Preventing scarring and age-related weakness of the anal sphincter
Official title: Targeting Novel Fibrogenic Signaling Pathways to Prevent Injury and Age-Related External Anal Sphincter Muscle Dysfunction
Funded at VA San Diego Healthcare System · NIH-11305269 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are developing ways to stop scarring and rebuild the anal sphincter muscle to help women who leak stool after childbirth or as they get older.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | VA San Diego Healthcare System NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Diego, United States) |
| Project start | April 1, 2024 |
| Project end | March 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| NIH project number | 5I01BX006370-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11305269 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Women with fecal incontinence linked to childbirth-related external anal sphincter injury or age-related sphincter weakening are the most likely beneficiaries.
✕Less likely to help
People whose incontinence is primarily due to neurological disease, diarrhea, or other non-sphincter causes may not benefit from these muscle- and fibrosis-focused approaches.
What this research studies
From a patient's perspective, the team is studying why the external anal sphincter develops scarring and loses strength after childbirth injury and with aging. They recreate these injuries in rabbits and examine molecular signals like Wnt/β-catenin, STAT3, and GIV/Girdin that drive fibrosis and poor muscle repair. The researchers will test approaches that block those signals to reduce scarring and improve muscle regeneration. Promising lab and animal results could point to drug targets or treatments to be tested in future human trials for women with fecal incontinence.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to treatments that reduce scarring and restore sphincter muscle function, lowering accidental stool leakage in affected women.
How similar studies have gone: Previous animal studies have shown similar scarring and molecular changes, but translating these findings into effective human therapies remains largely untested.
Where this research is happening
-
VA San Diego Healthcare System
San Diego, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mittal, Ravinder K. — VA San Diego Healthcare System
- Study coordinator: Mittal, Ravinder K.
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.