Polish-British scientist Magdalena Żernicka-Goetz has developed a synthetic embryo which doesn't require egg or sperm.
Żernicka-Goetz discussed the work at the International Society for Stem Cell Research's annual meeting in Boston.
"We can create human embryo-like models by the reprogramming of cells," she explained at the meeting.
There is no near-term prospect of the synthetic embryos being used clinically.
The Guardian have reported it would be illegal to implant them into a woman's womb, and it's not known whether these structures have the potential to continue maturing beyond the early stages.
Speaking to Breakfast this morning, nanotechnologist and science educator Michelle Dickinson said synthetic embryos don't necessarily mean a human can be created and there are several ethical discussions to be had.
"We don't really have the legal or really the ethical and moral sort of discussions around this because it hasn't happened before," she said.
"In this research right now, this can't become a baby. What they've done is they've said what we're going to do is manipulate the stem cell to only grow certain things we're looking at, so in this case it was the placenta and the egg sack. There's no heart in there, there's no brain forming."
She said a synthetic embryo means a donated embryo isn't needed for pregnancy and miscarriage research.
"Right in that sort of two week window is when most miscarriages occur.
"They can actually grow these embryo-like structures to try and understand how these miscarriages occur and they can also look at some of the genetic defects that might happen. It's interesting and it means a real embryo doesn't have to be used."
Dickinson said technology always moves faster than the legislation which is why it's important to have conversations about it.
"When science is used for good, this synthetic embryo allows for lots of research to be done without the need for real embryos to be donated."
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