raise $6,000 to fund the experiment. The more funds we raise, the more mice we can test, and the more conclusive the experimental results will be. I don't have much money to invest in advertising, and in case the advertising falls short of producing enough attendees for the event, I may ask for advertising contributions. It may also be possible to promote the event online in various forums throughout the Internet, which would require time and labor instead of money.
The time duration of the event can be about two hours, with an option to stay longer for a post-event meeting or dinner at a restaurant for those audience members who are very interested in anti-aging. We can then discuss future plans, such as establishing a local chapter for anti-aging.
If you are interested in volunteering for this event, whether or not Longecity decides to put its name behind it, please either reply to this thread or send me a private message. Your investment of time and effort can pay huge dividends in our battle against aging and the rewards can be a secure and happy future for yourself and your loved ones -- indeed, a world where human suffering, sadness, and death from the ravages of age-related disease will finally become extinct. Thank you for your attention!
Eternity
P.S. I am also open to suggestions for both the event and the experiment.