Projects

Brain Organoid Ethics

Scientists have developed the ability to coax cells from human donors to grow into tiny pieces of neural tissue known as “brain organoids”. These organoids express genes and recapitulate aspects of neurodevelopment that are shared with their human donors, allowing insight into individual-specific disease processes and potential treatments.

This project seeks to understand how human donors feel and think about brain organoids grown from their cells, with the ultimate goal to ensure that future brain organoid research is conducted in accordance with donor values.

Read more: Publication Q&A: Donor Perspectives on informed consent and use of biospecimens for brain organoid research

Brain-Based Prediction of Autism

Multiple research teams are rapidly advancing the search for biomarkers that can predict autism from brain changes observed in infancy, months or years prior to the emergence of defining behavioral characteristics. These brain-based detection techniques have the potential to improve upon existing screening measures and more accurately predict which infants will go on to develop autism.

This project seeks to understand the social and ethical implications of these predictive technologies for families, neurodiverse communities and service systems.

Collaborations

• SeqFirst
• On-Time Autism Intervention
• UW Neuroethics Research Group