Understanding how ancestry affects wound healing

Biomaterial Models of Ancestral Contributions to Wound Healing

NIH-funded research Univ of Maryland, College Park · NIH-11126738

This project aims to understand how a person's ancestry influences how their body heals after an injury, hoping to create more personalized treatments.

Quick facts

Grant typeNIH-funded research
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionUniv of Maryland, College Park NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (College Park, United States)
Project IDNIH-11126738 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

This project explores how a person's ancestry influences how their body heals from injuries. We are focusing on specific skin cells (dermal fibroblasts) and immune cells (monocytes and macrophages) that play key roles in tissue repair. Using a special gel model, we observe how these cells from different ancestries communicate and respond to stress, mimicking a wound. This helps us understand why some people heal differently and could lead to more tailored treatments.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: This foundational research does not directly involve patient participation but aims to benefit individuals who experience complications with tissue regeneration and wound healing.

Not a fit: Patients whose wound healing issues are not related to ancestral differences in cellular responses may not directly benefit from this specific line of research.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new, personalized treatments that improve how individuals heal from wounds based on their unique ancestral background.

How similar studies have performed: While the role of ancestry in health is increasingly recognized, this specific approach using biomaterial models to link ancestry to cellular wound healing mechanisms is a novel area of investigation.

Where this research is happening

College Park, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Last reviewed 2026-06-09 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.