Columbia-based National Swine Resource and Research Center at the University of Missouri received an $8 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to double its space for animals, the Columbia Daily Tribune reported Oct. 28.
The center keeps pigs with modified hearts that make transplantation into humans easier and reduces risk of rejection. Through DNA modification, the transplanted hearts can grow with the new body, overcoming a common issue that can result in multiple surgeries years after a transplant, the report said.
The expanded center, which expects to break ground in 2024, pending NIH approval, also will provide more research opportunities for cardiologists.
The center's research led to what was considered a successful transplant of a pig heart in a 57-year-old man in January.
Read the full report here.