Muscle Mass: a Key Missing Piece in How We Model Movement
Official title: Muscle Mass: a Critical but Missing Component in Muscle Modeling and Simulation
Funded at Harvard University · NIH-11601685 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project studies how adding muscle mass to computer models changes predictions of movement, aiming to improve mobility for people of all ages.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Harvard University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Cambridge, United States) |
| Project start | July 6, 2023 |
| Project end | June 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $105,563 |
| NIH project number | 3R01AR080797-03S2 |
| Project ID | NIH-11601685 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are individuals whose daily activities are affected by mobility limitations and who may benefit from improved muscle modeling to guide treatment.
✕Less likely to help
Healthy individuals with stable mobility and no muscle disease may see limited direct benefit.
What this research studies
Researchers at Harvard University will study how the amount of inactive muscle mass affects muscle performance in animals of various sizes and shapes, and then apply the findings to human movement models. They will measure how inactive mass changes twitch time, shortening velocity, and work, using mouse, rat, and goat muscles, plus small human-like fiber bundles. The results will be used to create mass-sensitive muscle models that can run in efficient simulations of daily activities. These kinder, more accurate models could help clinicians predict and improve mobility across ages.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could benefit from more accurate movement predictions and personalized therapies to maintain or improve mobility.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work shows muscle modeling benefits from incorporating more detailed tissue properties, but this project tests a novel mass-sensitive approach across multiple species.
Where this research is happening
-
Harvard University
Cambridge, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Biewener, Andrew a — Harvard University
- Study coordinator: Biewener, Andrew a
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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.