How Tissue Stiffness Affects Nanoparticle Medicines for Diseases like Cancer
Official title: Mechanoregulators of Nanoparticle-Cell Interactions at Tissue Interfaces
Funded at University of North Texas · NIH-11141848 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This research explores how the stiffness and movement of body tissues change how tiny medicine particles get into cells, aiming to make treatments for conditions like cancer more effective.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of North Texas NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Denton, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2023 |
| Project end | July 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $359,614 |
| NIH project number | 5R35GM150577-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11141848 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This foundational research does not directly involve patients but aims to benefit those with diseases where tissue stiffness or movement changes, such as certain cancers, pulmonary fibrosis, or hypertension.
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose conditions are not related to altered tissue mechanics or nanoparticle drug delivery may not directly benefit from this specific line of research.
What this research studies
Many diseases, including cancer, cause body tissues to become stiffer or change how they move. This project looks at how these changes in tissue mechanics affect the way tiny medicine particles, called nanoparticles, enter our cells. Current lab models often don't capture these real-world tissue conditions, which can limit how well new nanoparticle medicines work. We are creating advanced tissue models that mimic the stiffness and movement found in the body, especially in lung and blood vessel tissues. By understanding how these mechanical forces guide nanoparticles into cells, we hope to design smarter nanoparticles that can deliver medicines more efficiently.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to the development of more effective nanoparticle-based treatments for diseases like cancer, pulmonary fibrosis, and hypertension by improving drug delivery to target cells.
How similar studies have gone: While the influence of tissue stiffness on cell behavior is known, how these changes specifically affect nanoparticle delivery, especially under dynamic forces, is less understood, making this a novel area of focus.
Where this research is happening
-
University of North Texas
Denton, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Meckes, Brian R — University of North Texas
- Study coordinator: Meckes, Brian R
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.