[ExI] Steve Van Sickle's presentation at SENS6

[Rafal Smigrodzki]

Yesterday I had the pleasure of attending Steve Van Sickle's
presentation at SENS6, reporting his results with cryonic preservation
of kidneys. Steve developed a technique for persufflation of organs
perfused with cryoprotectants using cold helium. He was able to cool
pig kidneys to liquid nitrogen temperature, achieving total
vitrification while *avoiding* fractures! I was absolutely floored by
his work, easily the most important presentation at SENS6 so far.
Steve also described calculations for hyperbaric persufflation, which
might allow vitrifying a human body in *a few minutes*!

Needless to say, if this work pans out, it would dramatically change
the world of cryonics. There used to be three obstacles preventing
reversible cryonic suspension - fractures, cryoprotectant toxicity,
and rewarming issues (crystalization). Steve solved the fractures
issue and with the dramatically shorted cooling and even more
dramatically shorter thawing times there might be enough of a
reduction in cryoprotectant toxicity and rewarming injury that
reversible suspension might be within reach (give or take 10 million
dollars worth of development work).

The presentation video should be available on the SENS site at some
point, check it out.

Rafal