How are these advances in genetic technology being created and tested? Are we hurting those that still exist or are we really helping. How many suffer, get sick or die while attempting to prove that these are viable naturally functional brain cells? Aren't we creating a genetic defect in the process?

Scientists who do environmental research in biology (as opposed to pharmaceutical companies, etc.) typically tend to be extremely ethically-minded people. I can definitely see the urge to group these two types of scientist together, but it's like the difference between bespoke tailoring and sweatshop manufacture. Usually when this sort of genetic research is done on endangered species, it's because the scientists are certain, to a very respectable margin, that it will help the species survive