Dr. Pașca on Huberman Lab: How Assembloids Cure Autism

Assembloids are lab-grown brain circuits from stem cells in a dish; Pașca uses them to map what goes wrong in profound autism, epilepsy, and schizophrenia.

Andrew HubermanhostDr. Sergiu Pașcaguest

Aug 18, 20252h 23mWatch on YouTube ↗

EPISODE INFO

Released: August 18, 2025
Duration: 2h 23m
Channel: Huberman Lab
Watch on YouTube: ▶ Open ↗

EPISODE DESCRIPTION

My guest is Dr. Sergiu Pașca, MD, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Stanford University. We discuss the biology and genetics of autism, why autism diagnoses are increasing and recent progress in using stem cells to understand and treat profound autism and other brain disorders. Dr. Pașca explains “organoids and assembloids”—human stem cell–derived tools he pioneered to study, treat and cure complex brain diseases. We also discuss ethical and safety issues with using gene editing and stem cells in humans. Episode show notes: https://go.hubermanlab.com/rljiUj3 *Thank you to our sponsors* AG1: ⁠https://drinkag1.com/huberman⁠ David: ⁠https://davidprotein.com/huberman⁠ Helix: ⁠https://helixsleep.com/huberman⁠ BetterHelp: ⁠https://betterhelp.com/huberman⁠ Function: ⁠https://functionhealth.com/huberman⁠ *Follow Huberman Lab* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hubermanlab Threads: https://www.threads.net/@hubermanlab X: https://twitter.com/hubermanlab Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hubermanlab TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hubermanlab LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-huberman Website: https://www.hubermanlab.com Newsletter: https://www.hubermanlab.com/newsletter *Dr. Sergiu Pasca* Stanford academic profile: https://profiles.stanford.edu/sergiu-pasca Lab website: https://med.stanford.edu/pascalab.html TED talk: https://youtu.be/ABmRCdnVq3E?si=7_ST7beDu7eFMrPH Stanford Brain Organogenesis: http://www.brainorganogenesis.org Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sergiu.p.pasca Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/sergiuppasca.bsky.social X: https://x.com/Sergiu_P_Pasca LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sergiu-p-pașca-32891629 *Timestamps* 00:00:00 Sergiu Pașca 00:02:08 Autism Spectrum Disorder, Incidence, Genetics 00:07:16 Is Autism More Common in Males? 00:09:35 Sponsors: David & Helix Sleep 00:11:56 Eye Contact in Babies, Fever; Proposed Causes of Autism; Genes 00:18:48 Genetic or Idiopathic Autism Diagnoses, Timothy Syndrome 00:21:37 Rise in Autism Diagnoses 00:26:46 Cause, Correlation & Neurological Disease; Schizophrenia, Do Vaccines Cause Autism? 00:31:34 Global Increase in Autism; Gene Therapy, CRISPR, Follistatin 00:41:05 Sponsors: AG1 & BetterHelp 00:43:41 Stem Cells, Ethics, Yamanaka Factors, Human Stem Cell Models 00:52:03 Umbilical Stem Cells; Stem Cell Injections & Dangers, Autistic Kids 00:59:30 Organoids, Modeling Brain Development, Intrinsic Development Timer 01:12:22 Assembloids, Brain Cell Migration & Circuit Formation, Self-Organization 01:21:22 Four-Part Assembloid, Sensory Assembloid, Pain Conditions 01:25:45 Sponsor: Function 01:27:33 Future Medical Therapies, Cell Banking, Immortalize Tissues, Rejuvenate Cells 01:34:56 Assembloids & Ethics, Importance of Nomenclature, Science Collaboration & Self-Correction 01:45:38 Cell Transplantation & Ethics, Timing 01:55:05 Genetic Testing for Parents, Genetic Penetrance 02:02:36 Assembloids, Timothy Syndrome, Epilepsy, Schizophrenia, Dystonia 02:14:30 Scientific Career, Walking, Art, Medical School 02:20:44 Zero-Cost Support, YouTube, Spotify & Apple Follow & Reviews, Sponsors, YouTube Feedback, Protocols Book, Social Media, Neural Network Newsletter Disclaimer & Disclosures: https://www.hubermanlab.com/disclaimer

SPEAKERS

Andrew Huberman
host
Dr. Sergiu Pașca
guest

EPISODE SUMMARY

In this episode of Huberman Lab, featuring Andrew Huberman and Dr. Sergiu Pașca, Dr. Pașca on Huberman Lab: How Assembloids Cure Autism explores building Miniature Human Brain Circuits To Treat Devastating Psychiatric Disease Neuroscientist and psychiatrist Dr. Sergiu Pașca explains how induced pluripotent stem cells, brain organoids, and assembloids are transforming our ability to study and potentially cure severe neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders such as profound autism, epilepsy, and schizophrenia.

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