Uterus-on-a-Chip to Study Aging and Reproductive Health in Women
Official title: An Organ-on-Chip Approach to Evaluation of Reproductive Health, Aging and Disease inWomen
Funded at Cfd Research Corporation · NIH-11397522 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A women’s health project uses a tiny, human uterus model on a chip to study how aging and spaceflight might affect fertility and cancer risk.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Cfd Research Corporation NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Huntsville, United States) |
| Project start | August 15, 2025 |
| Project end | July 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $986,618 |
| NIH project number | 5UG3TR005857-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11397522 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are women considering fertility planning or at-risk for uterine aging who could benefit from future translational therapies informed by the model.
✕Less likely to help
This research is model-based; direct immediate benefits to individual patients are not guaranteed, and the primary gains are scientific understanding and therapeutic development.
What this research studies
This project aims to recreate the uterine environment on a microfluidic chip, adding uterine smooth muscle cells and hormone cycles to simulate aging and reproductive health. Researchers will test how spaceflight conditions could accelerate aging processes and impact uterine function. The model will include diverse ages and ethnic backgrounds to understand population differences and improve personalized insights. The UG3 phase focuses on validating the model’s response to spaceflight challenges and integrating with spaceflight hardware to ensure real-world applicability.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to new ways to protect or repair uterine aging, potentially improving fertility and reducing cancer risk for women.
How similar studies have gone: Past organ-on-a-chip work has shown promise in modeling human tissues, with growing data suggesting relevance to reproductive health and aging.
Where this research is happening
-
Cfd Research Corporation
Huntsville, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: German, Carrie — Cfd Research Corporation
- Study coordinator: German, Carrie
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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.