Keith Comito on the benefits of blockchain tech and decentralization in longevity research

Lifespan.io President and co-founder Keith Comito was into longevity earlier than longevity was cool.

“We began our nonprofit again in 2014,” Comito stated. “Again then, few credible researchers could be caught useless saying they have been engaged on getting older. It was nonetheless form of a scientific backwater. So, we wished to emulate what the most cancers analysis advocates did, beginning within the ‘40s.”

He stated these early advocates recognized essentially the most credible analysis on the time and used “old-school” fundraising approaches like telethons to crowdfund for his or her work. They constructed a grassroots motion and grew their scientific experience. By way of their efforts, defeating most cancers is now a world precedence with communities of tens of millions of individuals crusading within the struggle in opposition to this devastating illness that’s intently linked to getting older.

Comito stated Lifespan.io is taking the same method however for all aging-related illnesses. They’ve constructed a big group of individuals by sharing verified information about breaking developments in longevity, crowdfunding analysis utilizing blockchain expertise, and creating a few of “essentially the most profitable YouTube collaborations within the area.”

“In 2017, I helped write the scripts for a well-liked sequence of getting older movies that have been the highest-viewed movies the week they got here out, with 14 million views inside days. That was enormous to hit these numbers six years in the past, and the like ratio was overwhelmingly constructive.” This illustrated to the sector, Keith stated, that it was okay for longevity researchers to return out into the open and never be ashamed of their revolutionary and life-saving work.

Comito leverages varied expertise honed from a various background, together with laptop programming, biology,  and arithmetic. He has invented a number of metaverse-adjacent applied sciences, developed software program that has been adopted in widely-used companies like HBO Now, MLB at Bat and Disney+, and even by chance created a top-charting Chuck Norris Joke Generator as a joke again within the early days of cell functions. Right this moment, he’s taking a look at methods to convey our world into the metaverse that not solely excite us but in addition heal our minds and our bodies as nicely. Keith sees the way forward for Web3 overlapping and supporting the way forward for longevity whereas tying in different sizzling sectors like gaming and VR.

Shaking up science

Comito stated that one space he’s spent the previous couple of years exploring is the pure fundraising capabilities of cryptocurrency, working with organizations corresponding to Gitcoin and Angel Protocol to brainstorm new fashions of crypto philanthropy to fund scientific breakthroughs. In fact, a variety of “crypto heavyweights are already supporting life extension analysis,” he says. Vitalik Buterin, for instance, has supported a number of longevity tasks, donating crypto to causes just like the SENS Analysis Basis. This connection goes all the way in which again to the beginning of cryptocurrency – via the assist of early cypherpunks like Hal Finney, says Comito, who theorizes the widespread thread is transcending boundaries, whether or not monetary or organic, to steer humanity to a brighter future.

The potential of blockchain expertise to drive longevity analysis goes far past elevating cash, significantly with respect to decentralized science, or “DeSci.” “There are promising potential remedies for Alzheimer’s which lack conventional revenue motives, for instance, ones that may be developed with blockchain-based crowdsourcing,” he stated.

Therapies like flickering lights and sounds at sure frequencies may remediate dementia. Comito himself is engaged on such an method along with his colleagues at Lifespan.io – aiming to launch a first-in-kind decentralized scientific trial to check non-drug interventions for Alzheimer’s illness, with the blessing of presidency organizations just like the Nationwide Institute of Well being.

“There have been very public failures on the remedy of Alzheimer’s with conventional approaches,” Comito stated. “Over a trillion {dollars} has been spent on analysis, with strikingly little progress.”

He stated a non-drug resolution found by a decentralized group of individuals on the web could be a “full earthquake.” Decentralized science, powered by teams like decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs), can even overcome points related to conventional analysis institutes. DAO governance promotes transparency and rewards productiveness, features which will be instrumental in advancing longevity analysis.

“I believe we are inclined to view organizations just like the FDA and the NIH as being calcified and anti-crypto,” Comito stated. “However my expertise has been that leaders of such organizations truly need us to shake issues up. With the assistance of blockchain expertise, we will obtain medical advances so highly effective and simple that current techniques may have no alternative however to alter.”

Crypto will energy additional innovation within the area

Comito acknowledges that crypto has some notion points to beat within the wake of the FTX collapse. Nonetheless, he sees that as extra of a product of the general market. Whereas it’s true that it’s onerous proper now for charities to lift cash, Comito is optimistic that we are going to see a future full of exponential progress.

“Final 12 months, a variety of charities began dipping into crypto as a result of the market was sizzling,” he stated. “They’ve drunk the Kool-Assist, and now’s the time to construct and discover out who’s really getting one thing fascinating accomplished. When the market recovers, these tasks will probably be in nice form. We’re constructing instruments to do one thing superb within the subsequent a number of years.”

Organizations like Endaoment and The Giving Block are laying the inspiration for a philanthropic shift. Within the longevity area, VitaDAO and the Longevity Science Basis proceed to fund cutting-edge analysis within the quest to assist prolong our lifespans and enrich our well being. This might additionally appear to be crypto and blockchain expertise finally enjoying a job in streamlining information interactions which may have a job in facilitating longevity.

We’re quick approaching a world the place everybody can personal their information, carrying it of their healthcare pockets. This might help get rid of bloated business structure that depends on paper information in a lot of the world. In flip, this could speed up alternatives for individuals to take part in scientific trials, cut back prices, facilitate funds to individuals, restrict emission-heavy journey, obtain range objectives, and result in extra standardized information.

“Considerations must be managed, however that’s one thing we will do collectively as a crowd, which we take into account a DAO of humanity,” Comito stated. “Blockchain expertise isn’t going away, and may have a key half to play in a future the place all individuals may have sovereignty – not solely over their forex and information however over their wholesome lifespans as nicely.”