Massachusetts Institute of Technology recently cut ties with a company aiming to preserve human brains with a fatal procedure.
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Last month, the medical startup Nectome announced it would be partnering with MIT to conduct research for experiments designed to maintain brain functionality after death with high-tech embalming, a process used to prevent a body from decay.
The analysts said they'd target patients suffering from terminal illnesses. The individuals would be sedated, connected to heart and lung machines, and injected with the embalming chemicals while alive. It is "100 percent fatal," the founders warned in a MIT Technology Review article, but they said the solution "can keep a body intact for hundreds of years, maybe thousands, as a statue of frozen glass."
The university, which was initially on board to support the research but not offer financial or operational aid, is now backing away.
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"Upon consideration of the scientific premises underlying the company's commercial plans, as well as certain public statements that the company has made, MIT has informed Nectome of its intent to terminate the subcontract between MIT and Nectome in accordance with the terms of their agreement," MIT said in a press release.
While Nectome had not begun performing the surgeries, the company invited prospective customers to join a wait list for a $10,000 deposit. As of March, 25 people had signed up.
However, the brand reiterated that it was still in the research phase.
"We appreciate the help which MIT has given us, understand their choice, and wish them the best. As alums, we're big fans of MIT, and we hope that we can collaborate again in the future," Nectome co-founder Robert McIntyre told Gizmodo. "It's important to remember that we're a young neuroscience research company, still in the research phase of building a way to preserve memories."
Read more here.
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