Spring Growth – The Alcor Newsletter

As the new season unfolds around us, Alcor is flourishing with activity and growth. Spring has brought fresh advances in our research, exciting team expansions, and new connections in the wider world. There’s definitely a sense of momentum building as we continue to make progress on multiple fronts. Here’s what’s been happening behind the scenes:
⚡ TLDR:
-Patent granted for Alcor’s Medical Liquid Ventilation System
-New lab equipment expands research capabilities
-Successful DART training with field washout capabilities
-New Alcor Podcast episode released
-James Arrowood presents to Arizona Legislature
-Frozen Dead Guy Days was a success
-Back edition of Alcor Magazine released
🛠️ Engineering Achievements
Patent Granted!

Field Washout System

Testing of the new Whole Body Field Washout System has exceeded benchmarks in multiple metrics. The team is working on integrating even more capabilities into this system, which is currently patent pending. When complete, we’ll have a comprehensive field perfusion system that’s compact enough to fit inside a standard carry-on sized case. Think about that for a moment – lifesaving cryonics technology that can travel in an overhead bin!
3D Printing

Meanwhile, that fancy 3D printer we mentioned in previous newsletters continues proving its worth. The team is producing incredibly detailed medical-grade products from biocompatible resin, creating components that simply aren’t available commercially. The printer has been in such constant use that it’s already paid for itself in cost savings.
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🔬 Research Progress
New Equipment

The lab team continues making impressive strides with new equipment acquisitions. The lab now boasts a fluorescence microscope for visualizing cell structures with special fluorescent dyes, a -80°C deep freezer for long-term preservation of biological samples, and an autoclave for sterilizing equipment.
Getting the fluorescence microscope operational marks a significant achievement for the research team. They’ve successfully sliced thin sections from kidneys perfused with M22 and visualized the cells under the microscope. Having this capability in-house opens doors to diverse experiments for assessing organ viability after cryopreservation.
CT Scanner Saga Continues
In what’s becoming our own special version of Groundhog Day, we’ve hit yet another snag with the CT scanner installation. Due to a clerical error, the transformer was installed with incorrect voltage specifications. This means we now need to re-dig the trench, pour another concrete base, and install the correct transformer. While the science team remains stoic in the face of this setback, I imagine a few expletives were heard echoing down the lab hallway.
The silver lining here is that we have no shortage of other work to focus on for the time being. Even though this temporarily puts our CT scanning plans on hold, there’s a backlog of work that will simply move higher up the priority list.

DONATE NOW – Support Alcor’s Research
🚑 DART (Deployment And Recovery Team)
Important Alcor Podcast Episode

A new Alcor Podcast episode has been released that digs deep into the DART team and Standby Stabilization Transport (SST). There are a lot of misconceptions about what the DART team actually does and how they operate, which makes this one of our most important podcast episodes to date. Recorded with Shelby Calkins, Alcor’s medical response director, this is part one of a two-part series that discusses the history of SST, the creation of the DART model, the reasons why Alcor is moving towards in-house SST, recruitment and training, and more. We strongly encourage all members and prospective members to listen! You listen on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, or click here to listen on our website.
Training
The DART team recently completed an important training session for whole body field washout capabilities. Current and prospective DART members were evaluated and tested under pressure. The quality of talent we’re seeing has been truly impressive.
Team Growth
We’ve added two new DART team members for expanded coverage in Northern California and Florida. This growth helps us continue improving response times and capabilities.
International Expansion
International expansion planning continues to progress well. Arrangements are being finalized for hosting kits and DART capabilities globally, with particular focus on Germany. The team is making steady headway in establishing connection points that will significantly decrease response times for our international members. Click here to help support Alcor’s expansion into Europe.
Case Highlight
DART recently handled a challenging post-mortem notification case, which despite the delayed start, resulted in successful stabilization and cryoprotection. Kudos to the team for making the best of a non-ideal scenario.
DONATE NOW – Support the DART Team
👋 Membership & Community
Alcor Magazine Q2 2024 (Back Edition)

