Two Iranian scientists help develop world’s first fully-functional lab-grown human skin

A team of researchers, in collaboration with two Iranian scientists, has successfully grown the world’s first fully-functional human skin in a laboratory setting. This is reported by Pars Today, a partner of TV BRICS.

The lab-grown skin includes blood vessels, capillaries, hair follicles, multiple tissue layers, and immune cells. Dr Abbas Shafiee, who led the research, stated that the six-year project has the potential to revolutionise skin grafting, wound treatment, and dermatological research.

“This is the most realistic human skin model developed anywhere in the world,” said Shafiee. “It enables us to study skin diseases more accurately and test treatments with far greater precision.” 

The breakthrough was made possible by recent advancements in stem cell research, allowing scientists to reprogramme human skin cells into stem cells. These were then cultivated in lab dishes to grow miniature versions of skin, known as skin organoids.

Professor Kiarash Khosrotehrani, another key researcher on the project, highlighted the model’s potential to improve skin graft outcomes and transform the treatment of inflammatory skin disorders such as psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, scleroderma, and other genetic skin conditions. 

Photo: Atthapon Niyom / iStock