Medical Breakthrough - Lifelike lab-grown skin developed from human stem cells
Queensland researchers have become the first in Australia to use human stem cells to generate fully functioning skin tissue in a laboratory, a significant step towards better treatments for severe burns and wounds.
The skin tissue, produced by The University of Queensland’s Frazer Institute and Metro North Health’s Herston Biofabrication Institute, can develop hair follicles and neurons as well as sebaceous and sweat glands.
Project leader Dr Abbas Shafiee said the generated skin mimics that of the human body more closely than existing skin substitutes.