Exposome-on-a-chip: understanding hesperidin’s effect on bone and BMP function
Official title: Exposome-on-a-chip: eliminating the elusiveness of the flavonoid hesperidin effect on bone and BMP function
Funded at University of Pennsylvania · NIH-11533915 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A study at the University of Pennsylvania will explore how a natural compound in citrus, hesperidin, interacts with bone healing signals to improve bone regeneration using a tiny, biology-on-a-chip system.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pennsylvania NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Philadelphia, United States) |
| Project start | May 1, 2026 |
| Project end | June 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $257,143 |
| NIH project number | 7R21DE035312-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11533915 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal participants would be individuals considering or needing craniofacial bone regeneration therapies, particularly where BMP is used.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals not undergoing craniofacial bone regeneration or not impacted by BMP-related bone healing may not benefit from this study.
What this research studies
Researchers will use a 3D co-culture, bone-like system that mimics the jaw environment to study how hesperidin and BMP interact. The project will examine inflammation, osteoblast-osteocyte communication, and mineral deposition under different mechanical conditions to reflect real bone tissue. The goal is to reveal how hesperidin may reduce BMP side effects and promote high-quality bone formation in craniofacial bone settings.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could lead to safer, more effective bone regeneration approaches that leverage natural compounds to support BMP therapies.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has suggested herbal compounds can modulate BMP-related pathways, but this project advances a novel ex vivo 3D model to study the mechanism.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Miguez, Patricia — University of Pennsylvania
- Study coordinator: Miguez, Patricia
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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.