science
Report: First gene-edited pig liver transplanted into a living person
In a medical milestone, a research team in China successfully transplanted a CRISPR gene-edited pig liver into a living person. The organ functioned well for a month before having to be removed. The case study, published today in the Journal of Hepatology, is both cause for cautious optimism for the resurgent field of xenotransplantation, and a reminder of how far the technology still has to travel.
The patient, a 71-year-old man with a history of liver failure, arrived in a hospital in Anhui Province in May 2024, where doctors discovered a large tumor on his liver threatening to rupture. With few options and little time, he and his family opted for an experimental xenotransplant through a compassionate use program.
Once connected to the patient’s circulatory system, the gene-edited pig liver began to secrete bile and perform other essential functions. But starting around day 31, tests revealed a surge in inflammation and signs of dangerous damage to blood vessels, prompting the emergency removal of the organ. While those injuries were resolved, the patient died three months later from sudden uncontrollable bleeding in his upper GI tract.
Sun Beiching, the surgeon who led the work, said that the experiment showed xenotransplantation can offer a lifesaving bridge for patients with inoperable liver cancer or untreatable liver failure. His team is now developing a pig with additional genetic modifications, which he hopes will lead to organs that “will become more compatible.” — Megan Molteni
brain blast
This year’s ‘geniuses’ are in
The MacArthur Foundation announced 22 new “genius” fellows yesterday, including an astrophysicist, a composer, a novelist, and many researchers — including a few who have been featured in STAT’s journalism over the years. Here are a couple notable names:
- Nabarun Dasgupta is an epidemiologist and harm reduction advocate. He first spoke to STAT in late 2021 about the increasing potency of naloxone overdose treatments. And he spoke to STAT’s Lev Facher earlier this year about how policymakers should respond to the fact that a sedative called “dex” is replacing “tranq” in the illegal drug supply.
- Jason McLellan, a structural biologist, investigates virus fusion proteins and develops new ways to prevent infectious diseases. He was part of the team that designed the spike protein target that a number of vaccine manufacturers used to make their Covid vaccines. STAT’s Helen Branswell references this accomplishment in her 2022 story, “why Covid-19 vaccines are a freaking miracle.”
