Using apoptotic neutrophils to enhance blood vessel formation in wound healing
Official title: Delivery of apoptotic neutrophils to improve angiogenesis during wound healing
Funded at University of California-Irvine · NIH-10989559 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at a new way to help wounds heal faster by using special cells in a gel that can boost the healing process, especially for people with diabetes or larger wounds that usually take longer to heal.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California-Irvine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Irvine, United States) |
| Project start | August 20, 2024 |
| Project end | July 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $172,700 |
| NIH project number | 1R21AR083769-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-10989559 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research include patients with chronic wounds, such as those with diabetes or large surgical wounds.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with wounds that heal normally or those with conditions unrelated to impaired angiogenesis may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on improving wound healing by delivering apoptotic neutrophils within a special hydrogel scaffold. The approach aims to enhance the natural healing process by promoting the uptake of these cells by macrophages, which can then stimulate the growth of new blood vessels. By investigating this method, the researchers hope to find a way to accelerate healing, especially in patients with diabetes or larger wounds where healing is often impaired. The study builds on promising preliminary results that showed increased angiogenesis in animal models.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to more effective treatments for patients with slow-healing wounds, reducing complications and improving recovery times.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown success in using similar approaches to enhance wound healing, indicating potential for this novel method.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California-Irvine
Irvine, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Liu, Wendy — University of California-Irvine
- Study coordinator: Liu, Wendy
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Immunomodulatory therapy to speed up healing after oral cavity injuries in kids
A new approach using a drug called FTY720 aims to improve healing and reduce pain after oral injuries or palate surgery in children.
-
Aiming to slow dangerous lung inflammation to help fight bacterial infections like tuberculosis
A patient-facing program tests whether stopping a specific inflammatory cell (Spp1+ macrophages) from overreacting can help control tuberculosis and possibly improve outcomes in other inflammatory diseases.
-
Engineered protein materials to study wound healing and blood vessels
A researcher team at the University of New England is studying how the environment around a protein changes its behavior to better understand wound healing and blood vessel formation.
-
Understanding how healing tissue uses tiny messengers and scaffolds to repair wounds
A study to learn how cells talk to each other and how tiny vesicles and the extracellular matrix help skin wounds heal better.
-
Hormone signals and sex differences in how wounds heal
This grant explores how male- and female-specific hormones affect wound healing and scarring, with the goal of improving treatments for people who heal poorly.
-
Therapeutic extracellular vesicles to boost skin wound healing
A research grant is exploring how tiny cell messengers called extracellular vesicles can be engineered to improve skin wound repair in injury models.
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.