Bioengineered nerve-muscle units to help repair injured muscle
Tissue Engineered Motor Units for Neuromuscular Modeling and Repair
Creating 3D lab-grown muscle bundles with built-in nerve networks to help people with severe muscle loss heal and regain function.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pennsylvania NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Philadelphia, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11320855 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers are building three-dimensional muscle patches that already include networks of motor and sensory nerves. The lab-grown constructs contain dense bundles of muscle fibers (myofiber fascicles) with preformed axonal connections from discrete pools of neurons. These 3D motor units will be used both as a lab model to learn how nerves shape muscle development and as a composite soft tissue to help repair large traumatic muscle losses. The goal is to promote reinnervation, blood vessel growth, and stronger functional recovery after severe injuries like volumetric muscle loss.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with severe focal muscle loss (volumetric muscle loss) from trauma or surgery who have impaired nerve supply and reduced muscle function would be the most likely candidates.
Not a fit: Those with minor muscle strains, widespread genetic muscle diseases (like muscular dystrophy), or purely systemic nerve disorders without focal tissue loss are unlikely to gain direct benefit from this work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could improve nerve reconnection, boost muscle regeneration, and restore strength after large muscle injuries.
How similar studies have performed: Preclinical lab and animal studies, including prior work by this research group, have shown promising improvements with pre-innervated scaffolds, but human testing has not yet occurred.
Where this research is happening
Philadelphia, United States
- University of Pennsylvania — Philadelphia, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Cullen, Daniel Kacy — University of Pennsylvania
- Study coordinator: Cullen, Daniel Kacy
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.