RESEARCHERS at a Scottish university have developed a new 3D stem cell printer which could pave the way for individually-tailored drug testing and reduce the need for animal testing.

The team of bioscientists at Heriot-Watt University say the breakthrough could ultimately lead to the growth of human organs, like the liver, from a patients own stem cells.

Dr Will Shu at the School of Engineering and Physical Sciences said: “This study is the first to demonstrate that human induced pluripotent stem cells, that is stem cells derived from the adult patient’s own cells, can be bioprinted without adversely affecting their biological functions.”