Improving Tissue Healing with Body Clocks
It Will All Get Better with Time: Circadian Rhythms in Tissue Engineering
['FUNDING_OTHER'] · UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS AMHERST · NIH-11109656
This project explores how our body's natural daily rhythms, or 'body clocks,' can be used to improve how tissues heal and regenerate, especially for people with conditions like diabetes.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_OTHER'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS AMHERST (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (HADLEY, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11109656 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
Our bodies have natural daily cycles, like sleep-wake patterns, that affect how our cells work and heal. This project aims to understand how these 'body clocks' can be used to make tissue repair treatments more effective. We plan to learn how to keep cells in lab-grown tissues in sync with these rhythms and even restore them in areas of the body that need healing. The goal is to time therapies to work best with your body's natural cycles, which could be especially helpful for conditions where healing is difficult, such as diabetes.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Patients with conditions like diabetes or obesity who experience poor tissue healing might eventually benefit from this research.
Not a fit: Patients without tissue regeneration issues or those whose conditions are not related to circadian rhythm disruption may not directly benefit from this specific approach.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new ways to improve tissue regeneration and make existing tissue engineering strategies more effective for patients.
How similar studies have performed: While the idea of timing drug delivery to body clocks has shown promise in other areas, applying this concept to tissue engineering for improved regeneration is a new and untested approach.
Where this research is happening
HADLEY, UNITED STATES
- UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS AMHERST — HADLEY, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: KEARNEY, CATHAL J — UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS AMHERST
- Study coordinator: KEARNEY, CATHAL J
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.
Conditions: Diabetes Mellitus, Disease, Disorder