Darling Harbour
Peter Cowan (AU)
Chair Invited Speaker
Biography Click to expand
Peter Cowan is Scientist Director of the Immunology Research Centre, St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne, and an Honorary Professorial Fellow in the Department of Medicine, University of Melbourne. His major research interests are pig-to-human xenotransplantation and transplantation immunobiology, in particular the role of complement, coagulation, and regulated cell death in transplant-associated inflammation and rejection. His group has used genetically modified small and large animal models to study organ and cell ischemia-reperfusion injury and allo/xeno transplantation. He co-leads a long-standing national consortium that uses genetically modified pigs as donors in a non-human primate model of pancreatic islet xenotransplantation. He has served as President of the International Xenotransplantation Association, and as an Associate Editor of the journals Transplantation, The American Journal of Transplantation and Xenotransplantation.
CRISPR Pigs and the Future of Xenotransplantation Click to watch
How close are we to making xenotransplantation a clinical reality?
In this interview, Professor Peter Cowan (University of Melbourne & St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne) discusses the rapid progress in pig-to-human xenotransplantation and the critical role of genetic engineering in making cross-species transplantation possible.
Professor Cowan explains how CRISPR gene editing is transforming the field by enabling precise genetic modifications in donor pigs. Rather than pursuing the “perfect” genetic design, he argues that sufficient genetic modification may be the key to making xenotransplantation clinically viable in the near term.
The conversation also explores the importance of the complement system in long-term graft survival, the continuing role of immunosuppression alongside genetic engineering, and why better reporting and transparency around pig genetic modifications will be essential as the field moves toward broader clinical application.
Finally, Professor Cowan reflects on the importance of the global transplant community in addressing issues such as equity, cost, and accessibility as xenotransplantation technologies develop.
This interview is part of our featured speaker series leading up to the The Transplantation Society (TTS) 2026 International Congress in Sydney.
🔬 Topics discussed:
• CRISPR gene editing in xenotransplantation
• Genetic modification of donor pigs
• Complement and graft survival
• Immunosuppression in xenotransplantation
• Equity and global access to emerging transplant technologies
In this interview, Professor Peter Cowan (University of Melbourne & St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne) discusses the rapid progress in pig-to-human xenotransplantation and the critical role of genetic engineering in making cross-species transplantation possible.
Professor Cowan explains how CRISPR gene editing is transforming the field by enabling precise genetic modifications in donor pigs. Rather than pursuing the “perfect” genetic design, he argues that sufficient genetic modification may be the key to making xenotransplantation clinically viable in the near term.
The conversation also explores the importance of the complement system in long-term graft survival, the continuing role of immunosuppression alongside genetic engineering, and why better reporting and transparency around pig genetic modifications will be essential as the field moves toward broader clinical application.
Finally, Professor Cowan reflects on the importance of the global transplant community in addressing issues such as equity, cost, and accessibility as xenotransplantation technologies develop.
This interview is part of our featured speaker series leading up to the The Transplantation Society (TTS) 2026 International Congress in Sydney.
🔬 Topics discussed:
• CRISPR gene editing in xenotransplantation
• Genetic modification of donor pigs
• Complement and graft survival
• Immunosuppression in xenotransplantation
• Equity and global access to emerging transplant technologies
Programme roles
Monday, September 21, 2026
Tuesday, September 22, 2026
Room C4.4
Invited Speaker
The journey to clinical xenotransplantation
Lecture
Development of the gene edited pigs to get us to the clinic
Room C4.1
Wednesday, September 23, 2026
Cockle Bay 1
Invited Speaker
Clinical Xenotransplantation has Arrived!
Lecture
Understanding optimal genetic modification