Mechanoporation-based Delivery for Human Cells
Official title: Quantitative Mechanoporation for High Throughput Cell Surgery
Funded at Carnegie-Mellon University · NIH-11384937 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A study to learn how to temporarily open human cell membranes with a brief stretch so large molecules can enter, with the goal of improving scalable cell therapies.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Carnegie-Mellon University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Pittsburgh, United States) |
| Project start | August 10, 2025 |
| Project end | July 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $380,771 |
| NIH project number | 5R35GM159950-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11384937 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates include individuals whose health conditions might be treated by advanced cell or gene therapies, or donors providing biological samples for mechanoporation studies as part of preclinical development.
✕Less likely to help
Patients not involved in cell therapy development or who do not require intracellular delivery technologies may see no direct benefit.
What this research studies
This project looks at how to safely create brief openings in human cell membranes to deliver macromolecules outside the body. The team will combine experiments and computer models to map when, where, and how these openings form and close in living cells. The goal is to develop delivery methods that are more controllable, scalable, and gentler on cells for future cell therapies. The research focuses on understanding the mechanics of membrane pores to guide better, clinically usable delivery technologies. Results could help make production of gene and cell therapies more efficient and consistent.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to safer and more scalable methods for delivering therapeutic molecules into patient cells, supporting next-generation cell and gene therapies.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work has shown that controlled mechanical forces can transiently permeabilize membranes, but precise mechanisms and scalable, clinically applicable methods remain under development.
Where this research is happening
-
Carnegie-Mellon University
Pittsburgh, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Sevenler, Derin — Carnegie-Mellon University
- Study coordinator: Sevenler, Derin
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Digital biomarkers to guide personalized rehab after ACL injury
Aims to use wearable sensors and phone videos to predict early osteoarthritis risk after ACL surgery so rehabilitation can be tailored to each patient.
-
Understanding early lung scarring in 3-D tissue environments
A new NIH grant aims to map where and how early lung scarring starts in three-dimensional tissue, with the goal of guiding better treatments for people with fibrotic lung diseases.
-
Understanding how iron- and 2-oxoglutarate–dependent enzymes help make halogenated compounds
This NIH grant supports research to uncover how a family of iron enzymes adds chlorine or other halogen atoms to biological molecules, which could lead to new ways to make safer, more effective cancer-fighting drugs.
-
How the brain plans and sequences everyday actions
This project looks at how connected brain areas plan and carry out multi-step movements so findings can help people with movement problems like Parkinson's disease.
-
ALT Cancer Telomere SUMOylation: Targeting a Achilles’ heel in cancer cells
A bright, patient-friendly look at a research project aiming to disrupt a cancer-specific process at the ends of chromosomes to slow or stop tumor growth.
-
Role of the ventral visual pathway in everyday actions
This grant studies how brain regions that process what we see help people perform daily tasks like gripping a cup or using utensils, especially after brain injury.
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.