In a groundbreaking announcement, the cryonics startup Cradle, co-founded by Laura Deming and Hunter C Davis, has unveiled its ambitious mission supported by a formidable $48 million in funding. At the core of their venture lies the pursuit of human whole-body reversible cryopreservation, challenging the boundaries of current medical and scientific understanding.
Cradle aims to halt biological functions through advanced cooling techniques, akin to the suspension seen in space travel hibernation pods, albeit applied to preserving human bodies. Their approach builds upon principles observed in in vitro fertilization, where embryos are successfully stored at cryogenic temperatures. By scaling these techniques, Cradle seeks to extend cryopreservation to larger biological entities, potentially including entire human bodies.
The startup's recent achievement of recovering electrical activity in cryopreserved rodent neural tissue marks a critical milestone. This breakthrough not only validates their foundational approach but also sets the stage for more ambitious goals, such as preserving synaptic function and achieving functional organ preservation.
Cradle envisions transformative applications across three key medical domains. Firstly, by enabling the cryopreservation of neural tissue, the company aims to enhance accessibility to brain samples for research, accelerating advancements in neuroscience and drug development. Secondly, they propose extending the viability window for donor organs, thereby improving transplant success rates. Lastly, Cradle sees potential in offering terminal patients the opportunity to suspend their biological time, awaiting future treatments.
To achieve these objectives, Cradle is developing sophisticated engineering systems for vascular perfusion, vitrification, and rapid rewarming. They are also pioneering new cryoprotectant molecules to mitigate the toxic effects associated with current preservation methods. Moreover, the company is creating protocols to assess neural tissue viability post-cryopreservation and optimize organ preparation for the process.
Despite the skepticism surrounding the concept of reversible whole-body cryopreservation, Laura Deming advocates passionately for overcoming cognitive biases that hinder progress in medical innovation. Her resolve underscores Cradle's commitment to exploring unconventional yet potentially transformative solutions in healthcare.
Looking ahead, Cradle's roadmap includes significant milestones such as preserving long-range neuronal projections in animal models, conducting clinical trials for human organ cryopreservation, and ultimately achieving reversible whole-body cryopreservation in small animal models. These advancements promise to reshape not just medical practices but also societal perceptions of life and mortality.
As Cradle continues to push the boundaries of what is scientifically and ethically feasible in cryopreservation, the world watches with anticipation. The implications of their research extend far beyond mere technological achievements, challenging us to reconsider the fundamental definitions of life and its preservation.
