Huberman Lab Using Stem Cells to Cure Autism, Epilepsy & Schizophrenia | Dr. Sergiu Pașca
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Aug 18, 2025 
Dr. Sergiu Pașca, a pioneering Stanford psychiatrist, dives deep into the biology of autism and its rising diagnoses. He elaborates on groundbreaking research using organoids and assembloids to explore potential treatments for brain disorders like autism and schizophrenia. The conversation navigates the ethical challenges of gene editing and the risks associated with stem cell therapies. Pașca also shares insights on genetic factors, environmental influences, and the innovative prospects of stem cell research in understanding complex neurological conditions.
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Avoid Unproven Stem-Cell Injections
- Avoid commercial, unproven stem-cell injections; clinics often use unknown cell sources and risks include infection and tumor growth.
- Do not pursue unregulated stem-cell treatments for autism or vision without rigorous clinical evidence and regulatory oversight.
Organoids Keep An Intrinsic Human Development Timer
- 3D organoids recapitulate human developmental timing intrinsically, switching molecular signatures around nine months like in vivo birth timing.
- This intrinsic timer suggests human neural development follows an internal schedule even outside the womb.
Assembloids Reveal Self-Organized Circuit Assembly
- Assembloids fuse distinct region-specific organoids and recreate migration and circuit formation through self-organization.
- Cells use local cues to find partners and form functional circuits without external blueprints.
