New methods to repair spina bifida before birth
Official title: Biomimetic intervention strategies for endogenous in utero repair of Spina Bifida
Funded at Baylor College of Medicine · NIH-11180276 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at new ways to help fix spina bifida before a baby is born by using special techniques and cells from the amniotic fluid, aiming to make the treatment less invasive and more effective for families facing this condition.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Baylor College of Medicine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Houston, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2024 |
| Project end | May 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $582,640 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HD113702-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11180276 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are pregnant individuals whose fetuses are diagnosed with spina bifida.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who have already delivered or those whose fetuses do not have spina bifida may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on developing innovative strategies to repair spina bifida in utero, which is a serious birth defect affecting the spinal cord. By utilizing bioengineering techniques and stem cells derived from amniotic fluid, the project aims to create a healing environment that can stimulate the body's natural repair processes. The approach seeks to minimize the invasiveness of current surgical methods by exploring less invasive interventions that can be applied during pregnancy. The research will involve testing the effectiveness of these new strategies in a controlled setting to assess their potential impact on reducing the severity of spina bifida lesions.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to safer and more effective treatments for spina bifida, improving outcomes for affected infants.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown promise in using similar bioengineering and stem cell approaches for treating other conditions, indicating potential for success in this novel application.
Where this research is happening
-
Baylor College of Medicine
Houston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Corradetti, Bruna — Baylor College of Medicine
- Study coordinator: Corradetti, Bruna
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Improving care and outcomes for people living with spina bifida in Wisconsin
A patient-friendly project aims to improve everyday care and health outcomes for people with spina bifida in Wisconsin.
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The National Spina Bifida Patient Registry at University of Pittsburgh
A national registry project at the University of Pittsburgh aims to collect and organize information about people with spina bifida to improve care.
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Improving Care and Outcomes for People Living with Spina Bifida
A patient-friendly project aims to improve how people with spina bifida are cared for and how well they do over time.
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Scoliosis and neurosurgical factors in myelomeningocele: a clinic registry study
This project uses registry data from Penn State’s Spina Bifida Clinic to understand how brain and spine-related issues influence when and why scoliosis surgery is needed in people with myelomeningocele.
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UMPIRE: Better Urologic Care for Babies with Spina Bifida
This grant tests how to best protect kidney function in newborns with spina bifida by comparing and refining urologic care practices across multiple hospitals.
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Spina Bifida Collaborative Care Network to Improve Outcomes
A national program is expanding coordinated care networks and a patient registry to help people with Spina Bifida get better, more consistent care.
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.