A Newcastle University team are working on a test which could find so-called "zombie cells" in potential donor hearts.
This could mean a greater chance of finding a life-saving organ for one of the 320 people waiting for one at any one time.
It comes from research part-funded by the British Heart Foundation and presented at the British Cardiovascular Society conference. The team in Newcastle hope that their test will help medics to work out quickly if a donor heart is suitable for transplant - this could in theory boost the hearts available.
