Scientists at the University at Albany have made a groundbreaking discovery by successfully growing fully-formed miniature human hearts in a laboratory. These tiny hearts, about half the size of a needle’s head , could revolutionize the field of drug testing and cardiovascular research. Unlike traditional methods that rely on animal models or 2D cell cultures, these lab-grown hearts provide a more accurate and human-relevant model for studying heart diseases and testing new medications. The research team achieved this breakthrough using human-induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) , which have the ability to transform into any cell type in the body. Through advanced 3D tissue culturing techniques , they guided these cells to self-organize into functional heart structures. Remarkably, the miniature hearts beat spontaneously , just like a real human heart, demonstrating that they closely mimic natural cardiac function. One of the most promising applications of this technology ...