Painless nerve growth factor to speed bone fracture healing
Official title: Therapeutic Application of Painless Nerve Growth Factor to Accelerate Endochondral Fracture Repair
Funded at University of California, San Francisco · NIH-11370459 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project tests an injectable, biodegradable nanowire that slowly releases a painless form of nerve growth factor to help people with hard-to-heal long-bone fractures mend faster.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Francisco NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Francisco, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2024 |
| Project end | July 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $48,042 |
| NIH project number | 3R01AR077761-05S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11370459 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates would be people with long-bone fractures that are at high risk for delayed healing or non-union, such as older adults or those with diabetes, vascular injury, smoking history, or obesity.
✕Less likely to help
People with simple fractures that reliably heal on their own or fractures that require immediate surgical fixation are unlikely to benefit from this injectable approach.
What this research studies
From a patient perspective, researchers are developing a tiny, injectable nanowire that sits at the fracture site and steadily releases a modified nerve growth factor that does not cause pain. The team plans to use the delivery system during the cartilage phase of bone repair to boost natural regeneration without open surgery. Work builds on early data showing that this NGF form speeds bone repair in preclinical models, and the project will refine the material and dosing for safe, local use. If successful, the approach aims to reduce the need for bone grafts or invasive surgery in delayed-healing fractures.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful this could help fractures heal faster and reduce the need for additional surgeries or grafting procedures.
How similar studies have gone: Preclinical studies suggest NGF can speed fracture repair, but using a biodegradable nanowire for sustained, local delivery is a novel translational approach.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California, San Francisco
San Francisco, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Bahney, Chelsea Shields — University of California, San Francisco
- Study coordinator: Bahney, Chelsea Shields
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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.