Creating a model of human skin using advanced cell culture techniques
Official title: Engineering self-assembled skin-on-a-chip
Funded at Boston Children's Hospital · NIH-11084392 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is working on creating a special lab-grown skin that looks and acts like real skin, using stem cells, to help researchers better understand skin problems like infections and cancer, which could lead to new treatments for skin conditions.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Boston Children's Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | May 15, 2024 |
| Project end | February 28, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $676,920 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AR083139-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11084392 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are individuals with congenital skin disorders or those at risk for skin cancers.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with fully healed skin conditions or those without skin-related health issues may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on developing a long-term culture system for human skin that mimics its complex structure and function. By using human pluripotent stem cells, the team aims to create skin organoids that include various cell types found in normal skin, such as epidermis, dermis, hair follicles, and sensory nerves. The innovative approach involves placing these organoids on microfluidic chips, allowing for better monitoring and study of skin responses to infections, inflammation, and cancer initiation. This could provide valuable insights into congenital diseases and skin-related conditions.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved models for studying skin diseases and developing new treatments.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown promise in using organoid technology for modeling various tissues, indicating potential success for this novel approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Boston Children's Hospital
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Koehler, Karl Russell — Boston Children's Hospital
- Study coordinator: Koehler, Karl Russell
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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.