It’s a first step toward seeing if lab-grown blood cells are safe and work in the body — which would be a major advance for people living with rare blood types or blood disorders.“This world leading research lays the groundwork for the manufacture of red blood cells that can safely be used to transfuse people with disorders like sickle cell,” said Farrukh Shah, medical director of transfusion for National Health Service Blood and Transplant in the United Kingdom, in a statement.But the trial also lays the groundwork for an even bigger step: creating lab-grown blood for rare blood types that often aren’t found in donations.For example, some people with sickle cell disease — a blood disorder that requires regular transfusions — develop antibodies against certain proteins on some donor blood cells.But the potential for this work to benefit hard to transfuse patients is very significant,” Shah said."