Leslie Stephen Coles, M.D., Ph.D., (late) was the co-founder and executive director of the Gerontology Research Group where he conducted research on supercentenarians, longevity, and healthy aging. He was also a visiting scholar in the computer science department at the University of California, Los Angeles and an assistant researcher in the Department of Surgery, at the David Geffen School of Medicine.

Coles was born on January 19, 1941 in New York City. He received his B.S. in electrical engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York, his Master’s in mathematics from the Carnegie Institute of Technology, and his Ph.D. in systems and communication sciences from Carnegie Mellon University. After attending Stanford University School of Medicine, Coles completed his clinical internship in obstetrics and gynaecology at the Jackson Memorial Hospital of theLeonard M. Miller School of Medicine (University of Miami).^[11] Coles was treasurer of the Supercentenarian Research Foundation, as well as co-founder and executive director of the Gerontology Research Group.

Dr. Coles died on December 3, 2014 in Scottsdale, Arizona of pancreatic cancer. His brain was cryonically preserved. He became Alcor Life Extension Foundation‘s 131st patient. His cryopreservation was unusual in that it was partially funded by Alcor in return for research to be done on his brain. His brain was removed from the skull and stored at -140° C (instead of the usual -196°C), to facilitate a CT scan. Also, biopsies will be performed that look for cracking damage.

Dr. Coles was a strong early advocate of the Brain Preservation Foundation, from our inception in 2010 until his untimely passing in 2014. Universe willing, we hope to see you again in the future, Stephen. Thank you for your lifelong service to the cause of healthy aging and longevity research. Stephen’s Obituary and Wikipedia page.