Local zinc delivery plus controlled loading to help bone and tendon-to-bone healing after fractures or ACL surgery
Official title: Localized small molecule delivery to improve tendon-to-bone integration following anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction
Funded at University of Delaware · NIH-11250194 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Seeing if putting zinc directly at a healing bone site combined with controlled mechanical loading can help bones and tendon-to-bone connections heal faster and stronger for people with fractures or after ACL repair.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R03 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Delaware NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Newark, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | September 18, 2023 |
| Project end | August 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2023 |
| Award (this year) | $92,080 |
| NIH project number | 7R03AR082449-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11250194 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Although this project is preclinical and not enrolling people, the eventual ideal patients would be people recovering from bone fractures or from ACL reconstruction who need stronger tendon-to-bone healing.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with conditions unrelated to bone or tendon healing, or those not needing surgical repair or fracture care, are unlikely to benefit from this work in the near term.
What this research studies
This is a preclinical project that uses a rat femur fracture model to mimic human bone healing and tendon-to-bone repair. Researchers will deliver zinc locally to the healing site and apply controlled mechanical loads to the callus to see how the two together affect repair. They will measure new bone formation, structural strength, and how cells handle zinc during healing. The work aims to link mechanical signals with intracellular zinc changes to guide future therapies for people.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could point toward new localized zinc-based treatments plus mechanical rehabilitation approaches that speed recovery and strengthen repaired bone or tendon-to-bone attachments.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies show zinc can promote bone formation and that controlled mechanical loading improves healing, but combining local zinc delivery with mechanical load as a therapeutic approach is relatively new and still early-stage.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Delaware
Newark, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hast, Michael William — University of Delaware
- Study coordinator: Hast, Michael William
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Localized delivery to boost tendon-to-bone healing after ACL reconstruction
A study testing a targeted small-molecule treatment to improve how the tendon graft heals at the bone after ACL reconstruction, with the goal of reducing graft failure and helping patients get back to activity.
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Split-belt treadmill training to restore knee loading after ACL surgery
This project uses split-belt treadmill walking to help people who had ACL reconstruction regain more normal loading on their repaired knee during everyday activities.
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Improving healing after ACL surgery with targeted medicine
This work explores how a special medicine delivered directly to the knee might help tendons heal better to bone after ACL reconstruction surgery.
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Improving knee function after ACL surgery using a special treadmill technique
This study is looking at how walking on a special treadmill, where each leg moves at different speeds, can help people recover better after ACL surgery by improving knee strength and movement, and it’s designed for those who have had this surgery.
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Improving tendon-to-bone healing after ACL surgery
This study is looking at a new way to help your knee heal better after ACL surgery by using special treatments right where the tendon connects to the bone, which could make recovery faster and reduce the chances of problems later on.
-
Analgesic effects of adding BiFeS block to adductor canal block after ACL reconstruction
This study tests whether adding a BiFeS block to the standard adductor canal block provides better pain relief after ACL reconstruction.
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.