Research
At the Freedom of Form Foundation, we embrace the broad diversity of identities that people hold. We are especially passionate about research into making morphological freedom possible for those who want to become their fursona, or who have a non-human species identity. Our research is primarily aimed at addressing important, long-term needs in the biotechnology sector that are being overlooked by larger companies and impatient investors.
Our research focus, especially with building systems and integrating knowledge, is necessary for our primary goals with species affirmation, and will more broadly benefit medicine, including personalized medicine.
We undertake internal research, as well as awarding grants to outside researchers, for studies we judge as strategically valuable.
Results and projects
Below are some of our ongoing projects and publications that have resulted from research we supported or conducted.
Please note, the materials on this website are not comprehensive, and recently started projects may not be represented. Project teams have to lay a great deal of groundwork before it’s possible to concisely and accurately represent their work in the public eye. We are committed to giving our researchers the space they need in order to work effectively and prioritize obtaining results they’re confident in.
Guidance documents/whitepapers
What will be needed for a full-body transformation? Beginning with two keystone whitepapers in 2018, we’ve continued to refine our research strategy by examining the necessary scope of such modifications as well as what technological areas might accomplish those changes if given enough research.
We offer grants for external projects, especially ones with clear line-of-sight to completion. For example, if you are writing an academic article with a clear path to publishing, or need to get a few more components for a DIY project with relevance to our mission, we would be happy to help you get over the threshold and help you succeed.
So far, we have given two $4,000 awards to date. We’ve helped make an academic article about legal considerations around body autonomy get published through our first grant. We’ve helped Hugh Herr accelerate his lab’s research as well through a second award. Do you think your project could win our third award?
The Freedom of Form Foundation is, first and foremost, interested in advancing rights, ethics, and respect for individual choice. That includes a responsibility for rights and ethics during the research process itself. We are proactive in protecting the rights of research subjects, and will not fund primate studies. We also encourage researchers to open and share their data as much as possible. Please take a look at our integrated policies for responsible research.