Emil Kendziorra: biostasis, the preservation of a person for future revival, still lacks a common quality standard

Emil Kendziorra: biostasis, the preservation of a person for future revival, still lacks a common quality standard

On August 13, Emil Kendziorra, a co-author of the Biostasis Roadmap, wrote that most of its research tasks remain open two years after publication. One unresolved question is how well the brain must be preserved for future methods to restore a person.

Biostasis is an attempt to preserve a person in the hope that future medicine will be able to restore them. The central concern is preserving the brain structures associated with memory, personality, and identity. Researchers need a standard that can determine which forms of damage are still compatible with retaining this information.

In the 2024 Biostasis Roadmap, the authors described several levels of assessment. Light microscopy reveals cell morphology. Electron microscopy can trace the fine extensions of nerve cells and the contacts between them, known as synapses. The distribution of proteins, lipid molecules, and nucleic acids, including DNA and RNA, provides information about the preservation of molecules within cells. After rewarming, researchers can assess cell viability and the electrical activity of neural tissue.

Computed tomography (CT) and measurements taken during the procedure provide indirect evidence. They show how the cryoprotectant, a solution that reduces ice formation, was distributed through the tissues. These measurements are useful when their results are compared with cell condition and tissue structure.

In a new post, Kendziorra described the purpose of the Roadmap as follows:

“The roadmap was never intended as a showcase of achievements. It is a to-do list.”

A common standard would make it possible to compare different improvements to the protocol. This requires linking tissue condition in images and procedural measurements to the neural organization that the authors associate with memory and other functions.

Kendziorra writes that the next version of the Roadmap will be released in a few months. It will again need to relate procedural measurements to the brain structures that must remain intact for future restoration.