In a first, Pig Lung transplanted to a human....

Scientists in China have transplanted a genetically modified pig lung into a human for the first time, marking a breakthrough in xenotransplantation. The procedure, carried out at Guangzhou Medical University on a brain-dead 39-year-old patient, showed the lung remained functional for nine days without immediate rejection. Signs of damage appeared within 24 hours and rejection indicators followed by days three and six. Published in Nature Medicine, the study offers proof of concept that cross-species lung transplants could one day address the global organ shortage, with over 173,000 transplants performed worldwide in 2024.

Monday, 25 August, 2025