Improving fracture healing for people with diabetes
Official title: Treatment and Mechanisms of Diabetic Fracture Healing
Funded at University of Pennsylvania · NIH-11285446 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Aiming to help bones heal better in people with diabetes by using a slow‑release gel that boosts bone cell signaling.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pennsylvania NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Philadelphia, United States) |
| Project start | April 1, 2023 |
| Project end | January 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $449,815 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AR080895-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11285446 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with diabetes who have a recent bone fracture or delayed fracture healing would be the most likely candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People without diabetes, or those whose fractures have already healed normally, are unlikely to benefit from this approach.
What this research studies
Researchers are studying why fractures heal poorly in people with diabetes, focusing on a gene called FOXO1 and tiny cell structures called cilia in bone cells. In lab and animal work they found altering FOXO1 or cilia changes how bone cells respond during repair. They are developing a nanofiber hydrogel that slowly releases an insulin‑like growth factor (an IGF‑1 mimetic) to stimulate chondrocytes and osteoblasts at the fracture site. The project will test whether correcting these cell signaling problems can restore stronger, faster fracture healing in diabetes.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could lead to a local treatment that speeds and strengthens fracture healing in people with diabetes, reducing complications and additional surgeries.
How similar studies have gone: Preclinical animal experiments show deleting FOXO1 in bone cells can rescue diabetes‑impaired healing, while the specific nanofiber IGF‑1 delivery approach is novel and not yet tested in humans.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Yang, Shuying — University of Pennsylvania
- Study coordinator: Yang, Shuying
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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.