DNA hydrogels that mimic and control the body's cell-support matrix
Official title: Using DNA hydrogels to mimic, exploit, and fundamentally investigate extracellular matrices
Funded at University of New Hampshire · NIH-11321586 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are making DNA-based gels that act like the material around cells to help grow and repair tissues.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of New Hampshire NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Durham, United States) |
| Project start | June 15, 2024 |
| Project end | April 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $378,941 |
| NIH project number | 5R35GM154998-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11321586 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People who might benefit include patients needing tissue repair or regenerative therapies, such as those with chronic wounds, surgical reconstruction needs, or damaged tissues from injury or disease.
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose conditions do not involve tissue damage or repair needs are unlikely to benefit directly from this specific biomaterials research.
What this research studies
This project builds soft gels from DNA to copy the extracellular matrix, the network that supports and organizes cells. The team will tune the gels' stiffness and behavior and test how cells attach, move, and survive inside them in laboratory experiments. They plan to use new, lower-cost methods for making large amounts of DNA so the materials could be scaled up for future clinical use. The work is aimed at creating materials that could later be used in regenerative medicine and tissue-repair therapies.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could produce safer, more controllable scaffolds that improve tissue repair and make regenerative treatments more effective.
How similar studies have gone: Laboratory studies of DNA-based and other synthetic hydrogels have shown promising cell compatibility and mechanical control, but moving these materials into human treatments is still largely unproven.
Where this research is happening
-
University of New Hampshire
Durham, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Oldenhuis, Nathan John — University of New Hampshire
- Study coordinator: Oldenhuis, Nathan John
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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.