04 | Artificial Evolution: Pig Parts for People?

2025-09-23

Timothy Andrews has lived with a pig kidney in his body for eight months.That makes him a record breaker — living longer with a gene-edited pig kidney than anyone else in the world so far.In the final episode of Artificial Evolution, he tells us about his journey, his hopes for making it a year with the transplant, and the challenges he's faced along the way.With expanded clinical trials into this 'xenotransplantation' around the corner, researchers and advocacy groups argue a future in which animal organs are used i...

Timothy Andrews has lived with a pig kidney in his body for eight months.

That makes him a record breaker — living longer with a gene-edited pig kidney than anyone else in the world so far.

In the final episode of Artificial Evolution, he tells us about his journey, his hopes for making it a year with the transplant, and the challenges he's faced along the way.

With expanded clinical trials into this 'xenotransplantation' around the corner, researchers and advocacy groups argue a future in which animal organs are used in life-saving transplantation procedures for humans is not far off.

So what is the science and history of xenotransplantation? What are the ethical concerns? And what's happening in Australia?

You can hear more episodes of Science Friction with journalist Peter de Kruijff about DNA, cloning, genetic modification and gene editing on the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts.

Guests:

Timothy AndrewsNew Hampshire, United States

Professor Wayne HawthorneProfessor of Transplantation, Westmead Hospital

Professor Dominique MartinProfessor of Health Ethics and Professionalism, Deakin University

Professor Syd JohnsonProfessor of Bioethics, Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, New York

Credits: