Patient Gets First Lab-Grown Blood Transfusion Ever

Ever worried what would happen if we ran out of blood in hospitals? Fear no more! Because the first patient ever has been given lab-grown blood — and survived.

Earlier this week we told you about scientists who have managed the miracle of turning rice into blood. Now, a team from the Pierre and Marie Curie University, Paris, have made blood from bone marrow stem cells. And actually injected it into someone.

So far, it even looks like the process is completely safe too, with the blood cells behaving just like normal ones.

So there’s no reason why donors couldn’t become a thing of the past, replaced by labs churning out the red stuff left, right and centre. Which is great news for vampires, who’ll get to put their feet up instead of chasing after virgin brides.

Image: m.mate.

[New Scientist]