The Brainstorm Project: A Collaborative Approach to Facilitating the Neuroethics of Bioengineered Brain Modeling Research

Organoids, grown in laboratory settings to resemble parts of the developing human brain, hold great potential for shedding light on human brain function and disease. Researchers are working to achieve key bioengineering advancements, including successful vascularization of brain organoids, generating the full complement of cell types present in a human brain, and recording and modulating neural activity in organoids. These anticipated advances in bioengineered human brain modeling research may raise ethical questions about the moral status of large, complex human brain organoids and ethical boundaries on manipulating increasingly realistic engineered brain models. In this project, Dr. Hyun will lead proactive ethical discussions among ethicists and the neuroscientists conducting this cutting-edge work to develop greater awareness and understanding of these ethical implications and to inform future management of ethical issues that may be unique to this novel area of brain research.