Regrowing damaged blood vessels by reprogramming cells and using engineered materials
Vascular Regeneration with Direct Reprogramming and Engineering Strategies
This project develops safer ways to turn ordinary cells into blood vessel cells and use biomaterials to help people with blocked or damaged blood vessels.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Emory University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Atlanta, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11143204 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a patient's perspective, researchers are teaching regular skin or connective-tissue cells to become blood vessel cells using a single factor called ETV2 and a safer viral delivery method. They are combining these reprogrammed cells with biocompatible materials (like alginate gels) to help the cells survive after transplantation. Experiments are being done in the lab and in animal models to see whether the new vessels form and improve blood flow. The long-term goal is treatments you might receive as a cell transplant or as a direct injection that converts cells inside the body to restore circulation.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates would be people with ischemic cardiovascular conditions such as coronary artery disease or peripheral artery disease who need new blood-vessel growth to restore circulation.
Not a fit: People without blood-vessel problems or those with active cancers, uncontrolled infections, or other conditions that make gene or cell therapies unsafe are unlikely to benefit from this work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could repair blocked or damaged blood vessels and improve blood flow, reducing tissue damage from heart attacks, strokes, or limb ischemia.
How similar studies have performed: Laboratory and animal studies have shown it is possible to convert somatic cells into endothelial-like cells and form vessels, but this approach has not yet been proven safe or effective in people.
Where this research is happening
Atlanta, United States
- Emory University — Atlanta, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Yoon, Young-Sup — Emory University
- Study coordinator: Yoon, Young-Sup
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.