Researchers in the US are pioneering a technique that could revolutionise in vitro fertilisation (IVF) by creating eggs from skin cells.

This technology, called in vitro gametogenesis (IVG) is similar to the one used to clone Dolly the sheep and aims to overcome fertility issues due to ageing, disease, or cancer treatments.

A study in mice at Oregon Health & Science University, has now shown promising results in converting mouse skin cells into eggs that can be then fertilised, leading to viable embryos with genetic material from two mice male donors.

Lead researcher, Shoukhrat Mitalipov, told The Guardian: “Our technology would enable infertile patients to have genetically related children, providing a path to parenthood that is currently unavailable even with IVF.”

While the clinical application of this technology might still be a decade away, it will eventually offer a faster alternative to existing reproductive methods and also allow same-sex couples to have genetically related children.

The journal article was published in Science Advances.