Faster, safer gene editing in pigs for medicine and farming

Enhancing The Value of Pigs for Agriculture and Biomedical Applications By Using Novel Genome Editing Strategies

NIH-funded research University of Missouri-Columbia · NIH-11127528

This project develops faster, safer ways to edit pig genes so researchers can create animal models that better mirror human diseases and help improve agricultural traits.

Quick facts

Grant typeR01 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionUniversity of Missouri-Columbia NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Columbia, United States)
Project IDNIH-11127528 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

Researchers are improving CRISPR and related genome-editing methods to make genetically engineered pigs more reliable and quicker to produce. They will measure unintended DNA changes and optimize techniques to reduce those off-target effects. The team will use these improved methods to create pig models that reproduce human conditions such as cystic fibrosis and certain immune disorders. Faster, safer pig models aim to speed up the path from lab discoveries to therapies and agricultural improvements.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Patients with conditions commonly modeled in pigs, such as cystic fibrosis or certain immune disorders, are the most likely to benefit from advances enabled by this research.

Not a fit: People seeking immediate treatments or direct enrollment in a clinical trial would not benefit directly because this is preclinical animal research.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this work could speed development of new treatments by providing more accurate and readily available pig models of human diseases.

How similar studies have performed: Researchers have used CRISPR to create pig disease models before, but improving safety and reducing the time to generate models remains an active and necessary goal.

Where this research is happening

Columbia, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.