kidney Archives - Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia

October 31, 2025

First transplant in pigs of modified porcine kidneys with human renal organoids

A research team has developed pioneering technology that enables human kidney organoids to be produced on a scalable basis. These organoids can then be combined with pig kidneys outside the body and transplanted back into the same animal in a viable manner. The experiment, led by the Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), is in the preclinical phase. It confirms the safety and viability of the procedure, paving the way for future trials involving humans. In the long term, this approach could help to extend the useful life of organs intended for transplantation and provide an alternative therapy for patients with chronic kidney disease.

March 23, 2020March 20, 2020

IBEC participates in an international study to stop coronavirus contagion

Researchers at the Institute of Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC) led by Professor ICREA Núria Montserrat are studying the role of the receptor ‘Angiotensin converting enzyme’ (ACE2), one of the pathways that the SARS-Co-V2 virus uses to enter our body.

To do this, experts use mini-kidneys, as well as other cell cultures such as cardiac organoids. The goal is to exploit these mini-organs to better understand how the virus works.