This back edition includes a wide range of essential content for members. You’ll find articles on “Cryonics Then and Now: How Much Progress?” examining how protocols have advanced since the 1960s, a touching tribute titled “Remembering Joe Hovey” who handled Alcor’s finances for many years and recently became a patient, and Michael Benjamin’s thought-provoking podcast on S-MIX and other matters. Special thanks to Mike Perry for his continued dedication to producing the magazine.
Membership Audit
The membership team has been diligently working on a comprehensive membership audit, reaching out to each current member (with special attention to legacy members) to ensure funding is up to date, membership dues are paid, and current contracts are signed. We’re pleased to report we’re almost halfway through updating all agreements.
If any members feel they need to update funding, membership dues, or contracts, please contact the membership department directly.
Arizona Legislature
James recently presented to the Arizona House Science & Technology Committee with excellent results. The committee members were so impressed that they scheduled a follow-up visit to Alcor, touring our facilities and talking directly with our science and engineering teams. Having supportive local politicians who understand our work provides valuable political stability and reduces regulatory risks for Alcor’s future.
🧊 Frozen Dead Guy Days

Alcor joined the festivities at this year’s Frozen Dead Guy Days festival in Estes Park, Colorado. As one of the main sponsors, our booth saw a steady stream of curious visitors throughout the weekend, giving us the opportunity to hand out plenty of Alcor-branded T-shirts and have meaningful conversations about cryonics.

The Royal Blue Ball, a cryonics-themed costume party, saw several Alcor members dressed in their most creative outfits. It was refreshing to step away from the usual seriousness of cryonics and just have fun with the concept – a welcome break from the typically weighty discussions that surround our field.

A highlight of the festival was undoubtedly the science demonstrations put on by Nick, Wonjin, and Jacob. Using liquid nitrogen, they conducted engaging experiments that captivated both adults and children. It was particularly heartwarming to see younger visitors getting excited about the science of cryonics. At one point, a little girl asked, “Have you revived anybody yet?” – an innocent yet pertinent question that reminds us how important it is to introduce these concepts to younger generations who might one day carry the torch for us while we are in the dewar.

The DART team put on a special demonstration of standby and recovery procedures that drew a large audience. By walking spectators through the process in an entertaining way, they helped demystify an aspect of cryonics that people are often curious about.

During the festival, the Alcor team received a private tour of the International Cryonics Museum. It was fascinating to see how cryonics is being presented to the public, and we were able to provide the tour guide with insider perspectives that will help her answer visitor questions with greater accuracy and depth in the future.

The weekend concluded with the infamous Polar Plunge, where three of our daring DART team members bravely jumped into icy waters. They all took it in stride – not surprising given their extensive military and special forces backgrounds. These folks don’t flinch in the face of a little cold water!
📅 Upcoming Events
APR 26 | Seattle Member Meetup CEO James Arrowood will be in Seattle, Washington for a member meetup at Purple Cafe & Wine Bar.
MAY 10 | Alcor Monthly Board Meeting Join us at 11am MST! Access the meeting here. Going forward, the board meeting link will remain the same each month and meetings are held on the second Saturday of every month.
MAY 17-18 | Biostasis Week @ Vitalist Bay Alcor is showing up in full force at this eight-week longevity pop-up city in Berkeley, California. CEO James Arrowood, Director of Research Nick Llewellyn, and board member Ralph Merkle will be presenting. Often seen as an outsider, cryonics will now take center stage in the broader longevity conversation.
JUNE (TBD) | Texas: Join CEO James Arrowood as he makes his way through the Lone Star State! He’s looking forward to connecting with members across Texas for discussions and meetups. If you’re in the area and want to be part of these gatherings, drop a line to
✨ Not an Alcor Member Yet?
Still warming up to the idea of cryonics? The science keeps getting better, our services keep improving, and your biological clock keeps on ticking. Maybe it’s time to stop cryocrastinating and sign-up here before your atoms decide to spontaneously rearrange themselves in a less-than-ideal configuration.
📌 Cryonics News Roundup
- New York Times report on breakthrough kidney preservation: Frozen Kidney Successfully Transplanted After Cryopreservation
- MIT Technology Review article on organ preservation: Spare living human bodies might provide organs
- Explore Longevity report on cryonics companies looking to Sweden: Cryonics Companies Look North for Life Preservation

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