Brain organoids are a transformative technology — but they need regulation
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Tiny spheres of brain-like structures called organoids can be used to study neurodevelopmental conditionsCredit: S. Pasca Lab/Stanford University
The ‘brain in a jar’ is one of science fiction’s most enduring tropes. Stripped of its body but not of its will, the isolated brain is most often portrayed as a malevolent force, able to impose its evil intentions on the world through proxies.
This is implausible fantasy. But, on a smaller scale and in the real world, researchers can now make tiny, functioning models of parts of the brain known as organoids. The science has come on in leaps and bounds in little more than a decade, as a News Feature in this week’s issue lays out. Brain organoids will be a force for good — for fundamental research, medicine and helping us to understand what makes us human. But as neuroscientists strive for greater improvements to better mimic particular brain systems, ethical and social considerations of the work are becoming apparent that require serious — and prompt — attention. Efforts to start public discussions should be welcomed and supported, so that appropriate guidelines are in place before they are needed.
Mini models of the human brain are revealing how this complex organ takes shape