Singapore, Aug. 25 -- Australia's University of Queensland (UQ) researchers have been the first in the world to successfully grow fully functioning human skin in a laboratory.

The research team at UQ'sFrazer Instituteused stem cells to create a replica of human skin, complete with blood vessels, capillaries, hair follicles, layers of tissue and immune cells.

Dr Abbas Shafieesaid the skin model, that was 6 years in the making, would be transformative for skin graft transplants, wound healing and studying skin disorders.Dr Shafiee, who conducted the study in collaboration with Metro North Health, said recent advancements in stem cell research allowed them to create 3-dimensional skin lab models.

Professor Kiarash Khosrotehranisaid the en...