Scientist take a step closer to full pig-to-human organ transplantation
Washington — Scientists have successfully edited the genetic code of piglets to remove dormant viral infections, a breakthrough that could eventually pave the way for animal-to-human organ transplants. Their work, documented in the US journal Science on Thursday, could save lives by reducing organ donor waiting lists that have risen over the years, partly thanks to better road safety. There are about 117,000 people on the US transplant waiting list, according to official data, while 22 people die each day waiting for an organ. Harvard University geneticists George Church and Luhan Yang, together with a team of Danish and Chinese collaborators, placed edited embryonic cells into a chemical cocktail that encouraged growth and overcame the destructive effect inherent in the modification process. They then used a standard cloning technique to insert the edited DNA into egg cells that were placed into a surrogate mother. "Before our study, there was huge scientific uncertainty about whet...
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