Introduction

The human brain is one of the most important organs. It controls how we think, feel and act, it is literally who we are! However, this fascinating organ is one of the most complex to study. So, what if we can create a model to mimic how it develops!

Neurodevelopmental disorders are a group of disorders affecting brain development appearing in childhood and persisting throughout adult life. Common ones are such as autism, schizophrenia and epilepsy. Traditionally, scientists have been using animal models such as mice and rats to study these disorders. However, as we are about 100 times larger than rodents, and our brain are far more complicated!  Therefore, these models don’t fully capture human brain development. This is where my research comes in!

What Exactly am I doing?

I am growing organoids! These are miniature 3D clusters of cells that closely mimic part of an organ, in my case the brain! I start with stem cells, which are cells that can turn into any type of cell in the human body! I give them the right signals to become brain cells, also known as neurons! Overtime, they start forming 3D structures that resemble part of the developing brain. I am focusing on a particular type of neuron called interneurons! These are also known as inhibitory neurons and control the balance between excitation signals and inhibition signals in the brain. These types of neurons have found to be implicated in many neurodevelopmental disorders. So, it is important we study them accurately!

What was found!

While this research is still ongoing, interesting results are already appearing! We can develop organoids, but it is tricky to get them to mimic the exact brain region we are looking for. This means that creating the right environment is harder than expected. But that’s okay! Trial and error are all part of the process! But it is not only neuroscientists who use organoids. Many organs such as the kidney, liver and intestine have been mimic using the same model!

Why should you care!

This research can help us answer BIG questions! If we can accurately model human brain development, we might understand conditions like schizophrenia and epilepsy better. Ultimately, this could lead to better treatments for certain neurodevelopmental conditions as we are able to test drugs on a system closer to the brain. Organoids also reduce reliance on animal models, offering a more ethical and human-relevant research approach.

Myth-Busting: What Brain Organoids Can’t Do

💡 Myth #1: “Are you growing a thinking, conscious brain?”

• Nope! These are tiny, simplified structures, nowhere near as complex as a real brain. They don’t have thoughts, emotions, or memories.

💡 Myth #2: “Organoids can replace real brains for research!”

• Not exactly. While they mimic early brain development, they lack blood vessels and full connectivity, so they aren’t a perfect replacement yet.

💡 Myth #3: “You’re playing God!”

• Scientists aren’t out here making Frankenstein brains—we’re just trying to understand how the brain forms to help treat neurological disorders in the future.

Final Thoughts

Organoids provide an unprecedented window into early brain development, offering insights that could lead to breakthroughs in treating neurological disorders. It’s an exciting time to be working in neuroscience, and I can’t wait to see how this field evolves!