Understanding how tiny cell messengers move in 3-D tissues to improve diagnostics
Official title: Probing extracellular vesicle transport in hydrogels to advance diagnostics
Funded at University of Delaware · NIH-11583837 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are studying how extracellular vesicles, tiny particles that carry disease signals, travel through gel-like tissues to improve noninvasive diagnostic tests.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Delaware NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Newark, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | June 1, 2025 |
| Project end | February 28, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $230,009 |
| NIH project number | 5P20GM156674-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11583837 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients with diseases where EVs in body fluids reflect disease state could benefit from improved biomarkers and future tests.
✕Less likely to help
People without relevant disease signals or those not yet connected to EV-based diagnostics may not benefit directly.
What this research studies
This project uses special hydrogel models and new measurement techniques to watch how extracellular vesicles spread and diffuse in tissue-like environments. By varying the gel properties and observing EV movement in real time, researchers aim to map how these signals reach potential diagnostic sites. The work involves advanced imaging and fluidic platforms to quantify EV concentrations without altering them, laying the groundwork for better biomarker tests.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could lead to more accurate, noninvasive diagnostic tests based on EV signals.
How similar studies have gone: Preliminary studies using EVs and hydrogel models have shown promise in understanding transport, but this approach is innovative in its measurement methods.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Delaware
Newark, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Bayles, Alexandra Victoria — University of Delaware
- Study coordinator: Bayles, Alexandra Victoria
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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.