Scientists Create 'Universal' Kidney That Can Be Transplanted Regardless of Blood Type

After a decade of painstaking work, researchers from institutions across Canada and China have achieved what many thought impossible: creating a 'universal' kidney that, in theory, can be accepted by any patient regardless of their blood type. The breakthrough, published in late 2025, involved a test organ that survived and functioned for several days in the body of a brain-dead recipient whose family consented to the research. It marks the first time this concept has been demonstrated in a human model. 'This is the first time we've seen this play out in a human model,' said biochemist Stephen Withers from the University of British Columbia. 'It gives us invaluable insight into how to improve long-term outcomes.' The problem the research addresses is enormous. Currently, people with type O blood who need a kidney must wait for a type O donor — and since type O kidneys can also work in patients with other blood types, they're in chronically short supply. More than half of all people on kidney transplant waitlists have type O blood. While it is technically possible today to transplant kidneys between different blood types, the existing process is time-consuming, expensive, risky, and requires living donors because the recipient needs extensive preparation. The researchers' approach involves using enzymes to strip the blood-type antigens from the kidney's blood vessels, essentially making it 'invisible' to the recipient's immune system regardless of blood type. Blood type is determined partly by ABO blood group antigens present on red blood cells. Antibodies in the recipient's blood normally attack organs with incompatible antigens, causing rejection. By removing these antigens, the universal kidney sidesteps this fundamental barrier. With over 100,000 people on the kidney transplant waiting list in the United States alone — and 13 people dying every day while waiting — this breakthrough could save thousands of lives annually once it reaches clinical practice. The research team is now working to extend the viability of universal kidneys and move toward clinical trials in living patients.