# Microengineered scaffolds carrying patient-specific cells and growth factors for treatment of volumetric muscle loss

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT SCH OF MED/DNT · 2022 · $356,549

## Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract
Traumatic and non-traumatic musculoskeletal disorders are responsible for substantial morbidity, pain and
disability, affecting athletes, soldiers, active working people and elder population. This implies major social and
economic hurdles, as musculoskeletal injuries represent a cost of $30 billion in U.S. each year. After injury,
different therapeutic approaches are currently used in the clinics, including surgical application of autologous or
allogeneic grafts. Nevertheless, complications are often associated to surgical repair including nerve injury,
infection, scarring, limitations of tissue graft supply, concerns with immunological response and poor healing
capacity of injured tissue. Indeed, natural healing and surgical procedures are inefficient in restoring
functionality of injured muscles, resulting in a poor quality of life. Thus, a new paradigm for the treatment of
musculoskeletal tissue damage is needed that can provide an effective, and long-term therapy for most
patients. Here, we plan to engineer nanofibrous scaffolds with biomimetic mechanical properties that control-
releases angiogenic and myogenic factors eluted through patient specific platelet-rich plasma (PRP). The
nanofibrous scaffolds will be coated with a layer of hydrogel containing culture of induced pluripotent stem cells
derived myogenic precursor cells (iPS-MPCs), which are expected to differentiate into highly organized
myotubes. The accomplishment of the aims of this proposal will be a paradigm shift in engineering muscle
tissues towards their use in treating muscular disorders and provides an effective and long-term therapy for
most patients.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10455027
- **Project number:** 5R01AR073822-06
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT SCH OF MED/DNT
- **Principal Investigator:** Ali Tamayol
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $356,549
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-11-01 → 2024-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10455027

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10455027, Microengineered scaffolds carrying patient-specific cells and growth factors for treatment of volumetric muscle loss (5R01AR073822-06). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10455027. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*