A smart implant to help rebuild large muscle losses after injury
An Intelligent Biorobot for the Regenerative Rehabilitation of Volumetric Muscle Loss Defects
This project aims to use a self-powered implant that delivers muscle cells and gentle electrical pulses from everyday limb movement to help people with large traumatic muscle loss rebuild working muscle.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Cleveland State University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Cleveland, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11302690 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you have lost a large chunk of muscle from a traumatic injury, researchers are developing a piezoelectric implant that carries muscle cells and uses small electric signals generated by normal movement to speed muscle growth. The implant is designed to encourage blood vessel and nerve connections so the new muscle can work with the rest of your limb. The team pairs the implant with a specific rehabilitation exercise program (neuromuscular eccentric contraction training) to further promote functional recovery. Current work is preclinical to show how well the approach forms innervated, vascularized, and functional muscle before any human trials.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People who have suffered volumetric muscle loss from traumatic injuries and who have persistent loss of strength or function despite standard therapies would be the most likely candidates.
Not a fit: People with only minor muscle tears, chronic non-traumatic muscle diseases, active local infections, or those ineligible for surgical or implant procedures may not benefit from this approach.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could restore strength and movement to limbs with severe muscle loss and reduce long-term disability and pain.
How similar studies have performed: Related tissue-engineered grafts and electrical-stimulation methods have shown promise in animal models, but combining a self-powered piezoelectric implant with cell delivery is a novel, preclinical strategy.
Where this research is happening
Cleveland, United States
- Cleveland State University — Cleveland, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Sikder, Prabaha — Cleveland State University
- Study coordinator: Sikder, Prabaha
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.