Ethical issues related to brain organoid research

Insoo Hyun; J C Scharf-Deering; Jeantine E Lunshof

doi:10.1016/j.brainres.2020.146653

Ethical issues related to brain organoid research

Brain Res. 2020 Apr 1:1732:146653. doi: 10.1016/j.brainres.2020.146653. Epub 2020 Feb 1.

Authors

Insoo Hyun¹, J C Scharf-Deering², Jeantine E Lunshof³

Affiliations

¹ Case Western Reserve University, USA. Electronic address: insoo.hyun@case.edu.
² Case Western Reserve University, USA.
³ Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard, USA; Harvard Center for Bioethics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.

Abstract

This review provides a snapshot of the current ethical issues related to research with human brain organoids. The issues fall into the following main themes: research oversight; human biomaterials procurement and donor consent; translational delivery; animal research; and organoid consciousness and moral status. Each of these areas poses challenges for researchers, bioethicists, regulators, research institutions, and tissue banks. However, progress can be made if these parties build on past experiences with stem cell research, ethics, and policy, but adapted accordingly to new aspects of brain organoid research.

Keywords: Animal research; Brain organoids; Consciousness; Consent; Ethics; Research oversight.

Publication types

Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
Review

MeSH terms

Animals
Brain*
Ethics, Research*
Humans
Organoids*

Grants and funding

RF1 MH117803/MH/NIMH NIH HHS/United States