BME 80G Seminar: Speaker Dr. Mohammed Mostajo-Radji – How Close Are We to Consciousness in a Dish?

Presenter: Dr. Mohammed Mostajo-Radji, Associate Research Scientist, Genomics Institute UCSC

Description: We can now grow small pieces of human brain tissue in the lab, known as brain organoids. These models show many features of early brain development, including different types of neurons and coordinated electrical activity. This progress raises a fascinating question: how close are we to consciousness in a dish? In this talk, I will explain what brain organoids are, what we mean by consciousness, and why answering this question is more complex than it may seem. I will end by introducing the idea of neurorights, and why thinking about the rights and protections of minds matters as brain science and technology continue to advance.

Bio: Dr. Mohammed Mostajo-Radji is an Associate Research Scientist at the Genomics Institute UCSC. He is part of the Braingeneers group, a multidisciplinary collective of geneticists, neuroscientists, and engineers focused on the human brain’s specification and function. His research explores neuronal specification and fate plasticity in the cerebral cortex using brain organoid models. Additionally, he leads the Live Cell Biotechnology Discovery Lab, which develops cloud-based experimental science education technologies. Dr. Mostajo-Radji earned his PhD in Molecular and Cellular Biology from Harvard University and completed postdoctoral training at UCSF. He also co-leads the Data Coordination Center for the SSPsyGene Consortium, an NIH initiative to characterize genetic mutations associated with neuropsychiatric disorders. 

Hosted by: Professor Karen Miga, BME Department