# Key Points from the ##hplusroadmap IRC Discussion

• Robert McIntyre introduced Nectome, his new company focused on brain preservation technology with the goal of mind uploading, aiming to develop a verified brain preservation procedure within 10 years and a proof-of-principle mind-uploading pipeline in 5-10 years.

• Aldehyde-stabilized cryopreservation (ASC) was discussed as a promising technique for brain preservation, with McIntyre's work at 21st Century Medicine highlighted as a top contender for the Brain Preservation Prize.

• Nectome's approach involves a multi-stage verification process that ensures structural preservation, verifies compatibility with memory theories by preserving key molecules, and demonstrates functional preservation through FIB-SEM imaging and neural circuit simulation.

• A novel brain research methodology was proposed using hemispherectomy while selecting for zero behavioral change to potentially create simpler systems for analysis, alongside another proposal using ultrasound-receptive proteins to selectively shut down neural activity for mapping brain regions.

• The discussion explored the molecular diversity of mammalian synapses, including the role of neurexins and protocadherins in forming synaptic connections, with references to research showing that synaptic strength can be inferred from electron microscopy.

• Participants referenced historical brain preservation and uploading efforts including a 1990s C. elegans project (MURG), Nemaload, and OpenWorm, while also discussing alternative cryonics approaches such as evolving microbes for cold tolerance and using trehalose for dehydration protection.