Polish scientists breed GM pig to provide human organs

Polish scientists have managed to breed a transgenic pig, which has been genetically engineered to become a source of organs for people. The project was financed by the State Committee for Scientific Research (KBN) and included ten Polish research centers. "If molecular analysis confirms the success, then the pig's offspring will become a source of organs. However, one has to bear in mind that changing one gene is too little to eliminate the immunology barrier between animal and humans. Due to this, the patient will have to remain under substantial pharmaceutical support," said Jacek Jura, from the Zoo-technical Institute in Balice. The new born swine does not yet have any name, but instead has been given the number 1154. "This is just half of the challenge. Now we have to reproduce it in such a way that it maintains or even improves its genetic features," said Jura. (Rzeczpospolita, p. A1) M.M.