Organoid Lab
Hechavarría & Haslinger Lab

Research Topics at Organoid Lab at ESI

At the Organoid Lab at ESI, researchers investigate how complex patterns of electrical activity emerge within neural organoids: three-dimensional, stem cell–derived structures that replicate key aspects of the human brain. These miniature models of the brain offer a unique opportunity to study neural circuit development in a controlled environment, bringing us closer to understanding how the human brain builds and organizes itself.

The researchers record neural activity directly from organoids using state-of-the-art electrophysiological tools, similar to those used in studies of living brains. By analyzing how neurons communicate and synchronize their activity, we aim to reveal how brain-like network dynamics arise in these simplified systems.

This work is essential for validating organoids as realistic models of human brain function. Comparing their electrical activity to data from animal and human studies allows us to identify both shared principles and important differences. These insights will help improve organoid models, advancing their use in basic neuroscience and in the study of neurological and psychiatric disorders.

The Organoid Lab at ESI is a collaborative effort between a Dr. Denise Haslinger, a molecular biologist and Prof. Dr. Julio Hechavarría, an electrophysiologist, that have teamed-up to unravel the mysteries of brain organoids. The Organoid Lab at ESI is in tight collaboration with other projects at Hechavarria’s main lab at the Freie Universität Berlin focused on research on bats and human perception, and with other cooperation partners within Frankfurt (i.e. Chiocchetti Lab, GU Frankfurt). The Organoid Lab at ESI contributes to the global effort to understand the brain while promoting approaches that can ultimately reduce the need for animal experimentation.