We are delighted to share that Stephen Wilkinson, Principal Investigator for The Future of Human Reproduction project, has been appointed to the Nuffield Council on Bioethics expert working group on neural organoids.

This appointment demonstrates Stephen’s expertise and the continued influence of The Future of Human Reproduction research programme in addressing critical bioethical challenges.

Organoids are small, lab-grown three-dimensional structures that are made from stem cells to model different aspects of an organ or tissue. Neural organoids are used to model different aspects of the developing brain.

This research holds significant promise for understanding neurological conditions and brain development but also raises important ethical questions that require careful consideration.

The expert working group includes:

• Professor Emily Jackson (Chair) - Professor of Law at LSE Law School
• Professor John Suckling - Research Professor in Psychiatric Neuroimaging at the University of Cambridge
• Dr Joshua Jowitt - Senior Lecturer in Law at the University of Newcastle
• Juliet Tizzard - Director of External Relations at Parkinson's UK
• Latha Weston - Nuffield Council on Bioethics Council Member
• Dr Madeline Lancaster - Group Leader at the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, University of Cambridge
• Distinguished Professor Stephen Wilkinson - Distinguished Professor of Bioethics at Lancaster University
• Professor Zameel Cader - Professor of Neuroscience and Neurology at the University of Oxford

The working group will review project activities and findings, culminating in recommendations that could help shape how this important research develops responsibly.

For more information about the neural organoids project, visit: https://www.nuffieldbioethics.org/project/research-using-neural-organoids/