I know little about either side of the argument, but it seems to me that we'd have more chance of success (however small) extending the life of a complex body that supports a mysteriously complex brain and intellect, than to ever hope that we can extract consciousness at all, much less have it operate anywhere near its current level without its supporting body.

How much consciousness is in the physical body, and not just the brain but the rest of the body? Do we really know?