Sasai hopes to improve on his early efforts by growing a better pituitary gland, equipped with a blood supply; a cerebral cortex with all six layers of tissue; and photoreceptors mature enough to detect light. But his next major task is to culture a cerebellum, which will involve growing and integrating three tissues of different embryonic origins. The matchmaker is already at work, trying to conjure up the right atmosphere. “When a boy meets a girl, they start their own story — but not in a large auditorium full of people,” he says. “You need to put them on a beach or in a disco. Our system is simply going to create this environment.”