Objective:
Allow people all over the world to contribute to LE research by raising their own mouse (or mice) under various explanatory variables and controls and document the entire process on a web server. Resulting techniques resulting in mice with long lifespans might be reproduced by other users. Eventually, scientists will use our anecdotal evidence to perform statistically powered studies. This could be used for the Rejuvenation and the standard M-Prize.
Background:
Few studies address the effects of rigorous supplementation on the lifespan of mice. (Here is a good one krillin linked to a while back) Scientists aren't prone to conducting studies with many more than 2 or 3 explanatory variables and with good reason (they are much more expensive). It doesn't make tons of sense that most of us are on CR or taking a CR mimic and on a heavy supplementation regimen and we don't have any mice studies to support the benefits of cumulative supplementation. Perhaps studies of mice on CR, with heavy supplementation, in positive environments etc.. may result in non-additive life extension benefits as multiple aging pathways are being hit.
Why decentralized?
I personally would be much more inclined to raise my own mouse than donate 1000$ for the following reasons:
1) I will feel like i personally contributed to aging research. (I won't be bragging in a bar 200 years in the future about donating money, but I might just brag about raising the first 10 year old mouse)
2) Having pets is fun (especially if you have a kid to take care of it).
3) Individuals are going to test a much broader range of experimental variables than a single lab could.
4) This setup should follow some similiar rules as markets do: Most people will likely try to refine what is working while some try much more radical procedure.
5) Even with a reasonably small personal cost (of 500$ ish), someone can raise a mouse and really feel like they contributed.
6) If you get a mouse to live a long time, face it, you are going to feel pretty cool.
7) You get to test out your own regimen.
8) There are lots and lots and lots of people in the world.
This idea is in its infancy, but I am personally very serious about it if it recieves lots of support here. If there is support, I would love to help in designing a webserver and raise a mouse.
Edited by lucid, 04 September 2007 - 02:52 AM.
