Guest Sergiu Pasca is a physician-scientist who turns skin cells into stem cells and then into brain tissues he calls “organoids” and “assembloids” in order to study psychiatric and neurological illness in a dish instead of in living human beings. With this knowledge, Pasca hopes to develop new treatments for conditions ranging from schizophrenia and autism spectrum disorders to chronic pain, he tells host Russ Altman in this episode of Stanford Engineering’s The Future of Everything podcast.

Episode Reference Links:

• Sergiu’s Lab: Pasca Lab
• Sergiu’s Stanford Profile: Website
• Center at Stanford Sergiu Leads: Stanford Brain Organogenesis
• Sergiu’s recently published paper: Antisense Oligonucleotide Therapeutic Approach for Timothy Syndrome
• Paper by Shinya Yamanaka Sergiu discusses: Induction of Pluripotent Stem Cells from Mouse Embryonic and Adult Fibroblast Cultures

Connect With Us:

• Episode Transcripts >>> The Future of Everything Website
• Connect with Russ >>> Threads / Bluesky / Mastodon
• Connect with School of Engineering >>> Twitter/X / Instagram / LinkedIn / Facebook

Chapters:

(00:00:00) Introduction

Russ introduces guest, Sergiu Pasca, professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University.

(00:02:43) The Science of Growing Brain Tissue from Skin Cells

The process of developing brain organoids from skin cells and the potential medical applications of these models.

(00:03:59) Enhancing Neurological Research Tools

Advancing the complexity of brain models to include various brain structures and their applications in modeling diseases.

(00:07:20) Introduction of Assembloids

Introduction to assembloids, detailing how combining different organoids can mimic complex brain structures

(0015:58) Testing Therapeutics Using Humanized Models

The innovative approach of using humanized rat models to test neurological therapies and drugs.

(00:21:03) Complex Circuit Modelling for Disease Understanding

The current capabilities of modeling complex brain circuits and their relevance in  understanding the neural pathways involved in diseases.

(00:23:36) The Future of Pain Modelling and Drug Testing

How assembled brain cells can model pain perception and response, leading to potential new treatments for chronic pain and psychiatric disorders

(00:27:46) Ethical Considerations and Public Engagement

Ethical concerns related to creating brain-like tissues and the importance of public engagement in scientific research.

(00:32:01) Future Directions and Global Collaboration

The future of brain organogenesis research and the potential impacts on treating neurological and psychiatric conditions.

(00:34:05) Conclusion

Connect With Us:

Episode Transcripts >>> The Future of Everything Website

Connect with Russ >>> Threads / Bluesky / Mastodon

Connect with School of Engineering >>>Twitter/X / Instagram / LinkedIn / Facebook