Reducing rejection of pig organs for transplant
A Tolerance Approach to Xenotransplantation
This project works on ways to help people who need organ transplants use genetically edited pig organs while avoiding immune rejection.
Quick facts
| Grant type | P01 program project |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Columbia University Health Sciences NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11380473 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From my point of view, the team uses gene-edited pigs and two immune‑tolerance approaches to teach the immune system to accept pig kidneys. They are combining mixed hematopoietic chimerism (giving pig bone marrow) with vascularized thymus transplants and are testing these methods in primates. CRISPR/Cas9 is used to modify the donor pigs to improve compatibility and organ survival, and they are exploring regulatory T cell strategies to reduce rejection. The overall aim is to move these findings toward a safe clinical trial in humans.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: The most likely future candidates would be people with end‑stage organ failure (for example, kidney failure) who need a transplant and cannot find a suitable human donor.
Not a fit: People without organ failure, or those who cannot tolerate transplant surgery or immunosuppression, would not benefit directly from this work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could greatly expand the supply of transplantable organs and reduce chronic rejection for people who need kidney transplants.
How similar studies have performed: Early reports of gene‑edited pig organ transplants have shown short‑term success, but combining mixed chimerism and thymic transplantation to induce durable tolerance is still chiefly at the preclinical stage.
Where this research is happening
New York, United States
- Columbia University Health Sciences — New York, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Sykes, Megan — Columbia University Health Sciences
- Study coordinator: Sykes, Megan
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.