Plant-based small blood vessel replacements
Official title: Tissue Engineering Plant-based Vascular Grafts II
Funded at Hofstra University · NIH-11212977 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Trying heat-treated plant scaffolds to make small blood vessel grafts for people who need arterial bypasses but lack a usable vein.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R15 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Hofstra University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Hempstead, United States) |
| Project start | August 4, 2022 |
| Project end | July 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $492,270 |
| NIH project number | 2R15EB033168-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11212977 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People who need coronary or peripheral arterial bypass grafts and do not have a suitable saphenous vein could be the eventual candidates for this type of graft.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not require bypass surgery, who need grafts for large-caliber vessels, or who have active infections or conditions preventing surgery are unlikely to benefit from this work.
What this research studies
You would be hearing about an effort to turn decellularized plant tissue into small-diameter blood vessel grafts that behave like natural arteries. Researchers are applying different heat treatments to these plant scaffolds to reduce immune reactions, control biodegradation, and preserve the mechanical layers needed for blood flow. The team has previously made endothelialized grafts from plant material and will test how heat-treated scaffolds perform mechanically and in living models to check clotting and tissue remodeling. The goal is an off-the-shelf graft that the body can integrate and that resists thrombosis.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could offer low-cost, off-the-shelf small blood vessel grafts that avoid clotting and allow your body to remodel the vessel.
How similar studies have gone: Decellularized plant scaffolds and other tissue-engineered small-diameter grafts have shown promising lab and animal results, but human use is not yet established.
Where this research is happening
-
Hofstra University
Hempstead, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Merna, Nicholas J. — Hofstra University
- Study coordinator: Merna, Nicholas J.
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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.