# Mineralomics: Designing mineral based therapeutics to control and direct cell function

> **NIH NIH DP2** · TEXAS ENGINEERING EXPERIMENT STATION · 2021 · $75,012

## Abstract

SUMMARY
A set of experiments is proposed to develop a new mineral-based nanoparticle technology for modulating the
cellular activity in absence of growth factors for regenerative therapies. Current therapeutic approaches to
regulate cellular responses include delivery of a multitude of supraphysiological doses of growth factors that
results in a range of complications, including uncontrolled tissue formation, inflammation, and tumorogenesis.
These adversely limit the usage of growth factors as a therapeutic agent in the field of regenerative medicine.
In this New Innovator Award, I propose to develop new mineral-based nanoparticles to regulate and direct
the differentiation of human stem cells in the absence of growth factors. It is our expectation that adequate and
efficacious grow-factor free therapeutics can be designed for regenerative medicine by leveraging our
knowledge about the molecular signaling induced by minerals. This research proposal is particularly well
suited for this unique funding mechanism because it proposes innovative, high-risk, and high-reward research
at the interface of bioengineering and stem cells that would have a major impact on repair and regeneration of
damaged tissue. We propose to combine principles of high throughput computational genomics, stem cell
biology, materials science, microfabrication, and regenerative medicine to design novel strategies based on
newly emerging but unexplored concepts of mineral-induces cellular signaling. It is our expectation that a
comprehensive understanding of the molecular pathways regulated by the usage of minerals will radically
alter the current growth-factor based approach to repair and regenerate damage tissue.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10402045
- **Project number:** 3DP2EB026265-01S2
- **Recipient organization:** TEXAS ENGINEERING EXPERIMENT STATION
- **Principal Investigator:** Akhilesh K. Gaharwar
- **Activity code:** DP2 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $75,012
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2021-09-17 → 2022-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10402045

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10402045, Mineralomics: Designing mineral based therapeutics to control and direct cell function (3DP2EB026265-01S2). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10402045. Licensed CC0.

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