Imaging scar tissue formation after nerve injuries
Official title: Imaging fibrosis formation in peripheral nerve injury
Funded at Washington University · NIH-11445204 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A small NIH grant aims to visually track scar tissue forming around injured nerves in animal models to help surgeons plan and improve outcomes.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Washington University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Saint Louis, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2026 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $427,625 |
| NIH project number | 1R21NS152250-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11445204 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are individuals with peripheral nerve injuries modeled in animals for translational research; human applicability will follow from further development.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without nerve injuries or those not undergoing surgical repair may not directly benefit.
What this research studies
This project uses live animal models of nerve injury to watch how fibrotic tissue develops over time. The team plans to use new optical contrast agents and an implanted window to image fibrosis during healing. The goal is to identify when fibrosis begins and how it progresses so future therapies or surgical tools can minimize scar formation. The work could lead to real-time imaging methods that help surgeons decide how to repair nerves more effectively.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients with nerve injuries could benefit from better surgical planning and new tools to reduce scar formation.
How similar studies have gone: Prior studies show that imaging fibrosis is feasible in animal models, but real-time intraoperative visualization is still emerging.
Where this research is happening
-
Washington University
Saint Louis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Berezin, Mikhail Y. — Washington University
- Study coordinator: Berezin, Mikhail Y.
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Interface between immune cells and scarring in the eye
This grant looks at how immune cells influence scar formation in the cornea after injury and how this affects vision.
-
How often to treat schistosomiasis to protect the liver
A randomized trial will test different frequencies ofPraziquantel treatment to prevent liver damage in people aged 15–40 with schistosomiasis in Uganda.
-
Metabolic changes in cells that repair blood vessels in the eye lens to prevent scarring
A drug or approach that changes how certain cells that repair blood vessels in the eye work, to prevent scarring behind the retina in age-related macular degeneration patients treated with anti-VEGF therapy.
-
Myocardial fibrosis and fat in ART-treated women with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa
This project studies heart tissue changes in women with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa who are on antiretroviral therapy, to understand why they’re at higher risk for heart problems as they age.
-
Myocardial fibrosis and fat in ART-treated women with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa
This grant studies heart tissue changes in women living with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa to understand why heart failure risk is higher in this group.
-
Molecular clues to progressive lung scarring
Researchers are studying how lung tissue becomes progressively scarred, focusing on cell signals and receptors that may drive fibrosis in people with lung disease.
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.