Headline

US Surgeons Report Longest Successful Pig-to-human Kidney Transplant

Published

3 years ago

September 15, 2023

The United States surgeons have announced that they concluded their experiment after a groundbreaking 61 days, where they transplanted a genetically modified pig kidney into a brain-dead patient, marking a significant milestone in the field of organ transplantation.

This new experimental procedure is part of a rapidly developing area of study focused on advancing cross-species transplants. The technique is primarily being tested on donated bodies for scientific purposes.

In the United States, there are over 103,000 individuals on the organ transplant waiting list, with 88,000 of them specifically in need of kidneys.

“We have learned a great deal throughout these past two months of close observation and analysis, and there is great reason to be hopeful for the future,” said Robert Montgomery, director of the New York University Langone Transplant Institute, who led the surgery in July.

This was the fifth xenotransplant performed by Montgomery, who previously conducted the world’s first genetically modified pig kidney transplant in September 2021.

Tissue collected during the study showed signs of a mild rejection process, which led to a need for increased immunosuppression medication.

By “knocking out” the gene responsible for a biomolecule called alpha-gal — a prime target for roving human antibodies — the NYU Langone team was able to stop immediate rejection.

The donor pig in this experiment came from a herd cultivated by Virginia-based biotech company Revivicor.

The Food and Drug Administration has granted approval for the herd to serve as a meat source for individuals with alpha-gal molecule hypersensitivity, which is caused by certain tick bites. These pigs are bred rather than cloned, making the process more scalable.

In the past, early xenotransplantation research centered around using organs from primates. For instance, in 1984, a baboon’s heart was transplanted into a newborn called “Baby Fae,” but unfortunately, she only survived for 20 days.

Nowadays, the focus has shifted to pigs as potential donors for humans. Pigs are considered suitable due to their organ size, rapid growth, large litters, and the fact that they are already raised for food.

In January 2022, surgeons at the University of Maryland Medical School achieved a groundbreaking accomplishment by performing the first-ever pig-to-human heart transplant on a living patient.

Unfortunately, the patient passed away two months after the procedure, and it was later determined that the presence of porcine cytomegalovirus in the organ was to blame.

Chinese scientists recently published a paper demonstrating their achievement of creating hybrid pig-human kidneys in pig embryos. This alternative approach has the potential to address organ donation shortages in the future.

However, the development has raised ethical concerns, particularly because human cells were discovered in the pigs’ brains, according to experts.

Headline

Indian Court Denies Bail To Nigerian Man Over Drug Charges

Published

2 hours ago

May 28, 2026

Editor

A court in India has denied bail to a 44-year-old Nigerian national, Cristian Soporuchukwu, who is currently facing drug trafficking charges in the country.

Cristian Soporuchukwu initially entered India on a business visa but was later arrested over allegations of involvement in the sale of hard drugs.

Reports indicated that after arriving in India, Soporuchukwu travelled through Goa, Delhi, and Mumbai, where he allegedly established links with suspected drug traffickers.

He was accused of purchasing MDMA crystals and distributing them to college students and information technology workers.

According to reports, operatives of the Beguru Police arrested Cristian Soporuchukwu in April 2025 for allegedly selling MDMA crystals around Begur Lake and the AECS Layout Road area.

The New Indian Express reported that the High Court of Karnataka subsequently dismissed the Nigerian’s bail application.

“The anti-narcotics wing seized about 1 kg of MDMA crystals, a pocket weighing machine, 10 zip-lock covers, a mobile phone and a scooter from him,” the report stated.

Justice V. Srishananda, while ruling on the bail application, reportedly held that errors relating to the grounds of arrest could not automatically justify bail in serious narcotics-related offences under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances, NDPS, Act.

The court further noted that Cristian Soporuchukwu had allegedly overstayed his visa in India, according to the report.

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Strait Of Hormuz: US Announces Sanctions Against Iran

Published

3 hours ago

May 28, 2026

Editor

The United States Treasury has announced sanctions against Iran’s Persian Gulf Strait Authority.

Treasury Secretary, Scott Bessent, said this in a statement on Wednesday.

The statement extended the threat of sanctions to anyone paying the fees, saying they may be providing support to and receiving services from Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, and therefore may be exposed to sanctions risk.

“The Iranian military’s latest attempt to extort global maritime trade is proof that Economic Fury has left the regime desperate for cash.

“Treasury has deprived the Iranian regime of revenue for their weapons programs, terrorist proxies, and nuclear ambitions,” Bessent said.

Bessent added that the US has succeeded in disrupting tens of billions of dollars’ worth of revenue from being accessible to Tehran.

Headline

US Launches New Airstrikes On Iran

Published

3 hours ago

May 28, 2026

Editor

The United States has launched new airstrikes in southern Iran.

The strike shot down four one-way attack drones that posed a threat around the Strait of Hormuz and then a ground control site.

A US official revealed that American forces struck an Iranian ground control station in Bandar Abbas that was about to launch a fifth drone.

The official described the strikes as purely defensive, saying the US intended to maintain the ceasefire.

Report says this is the second time in three days that the US has carried out self-defense strikes against Iranian military targets in southern Iran.

Recall that on Monday the US carried out airstrikes against Iranian missile locations and boats that US Central Command said were preparing to launch mines in the Strait of Hormuz.