Gene therapy to boost limb and fingertip regrowth
Gene therapy methods for enhancing limb regeneration based on conserved transcriptional programs
This project develops viral gene-delivery tools that turn on natural regeneration programs at amputation sites to help adults with fingertip or limb loss.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Duke University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Durham, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11317209 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers are borrowing genetic control elements found in animals that can regrow limbs and using them to guide gene therapy tools. They will map active regeneration programs in mouse digit tip tissue, identify regeneration enhancer sequences (TREEs), and engineer those sequences into AAV viral vectors to target injured sites. The team will use single-cell transcriptomics, comparative analyses, and mammalian injury models to test whether these engineered viruses improve bone and soft-tissue regrowth and reduce scarring. The work aims to create targeted therapies that could one day be given to people with amputations to restore form and function.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults with fingertip or limb amputations who might be eligible for future clinical trials testing local gene-delivery regenerative therapies.
Not a fit: People with large proximal limb loss beyond the regenerating region, chronic non-amputation wounds, or those who cannot receive viral gene therapies are unlikely to benefit in the near term.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could enable therapies that promote bone and soft-tissue regrowth after amputation, potentially improving function and reducing scarring.
How similar studies have performed: Preclinical work has shown that TREE elements from regenerative animals can be engineered into viral constructs to enhance repair in mammalian models, but the approach remains early-stage and largely preclinical.
Where this research is happening
Durham, United States
- Duke University — Durham, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Brown, David Andrew — Duke University
- Study coordinator: Brown, David Andrew
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 below.