Immune mechanome: how tissue forces shape immune cells
Official title: Establishing an immune mechanome
Funded at University of Notre Dame · NIH-11400354 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A researcher at Notre Dame is studying how physical forces in diseased tissues influence immune cells and their responses.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Notre Dame NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Notre Dame, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2023 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $391,250 |
| NIH project number | 5R35GM151041-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11400354 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This research is in preclinical stages; results could inform future trials involving patients with inflammatory or immune-related diseases.
✕Less likely to help
Direct patient benefit is not guaranteed during early mechanobiology studies.
What this research studies
This project will look at how tissue-level mechanical forces affect innate and adaptive immune cells across organs, using engineering tools and omics methods. The team will study immune cell behavior during multiscale compression with advanced imaging to see how forces alter trafficking, interactions, and function. Findings could reveal new ways that physical forces contribute to disease progression and treatment resistance, guiding future therapies that target mechanics as well as biology.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients may benefit from therapies that consider tissue mechanics as part of disease management.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work suggests mechanics can influence immune cell behavior, but translating these insights to human disease remains a developing area.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Notre Dame
Notre Dame, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Datta, Meenal — University of Notre Dame
- Study coordinator: Datta, Meenal
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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.