Restoring muscle and nerve strength and mobility in older adults
Official title: Improving Aged Neuromuscular Health and Function
Funded at Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago D/b/a Shirley Ryan Abilitylab · NIH-11301904 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This research will see if young muscle-derived stem cells can help older adults regain stronger muscles and healthier nerves.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago D/b/a Shirley Ryan Abilitylab NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chicago, United States) |
| Project start | June 1, 2022 |
| Project end | March 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $477,017 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AG073223-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11301904 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for future trials would be older adults experiencing age-related muscle weakness, slowed gait, or declining mobility due to nerve or muscle aging.
✕Less likely to help
People whose symptoms are due to recent injury, congenital neuromuscular diseases, or conditions unrelated to age-related muscle and nerve decline may not benefit from this early-stage research.
What this research studies
From your perspective, researchers are using special muscle stem cells taken from young donors and giving them systemically to older animals to look for body-wide benefits. They examine nerve structure, muscle size, fibrosis, walking ability, and other measures of mobility to see whether function improves. The team is also studying whether the cells act by releasing rejuvenating factors into the blood rather than staying where they were placed. These lab-based findings are being developed to guide future therapies for age-related muscle and nerve decline.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could lead to treatments that improve strength, walking, and nerve health in older people.
How similar studies have gone: Previous animal studies by the team showed young muscle-derived stem cells improved nerve repair, increased muscle mass, reduced fibrosis, and extended lifespan in mouse models, but human testing has not yet occurred.
Where this research is happening
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Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago D/b/a Shirley Ryan Abilitylab
Chicago, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Lavasani, Mitra — Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago D/b/a Shirley Ryan Abilitylab
- Study coordinator: Lavasani, Mitra
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.