Using cell-free therapies from fat stem cells to speed skin wound healing
Official title: Cell-free regenerative approach in wound healing
Funded at James a. Haley VA Medical Center · NIH-11130963 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Looks at whether tiny particles from fat-derived stem cells can help adults with slow-healing or chronic skin wounds heal faster.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | James a. Haley VA Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Tampa, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2022 |
| Project end | June 30, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| NIH project number | 5I01BX005591-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11130963 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates would be adults with slow-healing or chronic skin wounds, including surgical wounds or wounds made worse by diabetes, aging, or infection.
✕Less likely to help
People whose wounds already heal normally or who have medical issues that make experimental treatments unsafe may not receive benefit.
What this research studies
You would be offered a treatment made from tiny particles called exosomes that come from human fat-derived stem cells. Researchers plan to produce these exosomes in the lab and test how they affect healing when applied to damaged skin, using lab and preclinical models with the aim of moving toward patient treatments. The approach targets inflammation and tissue repair to help wounds close and reduce long-term damage. If involved, you could be asked for medical history, wound photos, and clinic follow-up visits.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could help chronic wounds close faster and lower the risk of scarring or amputation.
How similar studies have gone: Early lab and animal studies of exosomes from adipose stem cells have shown promise for improving wound repair, but evidence in humans remains limited.
Where this research is happening
-
James a. Haley VA Medical Center
Tampa, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Patel, Niketa a. — James a. Haley VA Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Patel, Niketa a.
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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.