Help for Aussies waiting for liver transplants could be on the way, with local scientists using human cells to grow "mini-livers" in a major scientific breakthrough.

The miniature livers are said to be grown from cells donated by cancer patients and are being used to test drugs and long term to treat disease.

NewsCorp Australia reports that the St Vincent's Hospital team have grown the livers that are so tiny they measure just a few millimetres in length.