My guest is Dr. Sergiu Pașca, MD, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Stanford University. We discuss the biology and genetics of autism, why autism diagnoses are increasing and recent progress in using stem cells to understand and treat profound autism and other brain disorders. Dr. Pașca explains “organoids and assembloids”—human stem cell–derived tools he pioneered to study, treat and cure complex brain diseases. We also discuss ethical and safety issues with using gene editing and stem cells in humans.

Episode show notes: https://go.hubermanlab.com/rljiUj3

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*Dr. Sergiu Pasca*
Stanford academic profile: https://profiles.stanford.edu/sergiu-pasca
Lab website: https://med.stanford.edu/pascalab.html
TED talk: https://youtu.be/ABmRCdnVq3E?si=7_ST7beDu7eFMrPH
Stanford Brain Organogenesis: http://www.brainorganogenesis.org
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sergiu.p.pasca
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/sergiuppasca.bsky.social
X: https://x.com/Sergiu_P_Pasca
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sergiu-p-pașca-32891629

*Timestamps*
00:00:00 Sergiu Pașca
00:02:08 Autism Spectrum Disorder, Incidence, Genetics
00:07:16 Is Autism More Common in Males?
00:09:35 Sponsors: David & Helix Sleep
00:11:56 Eye Contact in Babies, Fever; Proposed Causes of Autism; Genes
00:18:48 Genetic or Idiopathic Autism Diagnoses, Timothy Syndrome
00:21:37 Rise in Autism Diagnoses
00:26:46 Cause, Correlation & Neurological Disease; Schizophrenia, Do Vaccines Cause Autism?
00:31:34 Global Increase in Autism; Gene Therapy, CRISPR, Follistatin
00:41:05 Sponsors: AG1 & BetterHelp
00:43:41 Stem Cells, Ethics, Yamanaka Factors, Human Stem Cell Models
00:52:03 Umbilical Stem Cells; Stem Cell Injections & Dangers, Autistic Kids
00:59:30 Organoids, Modeling Brain Development, Intrinsic Development Timer
01:12:22 Assembloids, Brain Cell Migration & Circuit Formation, Self-Organization
01:21:22 Four-Part Assembloid, Sensory Assembloid, Pain Conditions
01:25:45 Sponsor: Function
01:27:33 Future Medical Therapies, Cell Banking, Immortalize Tissues, Rejuvenate Cells
01:34:56 Assembloids & Ethics, Importance of Nomenclature, Science Collaboration & Self-Correction
01:45:38 Cell Transplantation & Ethics, Timing
01:55:05 Genetic Testing for Parents, Genetic Penetrance
02:02:36 Assembloids, Timothy Syndrome, Epilepsy, Schizophrenia, Dystonia
02:14:30 Scientific Career, Walking, Art, Medical School
02:20:44 Zero-Cost Support, YouTube, Spotify & Apple Follow & Reviews, Sponsors, YouTube Feedback, Protocols Book, Social Media, Neural Network Newsletter

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