Using stem cells taken from umbilical cords, British scientists revealed that they have for the first time managed to grow a miniature liver which can be used for drug testing. Professor McGuckin, one of the researchers who worked on the project, said that this could lead to viable pieces of liver for transplant in 10 to 15 years, but that full liver transplants were still decades away. Scientists hope that by providing these test livers, they can avoid tragedies such as the TeGenero clinical trial fiasco earlier this year, giving researchers the chance to test experimental drugs on human tissue before dosing test subjects. Report