Transplanting and growing sperm-producing cells for boys who have cancer
Official title: Spermatogonial stem cell transplantation and culture in patients
Funded at Magee-Women's Res Inst and Foundation · NIH-11050840 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at ways to help boys who have had cancer treatment and might have trouble having kids later on by testing safe methods to use their own stored testicular tissue or stem cells to restore their fertility.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Magee-Women's Res Inst and Foundation NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Pittsburgh, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | June 5, 2025 |
| Project end | May 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $606,518 |
| NIH project number | 1R01HD114856-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11050840 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are prepubertal boys who have undergone cancer treatment and have cryopreserved their testicular tissues.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are not prepubertal or who have not cryopreserved their testicular tissues may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on helping boys who have undergone cancer treatment and may face infertility due to the effects of their treatment. It involves the transplantation of spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) or grafting of testicular tissues that were previously cryopreserved. The goal is to assess the safety and feasibility of these procedures to restore fertility in these patients. The research will also address technical challenges, such as the risk of reintroducing cancer cells and the limited number of SSCs available from small testicular biopsies.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could enable boys who have survived cancer to regain their fertility and have biological children in the future.
How similar studies have gone: This approach has been explored in other research settings, but the application to human patients is still in the early stages and presents unique challenges.
Where this research is happening
-
Magee-Women's Res Inst and Foundation
Pittsburgh, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Orwig, Kyle Edwin — Magee-Women's Res Inst and Foundation
- Study coordinator: Orwig, Kyle Edwin
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.