Ever wondered how our brain cells create intricate patterns? Neurons, the brain's architects, are dynamic artists responding to various cues, sculpting networks for tasks ranging from routine activities such as walking to complex emotions and cognition. In the Gazzola lab, one of our goals is to bioengineer these networks outside the brain, utilizing stem cell-derived neurons to better comprehend their underlying dynamics and harness their computational capability. The image above highlights one such effort where neurons’ ability to respond to magnetic fields was utilized to create a spiral structure - NeuroCyclone. The image displays a neurosphere (an engineered spherical neural tissue), approximately 500 microns in diameter and comprising ~10,000 neurons, placed on a treated surface and allowed to grow for 5 days under the presence of a defined magnetic field. The resulting interplay between growth and magnetic force leads to neurites growing in a spiral configuration, while the cell bodies are constrained in the center. While the spiral serves as an example, the magnetic field can be employed to form much more complex and bio-realistic neural networks, potentially paving the way for improved neuroscience models.