Mike Darwin
Encyclopedia
Michael G. Darwin, also known as Michael Federowicz, (born April 26, 1955) was the president of the cryonics
organization Alcor Life Extension Foundation
from 1983 to 1988, and Research Director until 1992. He was also the founder and president of BioPreservation, Inc., and a cofounder, member of the Board of Directors, and Director of Research of Twenty-First Century Medicine
(a cryobiological
/critical care medicine
research company) from 1993 to 1999.
, his interest in evolution
and rejection of creationism
earned him the nickname "Darwin
" among his schoolmates. Michael had a fascination with cryopreserving
organisms as a young child. In 1968, at the age of 12, he qualified for the Indiana
state science fair
with his project "Suspended Animation
in Animals and Plants." He dreamed of becoming an astronaut
and applying his research to space travel
. His registration was lost and his project never judged, but he was given an honorable mention out of a sense of fair play. At the fair, however, he learned that a Dr. James Bedford
had been frozen in California
. This was the beginning of Darwin's lifelong interest in cryonics
.
Federowicz contacted the Cryonics Society of New York (CSNY) and was sent a considerable amount of literature by Saul Kent
, who became a lifelong patron
of Michael's rapidly growing cryonics technical skills. At the age of 17 Michael was invited by Saul Kent to cryopreserve
a cryonics patient for CSNY. Darwin had independently built his own cryonics equipment, which he found on his New York visit to be more sophisticated than that CSNY had actually used for cryopreservation. When he began his career as a dialysis
technician, Michael adopted "Darwin" as his surname for his cryonics persona
, so as not to endanger his career by the association with cryonics.
Darwin and Stephen Bridge co-founded the Institute for Advanced Biological Studies (IABS) in Indianapolis in 1977, which merged with the then-California-based Alcor Life Extension Foundation
in 1982. Darwin served as the President of Alcor, and then as the Research Director from 1988 to 1992, leaving Alcor in 1992. About 50 former Alcor members joined in the founding of the CryoCare Foundation, an organization dedicated to cryonics which later went defunct. Darwin founded a company, BioPreservation, which contracted perfusion and transport services to CryoCare.
Darwin is a vegetarian. His dog Mitzi is preserved at Alcor.
during the 1980s, and physician Dr. Steven B. Harris in the 1990s to create many of the key technologies and practices of modern cryonics
.
Cryonics
Cryonics is the low-temperature preservation of humans and animals who can no longer be sustained by contemporary medicine, with the hope that healing and resuscitation may be possible in the future. Cryopreservation of people or large animals is not reversible with current technology...
organization Alcor Life Extension Foundation
Alcor Life Extension Foundation
The Alcor Life Extension Foundation, most often referred to as Alcor, is a Scottsdale, Arizona, USA-based nonprofit company that researches, advocates for and performs cryonics, the preservation of humans in liquid nitrogen after legal death, with hopes of restoring them to full health when new...
from 1983 to 1988, and Research Director until 1992. He was also the founder and president of BioPreservation, Inc., and a cofounder, member of the Board of Directors, and Director of Research of Twenty-First Century Medicine
Twenty-First Century Medicine
21st Century Medicine is a California cryobiological research company which has as its primary focus the development of perfusates and protocols for viable long-term cryopreservation of human organs, tissues and cells at cryogenic temperatures through the use of vitrification. Dr. Gregory M...
(a cryobiological
Cryobiology
Cryobiology is the branch of biology that studies the effects of low temperatures on living things. The word cryobiology is derived from the Greek words "cryo" = cold, "bios" = life, and "logos" = science. In practice, cryobiology is the study of biological material or systems at temperatures below...
/critical care medicine
Intensive care medicine
Intensive-care medicine or critical-care medicine is a branch of medicine concerned with the diagnosis and management of life threatening conditions requiring sophisticated organ support and invasive monitoring.- Overview :...
research company) from 1993 to 1999.
Personal background
Born in Indianapolis, IndianaIndianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
, his interest in evolution
Evolution
Evolution is any change across successive generations in the heritable characteristics of biological populations. Evolutionary processes give rise to diversity at every level of biological organisation, including species, individual organisms and molecules such as DNA and proteins.Life on Earth...
and rejection of creationism
Creationism
Creationism is the religious beliefthat humanity, life, the Earth, and the universe are the creation of a supernatural being, most often referring to the Abrahamic god. As science developed from the 18th century onwards, various views developed which aimed to reconcile science with the Genesis...
earned him the nickname "Darwin
Charles Darwin
Charles Robert Darwin FRS was an English naturalist. He established that all species of life have descended over time from common ancestry, and proposed the scientific theory that this branching pattern of evolution resulted from a process that he called natural selection.He published his theory...
