Engineering platelets for therapeutic use in disease
Official title: Engineering platelets for therapeutic applications
Funded at University of Texas Dallas · NIH-11381223 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are exploring how to safely modify platelets so they can carry treatments to diseased tissues, including Alzheimer’s disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Texas Dallas NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Richardson, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2025 |
| Project end | May 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $395,625 |
| NIH project number | 5R35GM160143-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11381223 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients with Alzheimer’s disease or other conditions where platelet-based therapies could be applied may benefit from eventual therapies
✕Less likely to help
People without diseases that could be treated with platelet-based delivery may not directly benefit
What this research studies
Platelets naturally help with healing and can carry medicines to where they are needed. This grant focuses on understanding how platelets interact with synthetic materials and how to modify them, either by delivering genes inside the platelet or by changing their surface. The work combines basic science with approaches to create platelet-based therapies for diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease and other conditions mentioned. The project is designed to uncover safe strategies to engineer platelets without compromising their normal functions.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to new platelet-based therapies that deliver treatments directly to diseased areas.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown platelets can interact with various materials and influence disease processes, but engineering them for therapy is still emerging
Where this research is happening
-
University of Texas Dallas
Richardson, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Gao, Yongsheng — University of Texas Dallas
- Study coordinator: Gao, Yongsheng
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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.