The first implantable artificial kidney has been developed by researchers from the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) who hope the device may eliminate the need for dialysis in the future.

The device uses a hemofilter to eliminate toxins from the blood and apply tissue engineering to grow renal tubule cells, which enable it to perform the functions of a normal kidney.

The device relies on the body's blood pressure to perform the functions of filtration, without the need for pumps or electrical power supply.

The first phase of the project, which focused on reducing the device size and animal studies, has already been completed, and researchers are in the second phase of the project, which aims to reduce the size of the device to fit into the human body.

The device would be ready for clinical trials in five to seven years, according to the researchers.

The project is being developed by a team of engineers, biologists and physicians nationwide, led by Shuvo Roy of the UCSF Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences. – TradeArabia News Service