Helping broken bones heal by boosting Notch signaling
Official title: Notch signaling and Bone Fracture Healing
Funded at University of Connecticut Sch of Med/dnt · NIH-11259514 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers aim to boost a natural cell signal called Notch to help people with large or slow-healing bone fractures recover faster.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Connecticut Sch of Med/dnt NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Farmington, United States) |
| Project start | February 1, 2011 |
| Project end | January 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $483,019 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AR055607-14 |
| Project ID | NIH-11259514 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with large bone defects, fractures that are slow to heal, or non-unions would be the most likely candidates for therapies developed from this work.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with small, uncomplicated fractures that are expected to heal normally, or conditions unrelated to bone repair, are unlikely to need or benefit from these therapies.
What this research studies
This project looks at how turning up Notch signaling affects the cells and blood vessels that rebuild bone after a break. The team will map which Notch receptors and ligands are active during healing and which specific cell types use them. They will test approaches that increase Notch activity in preclinical bone injury models to see if callus formation and vascular growth improve. The work is intended to move promising findings toward treatments that could be used in people.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new treatments that speed bone repair, reduce non-unions, and lower the need for grafts or repeat surgeries.
How similar studies have gone: Animal and lab studies have shown that increasing Notch signaling can improve bone regeneration, but translation to human therapies remains limited.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Connecticut Sch of Med/dnt
Farmington, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kalajzic, Ivo — University of Connecticut Sch of Med/dnt
- Study coordinator: Kalajzic, Ivo
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Adenosine-based help to speed up bone fracture healing in older adults
A biomaterial-based approach delivers adenosine locally to fractures to speed healing in aging bones.
-
Role of Schwann Cell Precursors in Fracture Healing
This NIH grant explores how a specific nerve-support cell type called Schwann cell precursors may influence bone healing and pain after fractures, using mouse models to map how these cells behave during healing.
-
Longitudinal imaging to predict bone fracture healing using light-based tech
Aims to use safe light-based imaging over time to see how healing bones in people with fractures progress and whether early signals predict problems.
-
Rejuvenating B cells to help older people heal broken bones
Aims to boost aged B cells to improve how bone heals after fractures in older patients.
-
Intermittent Fasting to Boost Fracture Healing in Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes
A study tests whether intermittent fasting can improve bone healing in people with obesity and type 2 diabetes by changing the gut microbiome.
-
Next-Generation MRI to Predict Bone Healing Using Virtual Testing
A new MRI-based method uses advanced imaging and computer models to predict how well broken bones are healing, starting with shinbone (tibial) fractures.
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.