@article{presley_samsa_dubljevic_2022, title={Media portrayal of ethical and social issues in brain organoid research}, volume={17}, ISSN={["1747-5341"]}, url={https://doi.org/10.1186/s13010-022-00119-z}, DOI={10.1186/s13010-022-00119-z}, abstractNote={Abstract Background Human brain organoids are a valuable research tool for studying brain development, physiology, and pathology. Yet, a host of potential ethical concerns are inherent in their creation. There is a growing group of bioethicists who acknowledge the moral imperative to develop brain organoid technologies and call for caution in this research. Although a relatively new technology, brain organoids and their uses are already being discussed in media literature. Media literature informs the public and policymakers but has the potential for utopian or dystopian distortions. Thus, it is important to understand how this technology is portrayed to the public. Methods To investigate how brain organoids are displayed to the public, we conducted a systematic review of media literature indexed in the Nexis Uni database from 2013–2019. News and media source articles passing exclusion criteria ( n = 93) were scored to evaluate tone and relevant themes. Themes were validated with a pilot sample before being applied to the dataset. Thematic analysis assessed article tone, reported potential for the technology, and the scientific, social, and ethical contexts surrounding brain organoids research. Results Brain organoid publications became more frequent from 2013 to 2019. We observed increases in positively and negatively toned articles, suggesting growing polarization. While many sources discuss realistic applications of brain organoids, others suggest treatment and cures beyond the scope of the current technology. This could work to overhype the technology and disillusion patients and families by offering false hope. In the ethical narrative we observe a preoccupation with issues such as development of artificial consciousness and “humanization” of organoid-animal chimeras. Issues of regulation, ownership, and accuracy of the organoid models are rarely discussed. Conclusions Given the power that media have to inform or misinform the public, it is important this literature provides an accurate and balanced reflection of the therapeutic potential and associated ethical issues regarding brain organoid research. Our study suggests increasing polarization, coupled with misplaced and unfounded ethical concern. Given the inhibitory effects of public fear or disillusion on research funding, it is important media literature provides an accurate reflection of brain organoids.}, number={1}, journal={PHILOSOPHY ETHICS AND HUMANITIES IN MEDICINE}, author={Presley, Abigail and Samsa, Leigh Ann and Dubljevic, Veljko}, year={2022}, month={Apr} }
 @article{samsa_goller_2021, title={Divide and Conquer: A Simple Modern Technique for Collaborative Small Group Learning with Reciprocal Peer Teaching}, volume={22}, ISSN={["1935-7885"]}, DOI={10.1128/jmbe.v22i1.2153}, abstractNote={Collaborative group learning and peer teaching are robust active learning techniques. Students and instructors interact with technology extensively in their lives and in the classroom. ABSTRACT Collaborative group learning and peer teaching are robust active learning techniques. Students and instructors interact with technology extensively in their lives and in the classroom. Technology facilitates collaborative group learning by enabling synchronous interaction with digital documents and immediate access to information. Though it is widely accepted that group learning is an improvement to traditional lectures, challenges in the design, execution, and evaluation of group learning can be a barrier to implementing this pedagogy in the higher education classroom. Divide and Conquer is a simple, easy-to-use, and modern technique that faculty and instructors can use to rapidly transform traditional lecture content into collaborative small group learning and peer-teaching experiences. Students are divided into groups that complete instructor-prescribed activities on a shared Google Slide deck, and then teach the class what they learned. This technique can be used to explore a range of topics including science and non-science content and is particularly amenable to self-contained, related mini-research topics (i.e. the lowest level of organization on the outline of a lecture). This innovative technique was inspired primarily by the Jigsaw technique. However, it is distinct in that it deliberately builds technology skills and includes a class-level presentation. It is recommended for any higher education classroom across disciplines.}, number={1}, journal={Journal of Microbiology and Biology Education}, author={Samsa, L.A. and Goller, C.C.}, year={2021}, month={Apr}, pages={ev22i1-2153} }
