Madeline Lancaster

Stories

Lab-grown brain tissue cracks the psychiatric diagnosis problem

Developed first cerebral organoid protocol

Johns Hopkins engineers grew miniature brains from patients' skin cells and found each psychiatric disorder has its own electrical fingerprint. Using machine learning, the organoids identified schizophrenia and bipolar disorder with 83% accuracy from firing patterns alone, rising to 92% after subtle electric stimulation.

Updated 2 days ago

Mice with human brain cells open a new path to studying brain disease

New Capabilities

Not involved in the study; commented on its implications

Stanford scientists created mice that grow lab-grown human neurons where their own brain cells were — the deepest integration yet of human tissue into an animal brain. The team depleted roughly 14 million native mouse cortical neurons and gave 4 million human ones room to expand.

Updated Sep 16

Notable Quotes

It's so simple to make brain organoids. There is even a kit you can buy that has everything in it.

from Lab-grown brain tissue cracks the psychiatric diagnosis problem · Updated 2 days ago

"The goal here is clearly not to make a mouse that's super intelligent — nor would it be."

from Mice with human brain cells open a new path to studying brain disease · Updated Sep 16