X-Message-Number: 2093
From:  (Thomas Donaldson)
Subject: CRYONICS.immortal.mice
Date: Sat, 10 Apr 93 17:57:08 PDT



Hi!

This is a message that deserves notice by all cryonicists. I have already
informed at least one person in the offices of Alcor in southern California.
I will comment a bit about this matter after I first describe it.

In the 1 April 1993 issue of NATURE, p. 411, there is an article entitled 
"Dorian Gray Mice". This article discusses the use of gene transfers to 
create a variety of mice not subject to old age. The authors, apparently to
make sure that their animals would not live forever, designed this species so
that they also contained a second special gene that caused the death of these
animals. The general tone of the article, and the opinions expressed (quoted 
by some, and stated outright by the author, a Robin A. Weiss at the Institute
of Cancer Research, Fulham Road, London SW3 6JB, is that this particular
genetic modification should be strongly limited.

The article gives a total of 13 references, none of which I have read; those
which point out the possibility for great longevity in mice having only ONE of
these transplanted genes apparently are in the genetics literature rather than
the gerontology literature.

I received this issue of NATURE just today (I subscribe). So far as I under-
stand the other articles in this issue, there is no hint of April foolery. I
personally would want to chase up the other articles listed before I made any
final decisions. Clearly if this article is NOT just a joke, it deserves our
intense attention.
			Best and long life,
			   Thomas

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