" among his schoolmates. Michael had a fascination with cryopreserving
Cryopreservation
Cryopreservation is a process where cells or whole tissues are preserved by cooling to low sub-zero temperatures, such as 77 K or −196 °C . At these low temperatures, any biological activity, including the biochemical reactions that would lead to cell death, is effectively stopped...
organisms as a young child. In 1968, at the age of 12, he qualified for the Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
state science fair
Science fair
A science fair is generally a competition where contestants present their science project results in the form of a report, display board, and models that they have created. Science fairs allow students in grade schools and high schools to compete in science and/or technology activities...
with his project "Suspended Animation
Suspended animation
Suspended animation is the slowing of life processes by external means without termination. Breathing, heartbeat, and other involuntary functions may still occur, but they can only be detected by artificial means. Extreme cold can be used to precipitate the slowing of an individual's functions; use...
in Animals and Plants." He dreamed of becoming an astronaut
Astronaut
An astronaut or cosmonaut is a person trained by a human spaceflight program to command, pilot, or serve as a crew member of a spacecraft....
and applying his research to space travel
Space exploration
Space exploration is the use of space technology to explore outer space. Physical exploration of space is conducted both by human spaceflights and by robotic spacecraft....
. His registration was lost and his project never judged, but he was given an honorable mention out of a sense of fair play. At the fair, however, he learned that a Dr. James Bedford
James Bedford
James Hiram Bedford was a University of California psychology professor who had written several books on occupational counseling. He is the first person whose body was cryonically preserved after legal death, and who remains cryopreserved...
had been frozen in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. This was the beginning of Darwin's lifelong interest in cryonics
Cryonics
Cryonics is the low-temperature preservation of humans and animals who can no longer be sustained by contemporary medicine, with the hope that healing and resuscitation may be possible in the future. Cryopreservation of people or large animals is not reversible with current technology...
.
Federowicz contacted the Cryonics Society of New York (CSNY) and was sent a considerable amount of literature by Saul Kent
Saul Kent
Saul Kent is a prominent life extension activist, and co-founder of the Life Extension Foundation, a major dietary supplement vendor and promoter of anti-aging research...
, who became a lifelong patron
Patrón
Patrón is a luxury brand of tequila produced in Mexico and sold in hand-blown, individually numbered bottles.Made entirely from Blue Agave "piñas" , Patrón comes in five varieties: Silver, Añejo, Reposado, Gran Patrón Platinum and Gran Patrón Burdeos. Patrón also sells a tequila-coffee blend known...
of Michael's rapidly growing cryonics technical skills. At the age of 17 Michael was invited by Saul Kent to cryopreserve
Cryopreservation
Cryopreservation is a process where cells or whole tissues are preserved by cooling to low sub-zero temperatures, such as 77 K or −196 °C . At these low temperatures, any biological activity, including the biochemical reactions that would lead to cell death, is effectively stopped...
a cryonics patient for CSNY. Darwin had independently built his own cryonics equipment, which he found on his New York visit to be more sophisticated than that CSNY had actually used for cryopreservation. When he began his career as a dialysis
Dialysis
In medicine, dialysis is a process for removing waste and excess water from the blood, and is primarily used to provide an artificial replacement for lost kidney function in people with renal failure...
technician, Michael adopted "Darwin" as his surname for his cryonics persona
Persona
A persona, in the word's everyday usage, is a social role or a character played by an actor. The word is derived from Latin, where it originally referred to a theatrical mask. The Latin word probably derived from the Etruscan word "phersu", with the same meaning, and that from the Greek πρόσωπον...
, so as not to endanger his career by the association with cryonics.
Darwin and Stephen Bridge co-founded the Institute for Advanced Biological Studies (IABS) in Indianapolis in 1977, which merged with the then-California-based Alcor Life Extension Foundation
Alcor Life Extension Foundation
The Alcor Life Extension Foundation, most often referred to as Alcor, is a Scottsdale, Arizona, USA-based nonprofit company that researches, advocates for and performs cryonics, the preservation of humans in liquid nitrogen after legal death, with hopes of restoring them to full health when new...
in 1982. Darwin served as the President of Alcor, and then as the Research Director from 1988 to 1992, leaving Alcor in 1992. About 50 former Alcor members joined in the founding of the CryoCare Foundation, an organization dedicated to cryonics which later went defunct. Darwin founded a company, BioPreservation, which contracted perfusion and transport services to CryoCare.
Darwin is a vegetarian. His dog Mitzi is preserved at Alcor.
Technical accomplishments
Darwin was the first full-time cryonics researcher, for one year for Alcor in the 1970s. Darwin worked alongside UCLA cardiothoracic researcher Jerry LeafJerry Leaf
Jerry Donnell Leaf was Vice President and Director of the cryonics organization Alcor Life Extension Foundation, and President of the cryonics service firm Cryovita, Inc., until his cryopreservation by Alcor following a fatal heart attack in 1991.Leaf fought in special operations during the...
during the 1980s, and physician Dr. Steven B. Harris in the 1990s to create many of the key technologies and practices of modern cryonics
Cryonics
Cryonics is the low-temperature preservation of humans and animals who can no longer be sustained by contemporary medicine, with the hope that healing and resuscitation may be possible in the future. Cryopreservation of people or large animals is not reversible with current technology...
.
External links
- Interview with Mike Darwin
- Chronosphere -(collection of Darwin articles on cryonics, its techniques & medical aspects & history, and aging)