Fluoride-containing bone scaffolds to repair large bone defects
Official title: Fluoridated scaffolds for the treatment of critical-size bone defects
Funded at VA Salt Lake City Healthcare System · NIH-11310828 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project develops fluoride-infused bone scaffolds designed to help people with large bone injuries or non-healing fractures grow new, stable bone without needing large bone harvests from their own body.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | VA Salt Lake City Healthcare System NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Salt Lake City, United States) |
| Project start | March 1, 2023 |
| Project end | February 28, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| NIH project number | 5I01RX003911-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11310828 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates would be people with critical-size bone defects, non-union fractures, or complex reconstructive needs where traditional autograft is limited or risky.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with small fractures that heal normally, or conditions unrelated to bone defects, are unlikely to benefit from this scaffold approach.
What this research studies
From my point of view, the team is making porous mineral scaffolds that mimic bone and include fluoride to encourage new bone to grow into the implant. They already saw pores fill with viable new bone in prior preclinical work over about 12 weeks, and now they are refining the material and testing it further for safety and function. The work includes lab testing and animal studies to measure how well the scaffold supports bone formation and how it resists resorption compared with existing grafts. The goal is to prepare the scaffold for eventual use in patients who need an 'autograft-like' substitute for critical-size defects and complex reconstructions.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could provide an off-the-shelf bone graft substitute that helps large bone injuries heal without harvesting a patient’s own bone.
How similar studies have gone: Preclinical work reported complete pore filling with new bone in 12 weeks in earlier studies, so the approach has promising animal-model evidence but limited or no human trial data yet.
Where this research is happening
-
VA Salt Lake City Healthcare System
Salt Lake City, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Agarwal, Jayant Prasad — VA Salt Lake City Healthcare System
- Study coordinator: Agarwal, Jayant Prasad
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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.