3D Brain Models Can Be Tailored For Therapies

A few MIT scientists have developed a new 3D human brain tissue model that could change how researchers study neurological diseases.

The platform, called Multicellular Integrated Brains or miBrains, recreates key features of real human brain tissue, offering a more accurate way to test drugs and understand disorders like Alzheimer’s.

The breakthrough comes at a time when neuroscience research is pushing beyond traditional lab models and animal testing to create systems that truly reflect how the human brain functions.

Each miBrain is smaller than a dime, but it brings together the brain’s six major cell types, including neurons, glial cells, and vascular structures, in one living model.

"The miBrain is the only in vitro system that contains all six major cell types that are present in the human brain," said Li-Huei Tsai, Picower Professor, director of The Picower Professor of Learning and Memory, and senior author of the study.

In their first demonstration, the researchers used miBrains to uncover how a common genetic marker for Alzheimer’s disease alters cell interactions to produce disease-related changes.

Traditional brain research relies on two main approaches: simplified cell cultures and animal models. While cell cultures are easy to produce, they lack the complexity needed to study how different brain cells interact.

Animal models, on the other hand, are more biologically complete but expensive, slow to yield results, and not always reliable for predicting human outcomes.

miBrains combine the strengths of both systems. They are easy to grow and modify, yet complex enough to replicate real brain behavior. Because they are derived from patient-specific stem cells, researchers can create personalized versions that reflect an individual’s genetic makeup.

The six integrated cell types self-organize into functional structures, including blood vessels and immune components, and even form a working blood-brain barrier that filters what can enter the tissue.

"Recent trends toward minimizing the use of animal models in drug development could make systems like this one increasingly important tools for discovering and developing new human drug targets," said Robert Langer, co-senior author of the study.

Creating a model with so many cell types took years of experimentation. One major challenge was building a structure that could physically support cells and sustain their activity.