Modifying the porcine genome for xeno-organ transplantation (B01/B02)

• Subject Area: Animal Breeding, Animal Nutrition, Animal Husbandry
• Term: from 2012 to 2024
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 213602983

Porcine organs for successful xenotransplantation require a battery of genetic modifications. We have already generated multi-transgenic and multi-knockout pigs, including MHC I knockout animals. Our goals for the new funding period are to fully characterise the new pig lines, to also downregulate or knockout MHC II and test these organs for transplantation. Novel technologies such as 'smart graft' pigs, porcine embryonic stem cells and integrase technology are being developed to optimise current pig lines and to efficiently generate new combinations of xenoprotective transgenes in a different porcine background, if required. While PERV-C free animals are available, the inactivation of all PERVs will be evaluated in collaboration with Z2.

• DFG Programme: CRC/Transregios
• Subproject of: TRR 127: Biology of Xenogeneic Cell and Organ Transplantation - From Bench to Bedside
• Applicant Institution: Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München
• Project Heads: Dr. Konrad Fischer; Professor Dr. Wilfried A. Kues, since 8/2023; Dr. Andrea Lucas-Hahn; Professor Dr. Heiner Niemann, until 12/2020; Dr. Björn Petersen, until 7/2023; Professorin Dr. Angelika Schnieke