Feng Guo, associate professor of Intelligent Systems Engineering at the Luddy School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering, is a Co-Principal Investigator in ground-breaking organoid computing research that has received funding from the National Science Foundation.
The NSF has awarded the research project entitled “Integrated human brain organoid systems for adaptive reservoir computing” a $2 million grant through the collaboration with a group of US and Israeli scientists and engineers. Indiana University will receive nearly $1 million from the grant.
Organoid computing is a multidisciplinary field that combines electronic hardware with lab-grow human brain tissues to create a new hybrid computing system. Guo’s lab has published the first research article in the organoid computing field on Nature Electronics. They demonstrated the feasibility and strength of leveraging brain organoid neural networks for reservoir computing, leading to breakthroughs in neuromorphic computing, biocomputing, and more.
“I am very proud that Luddy is leading the new field of organoid computing,” Guo said.
Artificial Intelligence advances have increased the demand for computing power and energy efficiency. Because silicon-based computing hardware struggle to keep up, scientists are developing more efficient neuromorphic computing systems inspired by the human brain’s function and structure.
Promise comes from human brain organoids, three-dimensional brain-like tissues derived from stem cells that mimic key function and structure of a human brain.
Guo, along with Professor Jianping Fu from the University of Michigan, Professor Insoo Hyun of Boston’s Museum of Science and Israeli professors Jonathan Kadmon, Orly Reiner and Omer Revah, seek to advance hybrid neuromorphic computing systems by integrating multiple bioengineered brain organoids to further improve energy efficiency and computing power.
The goal is to provide innovative solutions to AI hardware challenges. The project may also transform society by revolutionizing drug discovery, enhance human brain understanding, inspire innovative biotechnologies and generate treatment breakthroughs in conditions such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
Guo said there also are major implications for educational efforts to reach diverse student populations, and foster interest in STEM and bioengineering research.
The grant will explore outreach activities designed to engage students in the U.S. and Israel in STEM challenges and other interdisciplinary training opportunities for graduate students in both countries.
The National Science Foundation supports fundamental research and education in all non-medical fields of science and engineering. It promotes the progress of science, advances national health and prosperity, and secures the national defense.