Repairing diabetic stem cells to improve leg blood flow and muscle and nerve healing
Molecular Repair of Diabetic Mesenchymal Stem Cells (dMSC) for Peripheral Arterial Disease
This project aims to fix patients' own diabetic stem cells so they can better heal muscle and nerve damage from peripheral artery disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Cincinnati VA Medical Center Research NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Cincinnati, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11247938 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will study mesenchymal stem cells taken from people with diabetes to find molecular (epigenetic) changes that limit healing, using methods such as ATAC-seq to map how DNA packaging affects cell function. They will define how different macrophage (immune) types help or hinder re-innervation of new muscle and how diabetes changes those interactions. The team will test ways to reprogram or repair these diabetic stem cells and to direct macrophages toward patterns that promote nerve and muscle recovery, with the goal of developing autologous (your own) cell therapies. Work will include laboratory and preclinical models aimed at therapies that could be translated to patient care.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are adults with diabetes and peripheral arterial disease who have ischemic muscle damage, walking impairment, or nerve-related loss of function, particularly Veterans treated at VA centers.
Not a fit: People without diabetes or without peripheral artery disease, and those with extensive irreversible tissue loss, are unlikely to receive direct benefit from these therapies.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could restore blood flow and muscle function in limbs affected by diabetic peripheral artery disease, improving walking ability and reducing the risk of amputation.
How similar studies have performed: Related mesenchymal stem cell therapies for PAD have shown promising but mixed results, while epigenetic repair of diabetic stem cells and macrophage-targeting for re-innervation is a newer and less-tested approach.
Where this research is happening
Cincinnati, United States
- Cincinnati VA Medical Center Research — Cincinnati, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Brewster, Luke Packard — Cincinnati VA Medical Center Research
- Study coordinator: Brewster, Luke Packard
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.