Huberman Lab
Using Stem Cells to Cure Autism, Epilepsy & Schizophrenia | Dr. Sergiu Pașca
18 Aug 2025
Full Episode
Welcome to the Huberman Lab Podcast, where we discuss science and science-based tools for everyday life. I'm Andrew Huberman, and I'm a professor of neurobiology and ophthalmology at Stanford School of Medicine. My guest today is Dr. Sergio Posca. Dr. Sergio Posca is a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences and the director of the Stanford Brain Organogenesis Program.
During today's episode, we discuss autism, schizophrenia, and human brain development generally, both brain development during pregnancy, as well as during childhood, and leading all the way up to our third decade of life. During today's discussion, you will get the most up-to-date information about autism and its treatments.
You'll learn why the prevalence of autism is rising, the role that genes play in autism, and the novel treatments that Dr. Poska is developing to treat what is called profound autism, which are the most severe cases of autism.
Dr. Poska is one of a small handful of researchers that pioneered the discovery and development of what are called organoids and assembloids, which are essentially human brain circuits derived from stem cells that form in a dish so that one can study them directly. And while that might sound artificial,
Today, he explains why those organoids and assembloids are immensely powerful for understanding exactly what is wrong in psychiatric illnesses like profound autism, schizophrenia and other psychiatric challenges and for developing cures.
So today you're going to learn a lot about human brain development and about stem cells, which is going to be important for anyone interested in how the brain wires up, how to treat various diseases of the brain, but also for anyone who is considering stem cell therapies. As you'll soon learn, Sergio is an extraordinary scientist, but also an extraordinary teacher.
By the end of today's episode, you'll have the latest information on stem cells, organoids, autism, and what is being done to cure autism and other psychiatric conditions. Before we begin, I'd like to emphasize that this podcast is separate from my teaching and research roles at Stanford.
It is, however, part of my desire and effort to bring zero cost to consumer information about science and science-related tools to the general public. In keeping with that theme, today's episode does include sponsors. And now for my discussion with Dr. Sergio Pasca. Dr. Sergio Pasca. Welcome.
Thank you. It's great to be here.
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