Engineering how plant scaffolds break down to help bone regeneration
Official title: Engineering the degradation of decellularized plant scaffolds for hard tissue engineering
Funded at Boston College · NIH-11356370 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This grant explores how decellularized plant scaffolds can be designed to safely degrade in the body to support bone tissue growth.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R03 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Boston College NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chestnut Hill, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2026 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $310,000 |
| NIH project number | 1R03DE036044-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11356370 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are patients needing craniofacial bone repair or reconstruction where plant-based scaffolds could be used.
✕Less likely to help
Patients not needing bone grafts or whose condition cannot tolerate scaffold-based regeneration may not benefit.
What this research studies
If funded, researchers at Boston College will study plant-based scaffolds derived from lucky bamboo and learn how to control their breakdown in the human body to better match bone healing. The work will involve tuning scaffold materials so they support cell growth and tissue formation while gradually degrading as new bone forms. The project uses 3-D scaffold designs and bone tissue models to test how fast and where degradation happens, with the goal of improving craniofacial reconstruction options. Results could inform future materials that combine structure, safety, and affordability for patients needing bone regeneration.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the approach could provide safer, more affordable scaffolds that support bone repair and craniofacial reconstruction.
How similar studies have gone: Other scaffold approaches have shown promise, but plant-based degradation control remains a novel area.
Where this research is happening
-
Boston College
Chestnut Hill, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Salifu, Ali a — Boston College
- Study coordinator: Salifu, Ali a
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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.