Research Using Chimeras in Animals

neural chimeras broach new ethical territory. National academies of science, engineering and medicine flagged issues such as the possibility of endowing animals with new cognitive abilities or human disease symptoms that could be distressing. The committee advised that although current regulation of stem cell and animal research was adequate, the field should be kept under close surveillance. Researchers are starting to consider going beyond transplanting a few isolated cells to creating chimeric animal with human brain regions.