Repairing severe lower leg and muscle injuries
Official title: Regenerative engineering for complex extremity trauma
Funded at Oregon Health & Science University · NIH-11458677 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project tests a nanoscale scaffold plus exercise approach to help people with complex lower-leg bone and muscle injuries heal better.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Oregon Health & Science University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Portland, United States) |
| Project start | January 1, 2023 |
| Project end | December 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $91,242 |
| NIH project number | 3R01AR080150-04S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11458677 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates would be people with severe lower-extremity injuries that include open bone fractures together with significant muscle or soft-tissue loss who are candidates for reconstructive treatment.
✕Less likely to help
People with minor isolated fractures, only soft-tissue strains, or those who cannot undergo surgery or participate in rehabilitation/exercise are unlikely to benefit from this approach.
What this research studies
From my point of view as a patient, researchers are creating tiny, patterned scaffold materials meant to guide muscle and bone cells to grow back in the right way. They combine these scaffolds with physical activity (like running in animal tests) to boost blood vessel growth, nerve reconnection, and muscle regeneration. In earlier lab and mouse work these patterned materials helped large muscle injuries regenerate and re-innervate similar to native tissue. The team aims to use control over the muscle healing environment to also improve bone healing after severe open fractures with soft-tissue loss.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If this approach works in people, it could improve combined muscle and bone healing, reduce repeated surgeries, and restore more normal limb function.
How similar studies have gone: Similar patterned materials plus exercise produced promising muscle regeneration and re-innervation in animal studies, but human testing of this combined approach is still novel.
Where this research is happening
-
Oregon Health & Science University
Portland, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Nakayama, Karina — Oregon Health & Science University
- Study coordinator: Nakayama, Karina
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.