# Immunodeficient Pigs for Stem Cell­-Based Regenerative Medicine

> **NIH NIH R01** · NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY RALEIGH · 2020 · $446,547

## Abstract

The goal of engrafting human cells into other species has been pursued for six decades. This goal remains
and there are multiple labs across the world that are using, and improving humanized mice to address a range
of high impact biomedical questions. However there is a need for developing systems in species that more
closely resemble humans in size, physiology and longevity. The pig offers an exceptional and perhaps the best
system for this purpose. Pigs are widely available and the life span, and cell and organ physiology more
closely approximates those of human. Pigs are readily bred, born in litters and amenable to genetic
engineering. Additionally, recent advances in gene editing have allowed the development of complex multi-
transgenic pigs at very high efficiencies. We propose to introduce changes into the genome of pigs so as to
enhance their ability to host human cells without rejection. We will focus on reducing phagocytosis of human
cells by pig macrophages, enhancing the bone marrow stem cell niche so human cells can engraft at higher
efficiencies, and providing a cytokine environment that favors human versus pig cells. Completion of these
aims will result in the development of a new large animal model capable of robust and functional engraftment
with human stem cells.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9990880
- **Project number:** 5R01OD023138-04
- **Recipient organization:** NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY RALEIGH
- **Principal Investigator:** Jorge A Piedrahita
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $446,547
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2017-09-01 → 2022-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9990880

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9990880, Immunodeficient Pigs for Stem Cell­-Based Regenerative Medicine (5R01OD023138-04). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9990880. Licensed CC0.

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