Alysson Muotri’s research interests break though barriers of space and time. Conjuring scenes from a science fiction film, Muotri studies brain organoids—miniature brains derived from human pluripotent stem cells that exhibit spontaneous neural oscillations, or in other words, rudimentary brainwaves. While they mimic human brain development remarkably well, their use as a model for studying Alzheimer’s disease and dementia is limited by the late onset of these disorders. To overcome the impracticality of waiting decades for brain organoids to sufficiently mature, Muotri sends them on NASA space missions to experience microgravity. When they return to earth, the cells undergo accelerated aging, making them ideal models for brain disorders that manifest later in life. Muotri’s space and time traveling mini brains are advancing scientists’ understanding of how aging affects the brain and transforming futuristic concepts into reality.
I began looking for ways to speed up brain organoid maturation and came across ...
