The idea of turning your skin into blood may seem sci-fi at first, but it’s happening. Researchers at McMaster University have discovered a method for converting adult human skin cells into blood.

Led by scientific director Mick Bhatia, researchers at McMaster’s Stem Cell and Cancer Research Institute have found a way to create blood cells from a patch of human skin.

This new process is especially innovative because it bypasses the middle step required in most human cell conversion—specifically, the McMaster researchers have found a way to avoid having to change skin cells into a pluripotent stem cells before they can be made into blood. By skipping this step, Bhatia and team have created a groundbreakingly efficient and safe method of cell conversion.

The ability to produce blood from a patient’s own skin has many positive implications for the future of health science. Being able to make blood from . . . → Read More: Bloody Good Work: McMaster University Breakthrough in Blood Science