Reducing scarring to help salivary glands regenerate
Remediating fibrosis for salivary gland regeneration
This research aims to reduce scar tissue in salivary glands to help people with dry mouth after radiation or Sjögren’s syndrome regain gland function.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | State University of New York at Albany NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Albany, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11307580 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
The team is studying the scar-forming cells and the signals that make them produce excess extracellular matrix in salivary glands. They use single-cell RNA sequencing to pinpoint a PDGFRα+ stromal cell population that drives fibrosis and examine how TGFβ signaling changes the gland matrix. The researchers will test whether changing those signals and using scaffold-supported cell transplants can reverse fibrosis in laboratory models and restore gland structure. The goal is to develop approaches that could eventually be offered to people with radiation- or autoimmune-related salivary gland damage.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates would be people with reduced salivary function and evidence of gland fibrosis following head-and-neck radiation or due to Sjögren’s syndrome.
Not a fit: People whose dry mouth is caused mainly by medications or who have end-stage, irreversible loss of gland tissue are less likely to benefit from these approaches.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could restore salivary gland structure and improve saliva production for people with radiation- or Sjögren’s-related dry mouth.
How similar studies have performed: Prior lab and animal work has identified fibrogenic PDGFRα+ cells and TGFβ’s role, but scaffold-mediated reversal of salivary fibrosis is largely untested in humans.
Where this research is happening
Albany, United States
- State University of New York at Albany — Albany, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Larsen, Melinda — State University of New York at Albany
- Study coordinator: Larsen, Melinda
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 below.