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Genetically engineered pig hearts transplanted into dead people
theverge ^

Posted on 07/12/2022 10:57:10 PM PDT by algore

Researchers successfully transplanted genetically modified pig hearts into two recently deceased people connected to ventilators, the New York University team announced today.

The surgeries are the latest step forward in the field of animal-to-human transplants, or xenotransplantation, which has seen a flurry of successes so far this year — raising hopes for a new, steady supply of organs to ease shortages.

The only thing different about these heart transplants from a normal human-to-human heart transplant was the organ itself, the research team said in a statement. “Our goal is to integrate the practices used in a typical, everyday heart transplant, only with a nonhuman organ that will function normally without additional aid from untested devices or medicines,” said Nader Moazami, director of heart transplantation at the NYU Langone Transplant Institute.

The team performed the transplants on June 16th and July 9th, and each recipient was monitored for three days. In that time, the hearts functioned normally, and there weren’t signs of rejection from the recipients, who were connected to ventilators to keep their body processes functioning semi-regularly, even after death.

The two recipients were not able to be organ donors but were able to participate in whole-body donation for this type of research.

The two pig hearts came from biotechnology company Revivicor, which produces genetically modified pigs (and also funded the research). The pigs had 10 genetic modifications — four to block pig genes and prevent rejection and six to add human genes.

A living person was successfully given a pig heart, also produced by Revivicor, in early January at the University of Maryland Medical Center. David Bennett Sr., who had severe heart disease, initially responded well to the transplant but died in March of heart failure.

The specific cause is still unknown, but infection with a pig virus may have contributed to his death. The pig hearts are supposed to be free of viruses, but experts say they can be hard to detect.


TOPICS: Heated Discussion
KEYWORDS: corpsedesecration; frankenstein; herbertwest; sick
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To: Fai Mao

Do you want zombies? This is how you get zombies.


21 posted on 07/13/2022 5:40:31 AM PDT by D Rider ( )
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To: algore

John Wayne had a valve from a pig heart implanted in him near the end of his life. This research has been going on for decades now.


22 posted on 07/13/2022 5:58:51 AM PDT by Dr. Franklin ("A republic, if you can keep it." )
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To: algore
into two recently deceased people connected to ventilators,

So, they're only "mostly dead"?


23 posted on 07/13/2022 6:16:36 AM PDT by KarlInOhio (If Hitler invaded Hell, I would make at least a favourable reference of the Devil...-Churchill)
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To: algore

Ha ha, charade they are.


24 posted on 07/13/2022 6:17:54 AM PDT by dfwgator (Endut! Hoch Hech!)
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To: algore

When are they going to test this on Muslims?


25 posted on 08/02/2022 5:12:30 PM PDT by Paleo Conservative
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