York: Doctors in the UK are investigating how bone can be grown from baby stem cells to replace diseased joints.

At present stem cells from the umbilical cords of babies are used to treat leukaemia patients, but researchers at York University hope to find a new use for the two million units of cord blood collected every year in Europe.

Doctors already believe the process is possible but now need clinical proof, which is being funded by the EU to the tune of £1.6 million. Last year doctors in Germany replaced part of the skull of a child using stem cells taken from body fat, which appeared to turn into bone cells.