New ways to grow human muscle in pigs for healing burns
Official title: Novel approaches to humanized skeletal muscle in pig
Funded at Northstar Genomics, LLC · NIH-11413856 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A first-step grant to develop methods for making human-like skeletal muscle inside pigs to help people who have severe burns or muscle loss.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Northstar Genomics, LLC NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Eagan, United States) |
| Project start | September 10, 2025 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $98,483 |
| NIH project number | 5R41AR086049-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11413856 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates would be individuals with extensive muscle loss due to burns or surgical resections who may benefit from future regenerative therapies.
✕Less likely to help
At this stage, patients will not directly receive muscle tissue from this early-stage work.
What this research studies
This project aims to improve how we create human skeletal muscle inside pigs using cloning and blastocyst techniques. It focuses on turning a concept into a workable approach that could later support muscle reconstruction after serious injuries. The work is in early stages and emphasizes safety, feasibility, and initial proof of concept. The team has prior experience in muscle reconstruction for cancer and military injuries, and seeks to advance regenerative therapies for better transplant options.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the research could lead to new transplant-ready muscle tissue for patients with severe burns or trauma.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work shows proof of concept for producing human tissue in animals, but this area remains exploratory with significant translational steps ahead.
Where this research is happening
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Northstar Genomics, LLC
Eagan, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Garry, Mary G — Northstar Genomics, LLC
- Study coordinator: Garry, Mary G
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.