Systems biology of how bodies grow and keep their shape
Official title: Systems Biology of Shape and Size Regulation
Funded at University of Maryland Baltimore County · NIH-11330123 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A planarian-based project uses biology and physics ideas to understand how organisms grow, shape organs, and regenerate after injury, with potential implications for birth defects and cancer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Maryland Baltimore County NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Baltimore, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2020 |
| Project end | March 31, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $416,699 |
| NIH project number | 2R35GM137953-06 |
| Project ID | NIH-11330123 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are individuals with birth defects or conditions affecting growth and tissue formation who may benefit from advances in regenerative biology and therapies inspired by planarian mechanisms.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without conditions related to growth regulation or those seeking immediate clinical treatment without research participation may not directly benefit.
What this research studies
This project aims to uncover the rules that control body size and shape by combining genetic experiments with physical models. Using planarian worms, researchers will perturb genes and tissues, measure how body and organ shapes respond, and integrate results with computational methods. The goal is to build a systems-level picture of how signals, forces, and cells coordinate growth and form, which could inform therapies for birth defects, injuries, and cancer. The work emphasizes large-scale tissue growth, shape formation, and regeneration, moving toward novel approached for clinical problems.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the research could lead to new strategies for repairing congenital defects, healing injuries, and understanding cancer-related growth.
How similar studies have gone: Similar systems biology approaches have shown promise in linking signaling to tissue architecture, but applying them to whole-body shape and planarian regeneration is innovative.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Maryland Baltimore County
Baltimore, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Lobo, Daniel — University of Maryland Baltimore County
- Study coordinator: Lobo, Daniel
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.