Russia's Skolkovo Center prints organ, transplants into mouse

Russia's Skolkovo Innovation Center has successfully printed a functioning organ, using a bioprinter developed by one of its researchers, the Interfax news agency reported Tuesday, citing Skolkovo Foundation Vice President Kirill Kaem.

"Our researcher, is one of five companies worldwide to develop a working bioprinter and the first company to print a functioning thyroid gland that was successfully transplanted to a mouse," Kaem told journalists, Interfax reported.

The company plans to begin printing other organs in the near future — such as the kidney or liver — and is already selling bioprinters to other companies interested in biological 3D-printing.

"However, the printing of human organs will take significant time — more than 15 years," Kaem added.

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