'Pig organs to be used for humans in a decade'

My Account
Logout

Create an Evening Standard Account

Use your social network

Save time by using your existing account to sign in to Evening Standard

We'll never share your information or post anything to your account without your permission

Welcome! Sign in here

Use your social network

Save time by using your existing account to sign in to Evening Standard

We'll never share your information or post anything to your account without your permission

Forgot your password ?

Registration

* indicates fields that are mandatory

Email *

Password *

Confirm Password *

First name *

Surname *

Postcode *

Country *

Mobile phone number

Username *

Gender *

Year of birth *

When you sign up...

You will have access to all our online competitions, discounted offers and can post comments on our site.

You will also receive The Weekender newsletter sent every Thursday - it’s full of fantastic offers and ideas for the weekend. You can update your email preferences in your account page when you log in.

Other newsletters and emails

Homes & Property Newsletter - Yes I want to receive the weekly email with all the latest news on property in the capital

Occasionally we would also like to send you relevant emails detailing specific offers either from ourselves or carefully selected partners. If you would prefer not to receive these then please tick the appropriate boxes below. We will never pass on your details.

I do not want to receive additional offers and information from the Evening Standard

I do not want to receive additional offers and information sent by Evening Standard on behalf of carefully selected partners

Terms and Conditions

* I have read, understood and agree to be bound by the terms and conditions of Evening Standard

Registration

Mail Sent for Registration Confirmation.

A confirmation email has been sent. Please activate your account by clicking on the activation link sent in your mail box.

Professor Robert Winston said he expects the first piglets created to help with pig to human transplants to be born as early as next year.

This is a breakthrough for the Imperial College expert, who has pioneered a technique to create pigs with "humanised" organs, which cannot be rejected by the patients' immune system.

His plan is to breed pigs from sperm genetically modified to contain about six human genes.

The research is still at a very early stage but it emerged today his team at Hammersmith hospital has already produced four piglets from specially modified sperm.

The litter was created by accident after a male pig broke loose from its pen and the piglets were destroyed on the orders of UK regulators.

But scientists froze the dead piglets and tests will show this month if they have any transplant-friendly genes.

Lord Winston intends to use these findings to create a new litter to "track" the success of the technology. It could then take just three years to develop the first pigs with "humanised" organs.

He said transplants of "humanised" pig hearts, livers and kidneys could solve Britain's organ donation crisis. One patient goes on the transplant list every 15 minutes but only one fifth of these ever get a donation.