FertiliChip: a living fallopian tube model on a chip for women’s reproductive health
Official title: FertiliChip: An Innovative Fallopian Tube-on-Chip Model for Women's Reproductive Health Research
Funded at Cfd Research Corporation · NIH-11406698 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A tiny, vascularized fallopian tube-on-a-chip model is being developed to better study pelvic inflammatory disease and related reproductive health issues.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Sbir 1 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Cfd Research Corporation NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Huntsville, United States) |
| Project start | September 5, 2026 |
| Project end | September 4, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $399,978 |
| NIH project number | 1R43HD122546-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11406698 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Not applicable to patients directly in this phase; the work focuses on model development using human-derived cells.
✕Less likely to help
Patients will not be enrolled in this phase of model development.
What this research studies
This grant supports creating a first-of-its-kind fallopian tube on a chip that mimics human anatomy and blood flow. Researchers will culture four key human cell types in a physiologic environment to study infections, inflammation, and tissue damage related to PID. The goal is to enable better biomarker discovery, drug testing, and understanding of how infections affect the fallopian tube and fertility.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the model could accelerate safer, more effective treatments and earlier diagnosis for PID, potentially protecting fertility.
How similar studies have gone: Previous FT models lack full complexity; this project aims to advance beyond existing models with a more accurate, vascularized system.
Where this research is happening
-
Cfd Research Corporation
Huntsville, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Helser, Ashley Gilbert — Cfd Research Corporation
- Study coordinator: Helser, Ashley Gilbert
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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.