Role of a skin-healing gene locus in speeding wound repair
Official title: Role of the FAAH-OUT locus in cutaneous wound healing
Funded at University of California-Irvine · NIH-11382807 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A study at UC Irvine will explore how a specific genetic region near the FAAH gene may make skin wounds heal faster with less scarring, with potential ideas for new therapies.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California-Irvine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Irvine, United States) |
| Project start | March 6, 2024 |
| Project end | June 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $478,269 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AR079992-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11382807 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Individuals with chronic wounds or normal-appearing skin who may benefit from improved understanding of wound healing biology.
✕Less likely to help
The study focuses on a single subject for mechanistic insight, which may not translate to all patients.
What this research studies
Researchers will examine tissue from a woman with unusually fast wound healing to understand how the FAAH OUT region influences healing. They will use advanced techniques like spatial transcriptomics and in situ hybridization to map gene activity in normal and wounded skin, and test skin repair in xenograft models. The project also aims to uncover how FAAH OUT interacts with other genes to drive this healing advantage. Insights could point to new targets for improving wound outcomes in patients. The work is grounded in human biology and seeks to translate findings toward healthier, quicker skin repair.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could reveal new targets to develop therapies that speed healing and reduce scarring for people with wounds.
How similar studies have gone: Prior research suggests lncRNAs can influence tissue repair, but this approach is relatively novel in human wound healing.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California-Irvine
Irvine, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Sun, Bryan — University of California-Irvine
- Study coordinator: Sun, Bryan
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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.