Stem cell and regeneration rules in planarians
Official title: Stem cell and regeneration regulatory mechanisms in planarians
Funded at Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Res · NIH-11349754 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers study how planarians regulate stem cells to regrow body parts, hoping to reveal ideas that could someday help human tissue repair.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Res NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Cambridge, United States) |
| Project start | July 21, 2022 |
| Project end | June 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $487,500 |
| NIH project number | 5R35GM145345-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11349754 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Not applicable to a specific patient group; basic research in a model organism.
✕Less likely to help
Direct patient benefit is not guaranteed from model-organism research, though insights may inform future therapies.
What this research studies
This project looks at how adult stem cells in planarians decide what kind of tissue to become during regeneration. By studying the special neoblasts and the blastema that form after injury, the team aims to uncover how fate choices are made and how regeneration is tailored to the missing tissue. The work uses planarians as a model to reveal principles that could inform regenerative medicine in humans. The approach combines detailed cellular analysis with demonstrations of how specific signals influence cell fate during tissue restoration.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could guide new strategies to promote targeted tissue repair in humans.
How similar studies have gone: Planarian regeneration research has previously uncovered key stem-cell behaviors that shaped regenerative biology, supporting continued exploration.
Where this research is happening
-
Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Res
Cambridge, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Reddien, Peter — Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Res
- Study coordinator: Reddien, Peter
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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.