Gene editing spurs hope for organ transplants from animals

Porcine organs can be the right size for human transplantation

In a striking advance that helps open the door to organ transplants from animals, researchers have created gene-edited piglets cleansed of viruses that might cause disease in humans.

The experiments, reported on Thursday in the journal Science, may make it possible one day to transplant livers, hearts and other organs from pigs into humans, a hope that experts had all but given up.

If pig organs were shown to be safe and effective, “they could be a real game changer,” said David Klassen, chief medical officer at the United Network for Organ Sharing, a private, nonprofit organisation that manages the nation’s transplant