Brain organoids kept alive over five years mature like human brains

Researchers at Harvard University successfully maintained eraser-sized brain organoids for more than five years, finding that they matured similarly to human brains. This long-term development could aid research into the early stages of neurological diseases. Irene Faravelli, a junior scientist in the laboratory of developmental neurobiologist Paola Arlotta, initiated the analysis of these long-lived organoids, presenting her findings to Arlotta approximately two years prior to August 2026.

Brain organoid longevity research

• ▪Researchers at Harvard University successfully maintained brain organoids in a laboratory setting for more than five years.
• ▪Brain organoids kept alive for over five years could aid scientific research on the early stages of neurological diseases.
• ▪Carlos Sanchez of the Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences photographed a researcher holding a lab dish containing the five-year-old brain organoids.

Organoid maturation over time

• ▪The brain organoids kept alive for over five years at Harvard University are eraser-sized balls of tissue.
• ▪Brain organoids kept alive for over five years matured in a manner similar to human brains.

Junior scientist initiative

• ▪Irene Faravelli presented Paola Arlotta with images of the analyzed brain organoids approximately two years prior to August 2026.
• ▪Paola Arlotta, a developmental neurobiologist at Harvard University, expressed support and praise for Irene Faravelli's initiative to analyze the five-year-old brain organoids.
• ▪Irene Faravelli, a junior scientist in Paola Arlotta's Harvard laboratory, initiated the analysis of the five-year-old brain organoids.

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