Artificial Liver
The McGowan Institute is developing an artificial liver — composed of both synthetic materials and live liver cells — that can filter blood like a natural liver. This device is designed to sustain a patient until a donor organ is available, or unburden the liver for a time so that it can heal. In an early clinical research study, 80 percent of those treated with the artificial liver survived until a donor organ was found or recovered liver function. The artificial liver is now being prepared for the next stage of clinical studies.