Immune-guided biomaterials to help skin regrow after injury
Leveraging immune-fibroblast interactions for biomaterial induced skin regeneration
This project tests whether a special biomaterial that activates immune cells can help adult skin wounds regrow hair follicles, sweat glands, and fat instead of forming scars.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California Los Angeles NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Los Angeles, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11179207 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers are developing a sponge-like gel called a MAP hydrogel that is loaded with small immune triggers to guide wound immune cells. In mice, adding an antigen to this gel led to new hair follicles and fat forming in wounds that normally scar. The team uses lab experiments, bioinformatics, and bioengineering to study how T cells, macrophages, and fibroblasts interact during healing and to tune the material to produce regeneration. Their goal is to translate these findings toward therapies that improve healing in adult human skin wounds.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults with acute or chronic skin wounds or with problematic scarring who are willing to participate in translational wound-healing work would be the most likely candidates.
Not a fit: People seeking cosmetic hair restoration without a wound, or patients with heavily infected or surgically urgent wounds, would likely not benefit from this early-stage biomaterials work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could let injured skin regrow more natural structures and substantially reduce permanent scarring.
How similar studies have performed: Related animal studies show immune-targeting biomaterials can improve healing, but using antigen-loaded MAP gels to drive hair follicle and adipose regeneration is a novel approach.
Where this research is happening
Los Angeles, United States
- University of California Los Angeles — Los Angeles, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Scumpia, Philip — University of California Los Angeles
- Study coordinator: Scumpia, Philip
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.