X-Message-Number: 4978
Date: 13 Oct 1995 06:15:57 U
From: "Norton, Brook" <>
Subject: Storing youthful DNA

A company called Third Millennium Research offers a service to store a sample
of your DNA in a time-hardened container.  They generally appeal to those who
want to be immortalized by knowing their DNA will survive for centuries and the
co also mentioned that some are interested in this service so that a clone
could someday be made of them, Jurrasic Park style.  Neither of these scenarios
would be of interest to a cryonicist, but I pluncked down my $55 for another
reason.

I once felt that your DNA was your DNA was your DNA, and so DNA from an elderly
person could be used, without modification, to construct a clone (in which to
place the reanimated brain someday; how we rejuvinate the brain cells is
another story).  However, my lay knowledge of cell activity has indicated that
the DNA undergoes changes overtime.  That the cell is constantly repairing DNA
which is constantly mutating.  As one ages, the repair mechanisms don't keep up
with mutations and so damaged DNA starts resulting in declining health. 
Therefore, some or all of the DNA in an elderly deanimated patient may be
damaged to the point that it is not obvious how the "healthy" DNA should look. 
Therefore, I've had a sample preserved as a snapshot of my DNA at age 35, to
possibly aid future doctors in restoring me to youth.

I think its extremely likely that the DNA in an elderly patient will prove
adequate for creating a youthful clone.  Either some DNA will be undamaged and
can be used straight, or the damage can be removed through statisical analysis
of many cells' DNA, or by some other clever procedure.  However, to my level of
understanding, damaged DNA = lost information, and so I played it safe by
storing a sample.

The procedure is: they send you a cotton patch that you wipe on the inside of
your cheek and send back to them.  They extract the DNA and store it on a piece
of filter paper in a glass vial with inert gas that is heat sealed.  The vile
is put in a plastic container for vibration protection, and the plastic
container is dropped into a chamber in an aluminum block, sealed off with a
removeable screw.  Pertinent info is engraved on the aluminum block.  Cost $55.
 Third Millennium phn 206-524-6376.

Brook Norton
Aerodynamics Engineer
McDonnell Douglas


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