Inside STAT: Schizophrenia's origins explored with placenta and brain organoids

(HYACINTH EMPINADO/STAT)

Organoids — miniature versions of livers, kidneys, and other organs — are often so fragile that researchers take a lot of care to create and then preserve them for study. But biologist Jennifer Erwin has no such intention with the placenta organoids she created. She wants them to experience all the complications that a pregnant woman may experience and plans to push them to the limit. From depriving the organoids of oxygen to overloading them with stress hormones, Erwin hopes to study a host of conditions from autism to schizophrenia. And she even has a plan for what’s next: growing the placenta organoids with brain organoids to see how the two systems interact when stressed. STAT’s Sharon Begley has more here.