Injectable granular gel to help the heart heal after a heart attack
Official title: Engineered Granular Hydrogels for Endogenous Tissue Repair
Funded at University of Colorado · NIH-11405220 · Data updated 2026-11-12
An injectable granular hydrogel designed to help hearts recover after a heart attack by encouraging cell ingrowth and new blood vessel formation.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Colorado NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boulder, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | May 26, 2022 |
| Project end | April 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $84,632 |
| NIH project number | 3R01HL160616-04S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11405220 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People who have recently had an acute myocardial infarction (heart attack) and are in the early remodeling phase would be the most likely candidates for this type of therapy in the future.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with long-standing, advanced heart failure long after remodeling has completed or those with unrelated heart conditions may not benefit from this acute repair approach.
What this research studies
Researchers are creating an injectable granular hydrogel made of many tiny microgel particles that can be delivered into the damaged area of the heart. The particle structure leaves small interconnected spaces so your own cells can move in, form new blood vessels, and deposit supportive tissue. The material is engineered to flow through a needle and then settle into the heart, promoting a pro-healing response rather than just forming a solid pocket. Work is currently done using laboratory and animal models with the long-term aim of developing a patient treatment to reduce scarring and improve heart function.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could reduce scarring after a heart attack and help the heart pump better, lowering the chance of heart failure.
How similar studies have gone: Related injectable biomaterial therapies have shown promise in animal studies and a few early clinical trials, but the specific granular hydrogel approach is newer and less tested in people.
Where this research is happening
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University of Colorado
Boulder, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Burdick, Jason a — University of Colorado
- Study coordinator: Burdick, Jason a
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.