(NPR) – Research on conditions like autism, schizophrenia and even brain cancer increasingly relies on clusters of human cells called brain organoids.

These pea-size bits of neural tissue model aspects of human brain development as they grow for months and even years in a lab. They also make many people uneasy, in part because the brain is so closely tied to our sense of self.

A group of scientists, ethicists, patient advocates and journalists met for two days in Northern California this fall to discuss how scientists, and society, should proceed. (Read More)