X-Message-Number: 22873
From: "Igor Artyuhov" <>
References: <>
Subject: Research in Russia (Re: CryoNet #22865, #22867
Date: Tue, 18 Nov 2003 17:55:49 +0300

Comrade Andre Borisov wrote to <>
on 18 Nov 2003 10:00:01 -0000:

 C> Message #22865
 C> Date: Mon, 17 Nov 2003 12:14:23 -0800 (PST)
 C> From: cryofan andrew <>
 C> Subject: Russia or India and Half-Baked Discussion

[Skipped]

 C> I half-jokingly suggested that Suspended Animation be moved to Saint
 C> Petersburg (or any other place) where one can hire 5 or 6 local
 C> researches for the price of one in America and you don't have to deal
 C> with zoning boards and animal-rights activists.

Well, '5 or 6' seems to be a slightly exaggerated estimate, but the
order of magnitude is correct. Other advantage is a much friendlier
public attitude towards immortalism and cryonics in particular.
I can see these ideas being easily accepted by both media and
professional (medic and scientific) communities here.

As for the first, I took part in 4 TV programs on cryonics, 3 radio
broadcasts and I know about 5 or 6 articles in popular magazines
and newspapers, only 1 of which was definitely negative. The latest
is the last issue of the popular computer weekly "Computerra"
(Nov. 11, 2003, #43 (518) http://www.computerra.ru/offline/2003/518/)
where the cover story is "Who wants to live forever". It includes
2 large articles - on fighting the senescence and on cryonics, and
2 interviews - with. V. Skulachev (a member of the Russian Academy
of Science) and with me. There is also a short 3rd interview - with rev.
A Kuraev - a well-known deacon of the Russian Orthodox Church.
It consists of just 2 short paragraphs stating that ROC has no official
attitude towards cryonics.

As for the professional community I often meet positive (not necessary
enthusiastic) reaction from both scientists and - especially - medics.
Among scientists I can mention:

- Dr. Kemenov, The head of the Research Institute of Vacuum Technology

- Dr. Nesterov, Director of Research at RIVT and a professor at Moscow
  Power Engineering Institute /Technical University/
  (http://www.mpei.ru/StartPage.asp?Lang=eng) , Department of Low
  Temperatures

- Dr. Karnaukhov, Vice-Director of  Institute of Cellular Biophysics
  (http://www.icb.psn.ru/)

- Dr. Gakhova, a well-known Russian cryobiologists, head of the
  Laboratory of Cryoconservation of Genetic Resources
  (http://www.icb.psn.ru/struct/LabKriokonservac/p1.html)

: as well as some less famous names. Those who can read Russian can find
an article 'Cryonics: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow' by Kemenov,
Nesterov and Ivanova at
http://rvs.org.ru/article/sart.html?id=270&conf_id=4.
A report 'Prospects for Reversible Cryopreservation of Large Biological
Objects' by Karnaukhov, Kemenov, Nesterov, Gakhova, Karnaukhov
and me is to be available soon at http://www.immortalitas.org/library.html.

We have great plans :(not great funds): for a research in the areas of
cryonics
and cryopreservation of organs and we are open towards any cooperation.

Yet another advantage is a noteworthy political stability - at least as
compared
 to the Dominican Republic or - AFAIK - India.

[Skipped]

 C> To Comrade Yuri Pichigin:

 C> Who ever cared about what Russian laws say? Let me remind you that not
 C> so long ago, according to Russian laws you and me had complete freedom
 C> of speech, worship, travel, political association and what not. Did you
 C> take those laws seriously? Even now the Russian law is $200 under the
 C> table to a state bureaucrat.

Well, not that simple. At least not $200 :). What we have now is a gap in
the
Russian legislation - 'not forbidden, but no special permission has been
issued
also'. Well, the same is the situation in the US. But in the US it means
that one
may go on until prohibited, in Russia - until some bureaucrat dislikes him
:(.

 C> Plus there is no law banning cryonics RESEARCH and, thank goodness, they
 C> don't have any zoning planning committees yet or any blankety-blank
 C> animal rights activists. The problem with cryonics in Russia is not
 C> Russian laws but lack of funding and low income level of the general
 C> population plus the novelty of the idea itself. The business and the
 C> artistic elite, however, can easily afford it. On the other hand, low
 C> wages level makes the research very affordable.

That's absolutely right.

With best regards, Igor Artyuhov
artyuhov(at)biomed.ru.

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