Helping spinal bone grow before birth in babies with spina bifida
Engineering the fetal environment for in utero treatment of spina bifida bone defect
This project tries to help babies with severe spina bifida grow missing spinal bone before birth using placental stem cells and fetal-supportive approaches.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California at Davis NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Davis, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11307635 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If my fetus has myelomeningocele (the most severe spina bifida), researchers plan to add placental mesenchymal stem cells to the current in utero repair and use the fetal environment to encourage vertebrae to regenerate. Prior work in fetal sheep showed the stem cells protect the spinal cord and prevent paralysis at birth, but the animals later developed spinal deformities because the vertebral bone did not regrow. This effort focuses on stimulating endogenous fetal cells and engineering the fetal environment so the bony spine can form and support the repaired cord long-term. The goal is to combine surgical repair with biological and tissue-support strategies that create durable bone support before birth.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Pregnant people carrying fetuses diagnosed with myelomeningocele (severe spina bifida) who are candidates for in utero surgical repair would be the ideal participants in future clinical testing.
Not a fit: Pregnancies with milder forms of spina bifida, diagnoses made too late in gestation, or maternal/fetal conditions that make fetal surgery unsafe would likely not benefit from this approach.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could protect the repaired spinal cord, reduce spinal deformities like kyphosis, and preserve long-term motor function in children born with severe spina bifida.
How similar studies have performed: Related preclinical work showed placental stem cells prevented hindlimb paralysis at birth in a fetal sheep model, but durable bone regeneration is a newer, still-unproven addition.
Where this research is happening
Davis, United States
- University of California at Davis — Davis, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hao, Dake — University of California at Davis
- Study coordinator: Hao, Dake
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.