7 replies to this topic

[LifespanKeith]

Hello All,

 

As some of you are probably aware, we are currently running a new campaign at Lifespan.io to create a photographic biomarker of aging in mice, allowing researchers to determine the physiological age of lab mice quickly, accurately, and non-invasively.

 

There are full details on the campaign page, but the short version is that this deep-learning based tool, which will first be developed for the commonly used "Black 6" lab mouse strain, will allow faster validation of potential anti-aging interventions, save animal lives, and speed up the pace of longevity research overall. The science is sound, the team is solid (including researchers from Harvard, Insilico Medicine and the Biogerontology Research Foundation), and the impact is high, as basically any longevity-focused mouse trial would benefit from its use. 

 

It is for these reasons that I strongly feel that this project is worthy of support from the community here at LongeCity, and we hope you all will help us again as you have done so valiantly in the past. Specifically it would be amazing to see LongeCity officially support this project and/or a coalition of matching funds be created by the community here to help drive the project to a successful completion. 

 

A good overview of the technical aspects of the project can be found in this video:

 

 

As always feel free to comment / PM with questions, and thank you all for your time.

 

Sincerely,

Keith

 

 

 

 

[Droplet]

I love what Lifespan.io are doing by providing goals that we can try to reach and showing tangible evidence that progress in research is being made. It brings me hope and I check the site almost daily to see the little fundraiser things increase. I have already donated a small amount to this and I hope that others will too.

 

Btw: I love this project, particularly for its goal of improving animal welfare. I know that testing in animals is unfortunately still a necessary thing to save lives but anything that reduces the need for that or makes it less invasive is a good thing.

[Steve H]

I am biased but I am excited about the potential of AI in biomarker research. 

[caliban]

To date, LongeCity has not recommended this fundraiser under our certification scheme.  

 

There are no fundamental concerns about the team involved, the scientific merit, or the budget. We are also satisfied that the aims are in line with the LongeCity mission. Donors can make up their own minds about different views regarding the potential ‘impact’ of the initiative.  

 

However, even after further information provided by the team, a basic feasibility concern remains. The project relies on providing scans and annotated data from at least 10.000 mice (figure not independently validated) in a short timeframe. There is a worry that access to this data may not be forthcoming with regards to aged mice in particular.

 

Based on the above considerations and the growing relationship with Lifespan.io, LongeCity has offered an INCENTIVE contribution:

 

If the team can provide evidence of pledges by the leaders of reputable animal facilities to contribute data and images to the study up to or exceeding a total of 10K different animals, then LongeCity will certify the fundraiser and make a $800 contribution.   

 

Donors can support this particular approach and the project by donating here. If the animal pledges materialise, all funds will go towards the project goal.  Donors may then benefit from the ‘pledge rewards’ listed on the fundraiser page only if they agree that LongeCity may share their data with Lifespan.io.  

If the incentive is not claimed, the funds will be used to support critical peer review of other fundraisers under the certification scheme.    

[LifespanKeith]

Hi All!

 

I just wanted to give some updates regarding the campaign:

 

1) The project team is progressing nicely on obtaining the lab pledges for the 10,000 images as Caliban describes above. I will keep on top of this and post back as further developments occur.

2) For "Longevity Month" we have announced a lot of updates to the MouseAge campaign, which includes a large amount of matching funds, as well as regarding a video initiative we are running to build more support for longevity research. It would be great to have you all involved, so feel free to check it out. 

 

Thanks,

Keith

Edited by LifespanKeith, 04 October 2017 - 06:23 PM.

[Droplet]

This is wonderful news and please keep us updated!

[caliban]

The campaign has completed reaching into its stretch goal.

The reward offered by LongeCity for feasibility pledges was not claimed. 

[LifespanKeith]

Yes the campaign just successfully completed and thank you to everyone who participated! 

 

Regarding the feasibility pledge: yes their was some bureaucracy involving taking photographs of animals that slowed things down here; but we should be able to give an exciting report soon on the progress that is being made.

 

Thanks again all, and I hope everyone enjoyed the recent Kurzgesagt YouTube videos we helped work on