How zebrafish repair spinal cord injuries
Official title: Defining the Robustness of Zebrafish Spinal Cord Regeneration
Funded at Morgridge Institute for Research, INC. · NIH-11322730 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are using zebrafish to learn how spinal cord injuries can be healed, with the goal of helping people who have paralysis from such injuries.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Morgridge Institute for Research, INC. NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Madison, United States) |
| Project start | April 17, 2025 |
| Project end | March 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $225,000 |
| NIH project number | 5R21HD116006-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11322730 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People living with spinal cord injuries who want to follow basic research progress or consider participation in future clinical trials based on these findings.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without spinal cord injury or those seeking immediate, direct treatment are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this animal-based research.
What this research studies
Scientists will study how zebrafish regrow nerve cells and axons and how specialized cells build a tissue bridge across a severed spinal cord. The team will examine the cells, signals, and tissue behaviors that avoid scarring and support reconnection after severe injury. Experiments will use zebrafish models to map the cellular and molecular steps that enable rapid functional recovery. Insights from this work are intended to point toward strategies that could be tested later in mammals and, ultimately, humans.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal approaches to encourage human spinal cords to heal better and improve recovery of movement after injury.
How similar studies have gone: Zebrafish are a well-established model that reliably regrow spinal tissue and restore swimming, but translating those findings into effective human therapies has not yet been achieved.
Where this research is happening
-
Morgridge Institute for Research, INC.
Madison, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Poss, Kenneth D — Morgridge Institute for Research, INC.
- Study coordinator: Poss, Kenneth D
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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.