Pigs could help people who need liver transplants

Plus more health news | Email not displaying correctly? [View it in your browser.]( [Health Matters]( [Scientists connected a brain-dead patient to a pig liver for the first time]( By Alice Park Senior Health Correspondent In my job covering health and science, I have the opportunity to learn about some pretty remarkable feats. But the latest advance in transplant science ranks among the most striking that I’ve come across in a long time. Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania, along with teams from biotech companies eGenesis and OrganOx, announced that they successfully connected a brain-dead patient to a pig liver for the first time. The experiment is an initial step toward finding better solutions for the 10,000 people waiting for liver transplants in the U.S. Yes, it involved one patient. But what makes it so compelling is the combination of cutting-edge scientific advances involved. The pig donors were clones (produced using the same process that made Dolly the sheep, the first cloned mammal), from cells that had been edited with CRISPR to make them less pig-like and more human to avoid the problem of rejection. CRISPR made it possible to introduce 69 edits—an unthinkable number of changes using previous gene-modifying techniques. The patient’s liver remained in place, so the study wasn’t designed to test whether the pig liver could substitute for the patient’s, but it did prove that the liver could remain healthy and viable and potentially perform some liver functions for up to three days. Next, the research team plans to study genetically modified pig livers in brain-dead patients whose livers have been removed. And if those studies continue to show promise, tests in people with liver failure could start by the end of the year. [READ MORE HERE]( Share This Story WHAT ELSE TO READ [How to Find Small Moments of Joy in Dark Times]( By Angela Haupt Create a joy bucket list, have recess every day, and dance it out. [Read More »]( [What We Know About Leaky Gut Syndrome]( By Elaine K. Howley Leaky gut is a condition in which the lining of the intestines become inflamed, damaged, or irritated. [Read More »]( [What Science Really Says About Grilled Meat and Cancer Risk]( By Markham Heid The research on is much less clear than many believe. (Originally published in 2019.) [Read More »]( [5 Ways to Keep Your Brain Sharp As You Age]( By Matt Fuchs An aging mind isn't a weak one. (Originally published in 2021.) [Read More »]( [Want to Give Your Life More Meaning? Think of It as a 'Hero's Journey']( By Angela Haupt Imagining yourself as the main character of a heroic adventure could help you achieve a more meaningful life. [Read More »]( ONE LAST READ [Could ultraviolet light end the next pandemic before it starts?]( A small group of scientists are confident that ultraviolet light’s ability to kill respiratory viruses means that we’re nearing the end of airborne infections like COVID-19, Dylan Matthews writes for Vox. But implementing the technology in a practical way has lots of challenges, including price, risk of air pollution, and some critical-yet-unresolved questions about what controlled exposure to certain UV wavelengths could do to the human body. [Read More »]( If you were forwarded this and want to sign up to receive it daily, [click here](. Today's newsletter was written by Alice Park and Haley Weiss, and edited by Angela Haupt. [Want more from TIME? Sign up for our other newsletters.]( [Subscribe to TIME]( TIME may receive compensation for some links to products and services in this email. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Connect with TIME via [Facebook]( | [Twitter]( | [Newsletters]( [UNSUBSCRIBE]( [PRIVACY POLICY]( [YOUR CALIFORNIA PRIVACY RIGHTS]( TIME Customer Service, P.O. Box 37508, Boone, IA 50037-0508 Questions? Contact health@time.com Copyright © 2024 TIME USA, LLC. All rights reserved.