How the body's tissue scaffolding changes in injury and disease
Regional extracellular matrix remodeling: multiscale imaging and mechanics.
This project uses advanced imaging and mechanical measurements to map how the tissue scaffolding around cells changes in injury and disease to help people with fibrosis, chronic wounds, or tissue tears.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Wisconsin-Madison NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Madison, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11251930 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
The team will use high-resolution microscopes to visualize collagen and other matrix components at micro- and nano-scales while also imaging larger tissue regions to capture overall patterns. They will perform mechanical tests to measure how regional differences in matrix stiffness and structure affect how tissues bear load and respond to stress. New methods will link small-scale images to whole-tissue mechanics so local remodeling can be connected to tissue-level problems like scarring or tearing. The researchers will emphasize reproducible techniques so other labs can apply the methods to different diseases and injured tissues.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates would include people with fibrotic diseases, chronic non-healing wounds, or tissue tears who could provide tissue samples or take part in related follow-up studies.
Not a fit: People whose conditions do not involve tissue structure or scarring, such as many purely genetic or neuropsychiatric disorders, are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal how local tissue changes drive scarring and poor healing, pointing to better ways to detect, prevent, or repair harmful remodeling.
How similar studies have performed: High-resolution imaging and mechanical tests have produced useful local insights, but combining multiscale imaging with whole-tissue mechanics is relatively new and still being developed.
Where this research is happening
Madison, United States
- University of Wisconsin-Madison — Madison, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Witzenburg, Colleen M — University of Wisconsin-Madison
- Study coordinator: Witzenburg, Colleen M
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.