 @article{samsa_samsa_2019, title={A Guide to Reproducibility in Preclinical Research}, volume={94}, ISSN={["1938-808X"]}, DOI={10.1097/ACM.0000000000002351}, abstractNote={Many have raised concerns about the reproducibility of biomedical research. In this Perspective, the authors address this “reproducibility crisis” by distilling discussions around reproducibility into a simple guide to facilitate understanding of the topic. Reproducibility applies both within and across studies. The following questions address reproducibility within studies: “Within a study, if the investigator repeats the data management and analysis, will she get an identical answer?” and “Within a study, if someone else starts with the same raw data, will she draw a similar conclusion?” Contrastingly, the following questions address reproducibility across studies: “If someone else tries to repeat an experiment as exactly as possible, will she draw a similar conclusion?” and “If someone else tries to perform a similar study, will she draw a similar conclusion?” Many elements of reproducibility from clinical trials can be applied to preclinical research (e.g., changing the culture of preclinical research to focus more on transparency and rigor). For investigators, steps toward improving reproducibility include specifying data analysis plans ahead of time to decrease selective reporting; more explicit data management and analysis protocols; and increasingly detailed experimental protocols, which allow others to repeat experiments. Additionally, senior investigators should take greater ownership of the details of their research (e.g., implementing active laboratory management practices, such as random audits of raw data [or at least reduced reliance on data summaries], more hands-on time overseeing experiments, and encouraging a healthy skepticism from all contributors). These actions will support a culture where rigor + transparency = reproducibility.}, number={1}, journal={ACADEMIC MEDICINE}, author={Samsa, Greg and Samsa, Leigh}, year={2019}, month={Jan}, pages={47–52} }
 @article{zwarycz_gracz_rivera_williamson_samsa_starmer_daniele_salter-cid_zhao_magness_2019, title={IL22 Inhibits Epithelial Stem Cell Expansion in an Ileal Organoid Model}, volume={7}, ISSN={["2352-345X"]}, DOI={10.1016/j.jcmgh.2018.06.008}, abstractNote={Crohn's disease is an inflammatory bowel disease that affects the ileum and is associated with increased cytokines. Although interleukin (IL)6, IL17, IL21, and IL22 are increased in Crohn's disease and are associated with disrupted epithelial regeneration, little is known about their effects on the intestinal stem cells (ISCs) that mediate tissue repair. We hypothesized that ILs may target ISCs and reduce ISC-driven epithelial renewal.A screen of IL6, IL17, IL21, or IL22 was performed on ileal mouse organoids. Computational modeling was used to predict microenvironment cytokine concentrations. Organoid size, survival, proliferation, and differentiation were characterized by morphometrics, quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction, and immunostaining on whole organoids or isolated ISCs. ISC function was assayed using serial passaging to single cells followed by organoid quantification. Single-cell RNA sequencing was used to assess Il22ra1 expression patterns in ISCs and transit-amplifying (TA) progenitors. An IL22-transgenic mouse was used to confirm the impact of increased IL22 on proliferative cells in vivo.High IL22 levels caused decreased ileal organoid survival, however, resistant organoids grew larger and showed increased proliferation over controls. Il22ra1 was expressed on only a subset of ISCs and TA progenitors. IL22-treated ISCs did not show appreciable differentiation defects, but ISC biomarker expression and self-renewal-associated pathway activity was reduced and accompanied by an inhibition of ISC expansion. In vivo, chronically increased IL22 levels, similar to predicted microenvironment levels, showed increases in proliferative cells in the TA zone with no increase in ISCs.Increased IL22 limits ISC expansion in favor of increased TA progenitor cell expansion.}, number={1}, journal={CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR GASTROENTEROLOGY AND HEPATOLOGY}, author={Zwarycz, Bailey and Gracz, Adam D. and Rivera, Kristina R. and Williamson, Ian A. and Samsa, Leigh A. and Starmer, Josh and Daniele, Michael A. and Salter-Cid, Luisa and Zhao, Qihong and Magness, Scott T.}, year={2019}, pages={1–17} }