National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute 3R01HL160616-04S1

Engineered Granular Hydrogels for Endogenous Tissue Repair

This NIH grant funds research on engineered granular hydrogels to improve cardiac repair after myocardial infarction by injecting biomaterials that promote healing and tissue regeneration, tested in animal models.

Description

Myocardial infarction (MI) and the progression to heart failure is a major public health concern that puts a large economic burden on the healthcare system. We propose an innovative approach to treat patients after an MI, where injectable biomaterials are injected into the heart early after MI to provide mechanical and biological signals that can improve the healing response. We evaluate our approach in a clinically-relevant animal model of MI, which if successful represents a translational therapy that could impact the welfare of many patients. Our project focuses on developing granular hydrogels—assembled microgel subunits with shear-thinning properties for injectability and interstitial porosity for cell invasion—to enhance cardiac repair post-MI. The research involves fabricating microgels via high-throughput microfluidic approaches, exploring biophysical and biochemical modifications to optimize cell invasion, vascularization, and functional outcomes in rodent and pig models.

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