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EDITORIAL article

Front. Sci., 28 February 2023
Volume 1 - 2023 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fsci.2023.1068159
This is part of an article hub

The Baltimore declaration toward the exploration of organoid intelligence

Thomas Hartung,*Thomas Hartung1,2*Lena SmirnovaLena Smirnova1Itzy E. Morales PantojaItzy E. Morales Pantoja1Akwasi AkwaboahAkwasi Akwaboah3Dowlette-Mary Alam El DinDowlette-Mary Alam El Din1Cynthia A. BerlinickeCynthia A. Berlinicke4J. Lomax BoydJ. Lomax Boyd5Brian S. CaffoBrian S. Caffo6Ben CappielloBen Cappiello7Tzahi Cohen-Karni,Tzahi Cohen-Karni8,9J. Lowry CurleyJ. Lowry Curley7Ralph Etienne-CummingsRalph Etienne-Cummings3Raha DastgheybRaha Dastgheyb10David H. Gracias,,,,,David H. Gracias11,12,13,14,15,16Frederic GilbertFrederic Gilbert17Christa Whelan HabelaChrista Whelan Habela10Fang HanFang Han18Timothy D. Harris,Timothy D. Harris19,20Kathrin HerrmannKathrin Herrmann1Eric J. HillEric J. Hill21Qi HuangQi Huang11Rabih E. JabbourRabih E. Jabbour22Erik C. JohnsonErik C. Johnson20Brett J. KaganBrett J. Kagan23Caroline KrallCaroline Krall1Andre LevchenkoAndre Levchenko24Paul LockePaul Locke1Alexandra MaertensAlexandra Maertens1Monica MeteaMonica Metea25Alysson R. Muotri,Alysson R. Muotri26,27Rheinallt ParriRheinallt Parri28Barton L. PaulhamusBarton L. Paulhamus20Jesse D. PlotkinJesse D. Plotkin1Paul RoachPaul Roach29July Carolina RomeroJuly Carolina Romero1Jens C. SchwambornJens C. Schwamborn30Fenna SillFenna Sillé1Alexander S. Szalay,,Alexander S. Szalay31,32,33Katya TsaiounKatya Tsaioun1Daniel Tornero,Daniel Tornero34,35Joshua T. VogelsteinJoshua T. Vogelstein36Karl J. WahlinKarl J. Wahlin37Donald J. Zack,,,Donald J. Zack38,39,40,41
  • 1Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing (CAAT), Department of Environmental Health and Engineering, Bloomberg School of Public Health and Whiting School of Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States
  • 2Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing (CAAT)-Europe, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
  • 3Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States
  • 4Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
  • 5Berman Institute of Bioethics, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States
  • 6Department of Biostatistics, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States
  • 7AxoSim Inc., New Orleans, LA, United States
  • 8Department of Biomedical Engineering in Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
  • 9Department of Materials Science and Engineering in Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
  • 10Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
  • 11Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States
  • 12Department of Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States
  • 13Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States
  • 14Laboratory for Computational Sensing and Robotics (LCSR), Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States
  • 15Center for Microphysiological Systems (MPS), Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
  • 16Oncology and Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
  • 17Philosophy Program, School of Humanities, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, Australia
  • 18Department of Statistics and Economics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
  • 19Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, VA, United States
  • 20Research and Exploratory Development Department, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, MD, United States
  • 21School of Biosciences, College of Health and Life Sciences, Aston University, Birmingham, United Kingdom
  • 22Bioscience and Biotechnology Department, University of Maryland, Rockville, MD, United States
  • 23Cortical Labs, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
  • 24Biomedical Engineering Department, Yale Systems Biology Institute, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States
  • 25Preclinical Electrophysiology Consulting, LLC, Mattapoisett, MA, United States
  • 26Departments of Pediatrics and Cellular & Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
  • 27Center for Academic Research and Training in Anthropogeny (CARTA), Kavli Institute for Brain and Mind, Archealization Center (ArchC), University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
  • 28Aston Pharmacy School, College of Health and Life Sciences, Aston University, Birmingham, United Kingdom
  • 29Department of Chemistry, School of Science, Loughborough University, Leicestershire, United Kingdom
  • 30Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB), University of Luxembourg, Belvaux, Luxembourg
  • 31Department of Computer Science, Whiting School of Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States
  • 32Department of Physics and Astronomy, Krieger School of Arts and Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States
  • 33Mark Foundation Center for Advanced Genomics and Imaging, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States
  • 34Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Neuroscience, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
  • 35Clinic Hospital, August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
  • 36Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States
  • 37Viterbi Family Department of Ophthalmology & the Shiley Eye Institute, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
  • 38Department of Ophthalmology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
  • 39Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
  • 40Department of Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
  • 41Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States

An Editorial on the Frontiers in Science Lead Article
Organoid intelligence (OI): the new frontier in biocomputing and intelligence-in-a-dish

We, the participants of the First Organoid Intelligence Workshop – “Forming an OI Community” (22–24 February 2022), call on the international scientific community to explore the potential of human brain-based organoid cell cultures to advance our understanding of the brain and unleash new forms of biocomputing while recognizing and addressing the associated ethical implications.

The term “organoid intelligence” (OI) has been coined to describe this research and development approach (1) in a manner consistent with the term “artificial intelligence” (AI) – used to describe the enablement of computers to perform tasks normally requiring human intelligence.

