Highlighted Publication

The Baltimore declaration toward the exploration of organoid intelligence

2023 Frontiers in Science article

Thomas Hartung, Lena Smirnova, Itzy E. Morales Pantoja, Akwasi Akwaboah, Dowlette-Mary Alam El Din, Cynthia A. Berlinicke, J. Lomax Boyd, Brian S. Caffo, Ben Cappiello, Tzahi Cohen-Karni, J. Lowry Curley, Ralph Etienne-Cummings, Raha Dastgheyb, David H. Gracias, Frederic Gilbert, Christa Whelan Habela, Fang Han, Timothy D. Harris, Kathrin Herrmann, Eric J. Hill, Qi Huang, Rabih E. Jabbour, Erik C. Johnson, Brett J. Kagan, Caroline Krall, Andre Levchenko, Paul Locke, Alexandra Maertens, Monica Metea, Alysson R. Muotri, Rheinallt Parri, Barton L. Paulhamus, Jesse D. Plotkin, Paul Roach, July Carolina Romero, Jens C. Schwamborn, Fenna Sillé, Alexander S. Szalay, Katya Tsaioun, Daniel Tornero, Joshua T. Vogelstein, Karl J. Wahlin, Donald J. Zack

Figure from The Baltimore declaration toward the exploration of organoid intelligence
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Why This Matters

The Baltimore Declaration is not a conventional empirical paper; it is a consensus-oriented statement about how a new field should develop. Its significance is infrastructural. It names organoid intelligence as a research direction that will require advances in stem-cell biology, bioengineering, interfaces, machine learning, data systems, and ethics. That makes the paper relevant to anyone thinking about how scientific communities create standards before a field becomes technically mature.

Key Findings
  • The declaration frames organoid intelligence as the use of brain organoids and related systems to study learning, memory, biological computation, and brain-machine interfaces.
  • It identifies major technical needs, including improved organoid engineering, input-output interfaces, feedback systems, and computational methods for interpreting organoid behavior.
  • It argues that ethical questions should be anticipated alongside technical development rather than treated as an afterthought.
  • The paper positions organoid intelligence as a collaborative field that depends on shared standards, interdisciplinary governance, and scientific infrastructure.
Plain-Language Summary

This paper lays out a vision for organoid intelligence: research that uses brain organoids and engineered systems to study learning, computation, and brain-like behavior. Because the field is still emerging, the declaration focuses on what must be built around the science: technical standards, ethical safeguards, shared language, and collaboration across disciplines.