Understanding how stem cell vesicles pick their cargo to improve therapies
Official title: Decoding Cargo Sorting and Selection for Next-Generation Designer Extracellular Vesicles
Funded at Howard University · NIH-11424330 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are studying tiny bubbles from stem cells to learn how their contents are chosen, with the aim of making better treatments for autoimmune diseases and cancer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Howard University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Washington, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2026 |
| Project end | May 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $190,291 |
| NIH project number | 1R16GM166825-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11424330 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients with autoimmune diseases or cancers could potentially benefit from therapies developed from EV cargo design, once translated to clinical use.
✕Less likely to help
During early research phases, participants would not directly receive a therapy; the study focuses on cell and biomaterial models.
What this research studies
This project looks at mesenchymal stem cell–derived extracellular vesicles and how their cargo is selected, using engineered scaffolds to mimic body environments. By controlling integrin interactions, the team will test how different cell–ECM contacts influence the molecules packed into EVs. The goal is to identify specific signals that determine cargo content so EVs can be designed for targeted therapeutic effects. The work combines biomaterials, cell biology, and analysis of EV cargo to uncover rules for producing functional, disease-relevant vesicles.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could enable designer EVs tailored to immune modulation, tissue repair, or cancer therapy, potentially improving outcomes for patients with autoimmune diseases or cancer.
How similar studies have gone: Prior research shows that altering EV cargo can influence therapeutic effects, but this project explores a novel integration of integrin signaling and ECM-mimicking scaffolds to guide cargo selection.
Where this research is happening
-
Howard University
Washington, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kaur, Gagandeep — Howard University
- Study coordinator: Kaur, Gagandeep
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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.