Fight Aging! 2014 Fundraiser Poster #2

Following on from yesterday's post and poster, below find the second commissioned piece for the Fight Aging! 2014 Fundraiser starting on October 1st, with all proceeds going to benefit the SENS Research Foundation. The Foundation organizes and funds work on near future rejuvenation treatments, ways to repair the cellular and molecular damage that causes degenerative aging. This research will ultimately lead to cures and prevention for all age-related disease. How soon can this happen? That is up to us, as funding is very much the limiting factor.

One of the exciting aspects of this era of biotechnology is that early stage research has become very cheap indeed. All of that massive expense you constantly hear about in medicine? That is spent on the road to clinical application, long after the basic research is done and finished. The cost of original research leading to a proof of concept is a drop in the bucket compared to the cost of turning that prototype into a tested, trialed, widely available, packaged, manufactured therapy. Funding for clinical application is a lot easier to raise than funding for original research, not least because you can point to something that works. Thus given a group like the SENS Research Foundation with access to existing labs and established researchers, even a few tens of thousands of dollars make the difference between successfully completing one more cutting edge project or postponing it indefinitely.

When the grassroots of this community raises money for biotechnology, it isn't just for show, and isn't just to help create an environment in which wealthier donors and larger donations are more likely to arrive: it gets things done, funds meaningful science, and makes a real difference to the pace of progress in rejuvenation research.

The full size graphics are large enough for 24 x 36 inch posters, but are also suitable for page-sized fliers. The original Photoshop files are available on request, but are a little large to put up here. Make as much use of these as you like: the purpose is to spread the word and encourage support.

Comments

This poster is better than the other one in my opinion.

I guess there won't be a perfect poster as this fundraising campaign is being targeted at multiple audiences. You've got the general public, ardent supporters of the SENS damage repair approach, and those in-between. Plus the loads of people who seem to be hoping that some genetic or drug intervention will be enough to ensure much longer lives (the gerontology approach).

One of the best things I read on here was the text in the above blog article explaining how early stage research is now cheaper. I didn't really know that until today.

I think that once people have got interested in the research, that is when they start making donations. They only make "blind faith" donations "on trust" to long established charity research like that on cancer.

Posted by: Jim at August 27th, 2014 3:02 AM

Regardless of which ad is used, the next step is to determine where likely interested donors might be found. I am somewhat at a loss myself. Are there more scientific internet forums such as Next Big Future, etc? Are there national organizations for general anti-aging such as AFAR.org that might be approached to shake loose some funds that are normally wasted on ineffective research? Also, each chapter of such an organization could receive a copy. I am sure that there are more forums and organizations out there of which I am not aware. If anyone has any ideas, post them and also send them a copy so funds start rolling in.

Posted by: Morpheus at August 27th, 2014 8:50 PM

@Morpheus:- Most science forums on the internet are extremely hostile to SENS if my experience is anything to go by. About a year ago I tried to start discussions on two of the bigger ones about SENS science (note that I was specifically talking about aspects of damage repair that are subjects of current research, I wasn't being promotional) but these posts resulted in my accounts being banned and all my posts deleted. Even posts unrelated to SENS were deleted, and on one site I received a message from a moderator with whom I had politely disagreed in a thread (which disagreement he answered by deleting my arguments) that was full of obscenities and insults. If you come with citations and research papers to discuss science and the response is "we are not discussing this" and "f**k you, that's why" then I don't think coming with flyers to discuss donating will be very effective. Unfortunately many areas of science are becoming increasingly politicized and "science fans" don't think scientifically but follow "consensus" groupthink and leftist politics to reach their conclusions.

Next Big Future by contrast is more of a technology site and that is enough of a difference to give it a very different mindset overall. I think we need to target people who are pro-science but also oriented toward using science for the benefit of man rather than using science to generate grant proposals and political clout. Habitual rent-seekers who use papers as coatracks on which to hang policy reccomendations favoring expanded beaurocracy and coersion are not a fertile ground, so care is needed.

Posted by: José at August 27th, 2014 11:23 PM

Sorry for the spelling errors in that last sentence. I hit "post" accidentally before checking my reply.

Here's the condensed version: my anecdotal experience is that we need to target technology people foremost. Being facially pro-science is an insufficient indicator of receptiveness.

Posted by: José at August 27th, 2014 11:34 PM

@Jose, I amend my remarks to technology sites instead of science. Perhaps forums on eureka alert, kurzweilai, etc. would be more receptive. Don't forget organizational forums such as Life Extension, etc.

Posted by: Morpheus at August 28th, 2014 1:56 AM

I know I'm a bit late to this post but i just wanted follow up my comment on the previous poster where i said i felt it was a bit depressing.

To show what i mean i'd like to link if i could to an advert for a medical research lab in here in Australia which i think has a really optimistic message:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-TxCORzGYYk

Posted by: Link at August 30th, 2014 2:39 AM

I didn't want to say anything because it just seems like I am a chorus of negativity but I agree. You have to depersonalise it a bit and focus less on mortality with a statistic that focuses on the scope of the problem, otherwise Joe public is going to be thinking about their elderly relatives few remaining years as opposed to medical research.

i.e. Dementia, High blood pressure, muscle weakness? Around x percent of seniors suffer from at least one chronic condition for which there is not yet an effective treatment. Help us change the face of Seniors medicine.

Posted by: Michael-2 at August 31st, 2014 4:35 PM

The positives though I think this poster is more stylised and I like the composition of all the elements. I think it also captures the essence of what SENS is really about more effectively.

Posted by: Michael-2 at September 1st, 2014 6:56 PM
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