Dude Where's My Organoid? with Chris Acha

If you could replicate your own brain, what would you have it do? And if everyone could do it (even your worst nemeses) ... what could POSSIBLY GO WRONG.

Buckle up, because this is when "what if" turns into "what's next." In this episode, Chris Acha—our big brained tiny organoid maestro—takes us on a wild tour inside the fascinating world of brain organoids. 

From electrifying brain cells (yes, we mean literally shocking them) to teaching them to play pong, Chris takes us through the mind-blowing tech and science out there with a generous dash of humor. But its not just bio-spider crawling pong playin’ scifi robots, these tiny wonders might just be the secret sauce to a smarter, more playful future!



Key Topics Discussed:
    •    Neuroscience Miracles: A look at breakthroughs like deep brain stimulation, brain plasticity, and targeted reactivation for enhanced prosthetics.
    •    Brain Organoids Explained: What they are, how they’re grown from pluripotent stem cells, and why these miniature neural networks are revolutionizing research.
    •    Micro Integrated Bioelectronics: Chris’s work on self-folding microelectrode arrays that capture three-dimensional neural signals from brain organoids.
    •    Learning & AI Potential: The playful experiments from training organoids to play pong to the promise of speech recognition and beyond.
    •    Ethical and Funding Challenges: Reflections on the legacy of Henrietta Lacks, the importance of ethical research, and the urgent need for investment in this transformative field.
    •    Future Horizons: Speculations on how organoid intelligence could reshape computing, medicine, and even national security in the coming years.

Notable Quotes:
    •    “The brain holds about 2.5 petabytes of data – a testament to its incredible efficiency.”
    •    “Organoid intelligence might just be the ultimate brainchild of bio-computing, merging biology with technology in ways we’re only beginning to imagine.”

Resources and Links:

    •    Connect with Chris Acha on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopher-acha-1b29b6168/
    •    Cortical labs:
https://corticallabs.com/
    •    The Dartmouth project on AI:
https://home.dartmouth.edu/about/artificial-intelligence-ai-coined-dartmouth
    •    Hebbian Theory:
https://neurosciencenews.com/wire-fire-neurons-19835/
    •    NAE grand challenges for engineering:
https://www.engineeringchallenges.org/9109.aspx
    •    John Hopkins Applied Physics Lab:
https://www.jhuapl.edu/
    •    Brain organic reservoir computing for artificial intelligence:
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41928-023-01069-w
    •    Embryonic stem cells:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fp5H3SslskQ&t=65s

Connect with Us:
    •    Email: [email protected]
    •    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/madwarfare/
    •    Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@MADWarfarePodcast
    •    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/madwarfarepodcast/

Sponsor Message:
Interested in sponsoring our podcast? Reach out to us at [email protected] for special pricing and unique opportunities to promote your business, book, or message.

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MAD Warfare™️ is hosted by narrative strategist Jocelyn Brady and cognitive neuroscientist Sean Anthony Guillory. Edited and produced by Amine el Filali and recorded by Trent Denson. Visit our website at madwarfare.com for extra giggles. And send your wishes, weird ideas, dream guests, and sponsorship inquiries to [email protected].

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FAIR USE: This show is MAD enough to include homages, short clips, and references that provide vital context and/or moments of joy. We DEEPLY respect every creator’s work and use these moments purely for educational, artistic, and transformative purposes under Fair Use. If we are missing attributions or you would like to collaborate, please reach out—we’re always happy to chat!