OI has the potential for diverse and far-reaching applications that could benefit humankind and our planet, and which urge the strategic development of OI as a collaborative scientific discipline. OI holds promise to elucidate the physiology of human cognitive functions such as memory and learning. It presents game-changing opportunities in biological and hybrid computing that could overcome significant limitations in silicon-based computing. It offers the prospect of unparalleled advances in interfaces between brains and machines. Finally, OI could allow breakthroughs in modeling and treating dementias and other neurogenerative disorders that cause an immense and growing disease burden globally.

Realizing the world-changing potential of OI will require scientific breakthroughs (1). We need advances in human stem cell technology and bioengineering to recreate brain architectures and to model their potential for pseudo-cognitive capabilities. We need interface breakthroughs to allow us to deliver input signals to organoids, measure output signals, and employ feedback mechanisms to model learning processes. We also need novel machine learning, big data, and AI technologies to allow us to understand brain organoids.

In addition to confronting these scientific and technical challenges, we also need to anticipate (as far as possible) and address the significant and largely unexplored ethical challenges associated with this research. We must be alert to any possibility that organoids could develop forms or aspects of consciousness and mitigate and safeguard against this. The cell donor’s personal rights and interests are among other important considerations. These issues warrant stringent, ongoing discussions throughout the development of OI toward an accepted ethical framework. Such discussions should include all relevant stakeholders and take due account of public values.

We are only just beginning this multidisciplinary and multistakeholder endeavor. The potential benefits are world-changing, but the challenges are daunting. We call on the scientific community to join us on this journey. Only by collaborating will we be able to realize the full potential of OI to advance science, technology, and medicine.

Author contributions

TH, LS, and IMP drafted the Declaration. All authors reviewed and approved the final version.

Acknowledgments

The First Organoid Intelligence Workshop – “Forming an OI Community” took place online on 22–24 February 2022 with financial support from the Johns Hopkins University Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing, the Johns Hopkins University Whiting School of Engineering, the Transatlantic Think-Tank for Toxicology (t4), and Frontiers. The authors would like to thank Lee Baker for editing it on behalf of the Frontiers in Science Editorial Office.

Conflict of interest

TH is employed by, and inventor on a patent by Johns Hopkins University on the production of brain organoids, which is licensed to AxoSim, New Orleans, LA, USA, and receives royalty shares. TH also consults for AxoSim. LS is employed by Johns Hopkins University and consults for AxoSim, New Orleans, LA, USA. BC and JLC are employed by AxoSim. JS is employed by, and inventor on a patent by the University of Luxembourg on the production of midbrain organoids, which is licensed to OrganoTherapeutics SARL, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg. JS is also co-founder and shareholder of OrganoTherapeutics SARL.

ARM is employed by the University of California, San Diego and is co-founder and has equity interest in TISMOO, a company dedicated to genetic analysis and human brain organogenesis, focusing on therapeutic applications customized for autism spectrum disorders and other neurological disorders origin genetics. The terms of this arrangement have been reviewed and approved by the University of California, San Diego, in accordance with its conflict of interest policies. BK is employed by Cortical Labs Pty Ltd, Melbourne, Australia, and is an inventor on patents for technology related to this article, and holds shares in Cortical Labs Pty Ltd, Melbourne, Australia. MM is employed by and owner of Preclinical Electrophysiology Consulting, LLC. Preclinical Electrophysiology Consulting, LLC does not have any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Publisher’s note

All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article, or claim that may be made by its manufacturer, is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.

Reference

1. Smirnova L, Caffo BS, Gracias D, Huang Q, Morales Pantoja IE, Tang B, et al. Organoid intelligence (OI): the new frontier in biocomputing and intelligence in-a-dish. Front Sci (2023) 1:1017235. doi: 10.3389/fsci.2023.1017235

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Keywords: manifesto, organoid, artificial intelligence, microphysiological systems, learning, synthetic biology, bioengineering, biocomputing

Citation: Hartung T, Smirnova L, Morales Pantoja IE, Akwaboah A, Alam El Din D-M, Berlinicke CA, Boyd JL, Caffo BS, Cappiello B, Cohen-Karni T, Curley JL, Etienne-Cummings R, Dastgheyb R, Gracias DH, Gilbert F, Habela CW, Han F, Harris TD, Herrmann K, Hill EJ, Huang Q, Jabbour RE, Johnson EC, Kagan BJ, Krall C, Levchenko A, Locke P, Maertens A, Metea M, Muotri AR, Parri R, Paulhamus BL, Plotkin JD, Roach P, Romero JC, Schwamborn JC, Sillé F, Szalay AS, Tsaioun K, Tornero D, Vogelstein JT, Wahlin KJ and Zack DJ. The Baltimore declaration toward the exploration of organoid intelligence. Front Sci (2023) 1:1068159. doi: 10.3389/fsci.2023.1068159

Received: 12 October 2022; Accepted: 23 November 2022;
Published: 28 February 2023.

Approved by:

Frontiers in Science Editorial Office, Frontiers Media SA, Switzerland

Copyright © 2023 Hartung, Smirnova, Morales Pantoja, Akwaboah, Alam El Din, Berlinicke, Boyd, Caffo, Cappiello, Cohen-Karni, Curley, Etienne-Cummings, Dastgheyb, Gracias, Gilbert, Habela, Han, Harris, Herrmann, Hill, Huang, Jabbour, Johnson, Kagan, Krall, Levchenko, Locke, Maertens, Metea, Muotri, Parri, Paulhamus, Plotkin, Roach, Romero, Schwamborn, Sillé, Szalay, Tsaioun, Tornero, Vogelstein, Wahlin and Zack. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

*Correspondence: Thomas Hartung, THartung@jhu.edu

Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.