Details
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 1194706 |
| Journal | Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology |
| Volume | 11 |
| Publication status | Published - 13 Nov 2023 |
Abstract
Human cerebral organoids (HCOs) are model systems that enable researchers to investigate the human brain in ways that had previously been impossible. The emergence of HCOs was accompanied by both expert and layperson discussions concerning the possibility of these novel entities developing sentience or consciousness. Such concerns are reflected in deliberations about how to handle and regulate their use. This perspective article resulted from an international and interdisciplinary research retreat “Ethical, Legal and Social Aspects of Human Cerebral Organoids and their Governance in Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States”, which took place in Tübingen, Germany, in August 2022. The retreat focused on whether HCO research requires new ethical and regulatory approaches. It addressed epistemic issues around the detection and theorisation of consciousness, ethical concerns around moral status and research conduct, difficulties for legislation and guidelines managing these entities, and public engagement.
Keywords
- brain organoid, consciousness, ELSA, ethics, governance, human cerebral organoids, moral status, public engagement
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology(all)
- Developmental Biology
- Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology(all)
- Cell Biology
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In: Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology, Vol. 11, 1194706, 13.11.2023.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer review
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Ethical, legal and social aspects of human cerebral organoids and their governance in Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States
AU - Pichl, Anja
AU - Ranisch, Robert
AU - Altinok, Ozan Altan
AU - Antonakaki, Melpomeni
AU - Barnhart, Andrew J.
AU - Bassil, Katherine
AU - Boyd, J. Lomax
AU - Chinaia, Alice Andrea
AU - Diner, Sarah
AU - Gaillard, Maxence
AU - Greely, Henry T.
AU - Jowitt, Joshua
AU - Kreitmair, Karola
AU - Lawrence, David
AU - Lee, Tim Nicholas
AU - McKeown, Alex
AU - Sachdev, Vorathep
AU - Schicktanz, Silke
AU - Sugarman, Jeremy
AU - Trettenbach, Katharina
AU - Wiese, Lara
AU - Wolff, Hannes
AU - Árnason, Garðar
N1 - Funding Information: The authors met and discussed the topic of this article during the week-long research retreat “Ethical, legal and social aspects of human cerebral organoids and their governance in Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States” which took place at the Institute for Ethics and History of Medicine, Tübingen University, Germany, August 8th–12th 2022. It was led by the principal investigators GÁ and RR and co-organized by AP. The event was funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (funding code 01GP2183). Some papers presented at the retreat were published as the Symposium “Human Cerebral Organoids: Quo vadis?” in Cambridge Quarterly of Healthcare Ethics Vol. 32 4) 2023, some papers form part of the Topical Collection “Neural Organoid Research: Ethics and Governance” forthcoming with Neuroethics. We acknowledge support from the Open Access Publication Fund of the University of Tübingen.
PY - 2023/11/13
Y1 - 2023/11/13
N2 - Human cerebral organoids (HCOs) are model systems that enable researchers to investigate the human brain in ways that had previously been impossible. The emergence of HCOs was accompanied by both expert and layperson discussions concerning the possibility of these novel entities developing sentience or consciousness. Such concerns are reflected in deliberations about how to handle and regulate their use. This perspective article resulted from an international and interdisciplinary research retreat “Ethical, Legal and Social Aspects of Human Cerebral Organoids and their Governance in Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States”, which took place in Tübingen, Germany, in August 2022. The retreat focused on whether HCO research requires new ethical and regulatory approaches. It addressed epistemic issues around the detection and theorisation of consciousness, ethical concerns around moral status and research conduct, difficulties for legislation and guidelines managing these entities, and public engagement.
AB - Human cerebral organoids (HCOs) are model systems that enable researchers to investigate the human brain in ways that had previously been impossible. The emergence of HCOs was accompanied by both expert and layperson discussions concerning the possibility of these novel entities developing sentience or consciousness. Such concerns are reflected in deliberations about how to handle and regulate their use. This perspective article resulted from an international and interdisciplinary research retreat “Ethical, Legal and Social Aspects of Human Cerebral Organoids and their Governance in Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States”, which took place in Tübingen, Germany, in August 2022. The retreat focused on whether HCO research requires new ethical and regulatory approaches. It addressed epistemic issues around the detection and theorisation of consciousness, ethical concerns around moral status and research conduct, difficulties for legislation and guidelines managing these entities, and public engagement.
KW - brain organoid
KW - consciousness
KW - ELSA
KW - ethics
KW - governance
KW - human cerebral organoids
KW - moral status
KW - public engagement
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85177865244&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3389/fcell.2023.1194706
DO - 10.3389/fcell.2023.1194706
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85177865244
VL - 11
JO - Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology
JF - Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology
SN - 2296-634X
M1 - 1194706
ER -