Future challenges for UK regulation of brain organoid research

One of this century’s most dramatic scientific developments is the reprogramming of stem cells in order to create organoids, that is, self-organizing 3D models that mimic the structure and function of human organs. This article considers whether brain organoids in particular might raise any new questions for law, now or in the near future. If complex human brain organoids were to become capable of consciousness or sentience, the current regulation of human tissue research, which protects the interests of tissue donors, might need to be supplemented in order to protect the interests of the tissue itself. Human brain organoids can also be implanted into animal hosts, and if this were to result in animals with significantly enhanced cognitive abilities, additional protective measures might become necessary.