Human brains outperform computers in many forms of processing and are far more energy efficient. What if we could harness their power in a new form of biological computing?

In this Frontiers Forum Deep Dive session on 21 June 2023, Professor Thomas Hartung, Dr Lena Smirnova and other renowned researchers, explored the future of organoid intelligence and the scientific, technological and ethical steps required for realizing its full potential.

The session brought together the authors of the Frontiers in Science lead article ‘Organoid intelligence (OI): the new frontier in biocomputing and intelligence-in-a-dish’ which presents a roadmap for the strategic development of organoid intelligence as a scientific discipline. It was attended by hundreds of representatives from science, policy, and business across the world.

Links:
• The transcript of the online audience Q&A from the webinar can be viewed here: https://fro.ntiers.in/FF2023_OI_QandA...
• View the Frontiers in Science lead article at: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/...
• View the Frontiers in Science article hub at: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/...

Speakers:
• Prof Thomas Hartung | Bloomberg School of Public Health and Whiting School of Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, USA
• Dr Lena Smirnova | Bloomberg School of Public Health and Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing, Johns Hopkins University, USA
• Prof David Gracias | Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Whiting School of Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, USA
• Prof Alysson R. Muotri | Departments of Pediatrics and Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California, San Diego, USA
• Dr Brett Kagan | Cortical Labs, Australia

The talks were followed by a discussion session on the ethics of organoid intelligence, facilitated by Dr Karen Rommelfanger from the Institute of Neuroethics (IoNx), USA.

INTRODUCTION
00:00:00 Opening
00:00:29 Welcome & introduction | Lee Baker | Frontiers Editorial Adviser

TALKS
00:01:45 A vision for organoid intelligence | Thomas Hartung | Johns Hopkins University, USA
00:14:16 Advancing 3D brain organoid models | Dr Lena Smirnova | Johns Hopkins University, USA
00:25:30 Shell microelectrode arrays to communicate with brain organoids | Prof David Gracias | Johns Hopkins University, USA
00:35:48 Using organoids as brain disease models | Prof Alysson Muotri | University of California, San Diego, USA
00:47:27 How to investigate neural organoids and monolayers | Dr Brett Kagan | Cortical Labs, Australia

PANEL DISCUSSION
00:57:55 Introduction of panel session | Lee Baker | Frontiers Editorial Adviser
00:58:49 Panel discussion on the ethics of organoid intelligence | Facilitated by Dr Karen Rommelfanger | Institute of Neuroethics, USA

Q&A SESSION
01:12:29 Question and answer session


Frontiers Forum Deep Dive sessions bring researchers, policy experts, and innovators together from around the world, to discuss a specific area of transformational science published in Frontiers' flagship multidisciplinary journal, Frontiers in Science, and explore next steps for the field. Watch previous sessions at https://forum.frontiersin.org.