Lab-grown blood transfusion: The many problems it could address if it works

It could end shortages of rare groups, and drastically cut the risk of infections from transfusions

A clinical trial in the UK has grown blood in the laboratory and transfused it into two volunteers in a research project carried out jointly by the University of Cambridge, the University of Bristol and the Blood and Transplant Department of the UK’s National Health Service. The experiment will be repeated with more volunteers.

This has huge implications for the treatment of certain congenital blood-related disorders such as sickle cell anaemia and thalassemia. It could also make it considerably easier to arrange treatments and transfusions for patients with rare blood groups.

An ability to generate blood in the lab could