Building miniature brains may sound like a page out of a science fiction novel, but fact is indeed stranger than fiction. Researchers around the world grow brain organoids—3D miniature brains—to better understand brain development, aging, injury, and other disorders, as well as to test new treatment strategies. Some scientists take brain building to the next level by launching their brain organoids into outer space. In this episode, Iris Kulbatski from The Scientist spoke with Alysson Muotri, a University of California, San Diego professor and Stem Cell Program director to learn more about how microgravity affects the cellular and molecular biology of brain organoids and how these discoveries can improve human health.
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The Scientist Speaks is a podcast produced by The Scientist’s Creative Services Team. Our podcast is by scientists and for scientists. Once a month, we bring you the stories behind news-worthy molecular biology research. This month’s episode is sponsored by ACROBiosystems and Molecular Devices.
Speaker:
Alysson R. Muotri, Ph.D.
Professor
Director of the Stem Cell Program
Institute for Genomic Medicine
University of California, San Diego
ACROBiosystems is a cornerstone enterprise of the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. Our mission is to help overcome challenges with innovative tools and solutions from discovery to the clinic. We deliver solutions, whether they come through recombinant proteins, antibodies, assay kits, GMP-grade reagents, as well as organoids, to be used in discovery research and scalable to the clinical phase and beyond.
Molecular Devices is one of the world’s leading providers of high-performance bioanalytical measurement systems, software, and consumables for life science research, and pharmaceutical and biotherapeutic development. Included within a broad product portfolio are platforms for AI-driven automated cell culture workflows, high-throughput screening, genomic and cellular analysis, colony selection, and microplate detection. These leading-edge products enable scientists to improve productivity and effectiveness, ultimately accelerating research and the discovery of new therapeutics.