The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) awarded a 5-year, $631,703 Project Grant (CFDA 93.173 - Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders) to The Washington University Office of Sponsored Research Services Division. This grant will fund research to investigate the use of adult muscle progenitor (stem) cells for treating vocal fold paralysis, a common condition caused by injury to the recurrent laryngeal nerve. The research will be conducted in an established canine model and focus on two main aims: 1) Repeating preliminary experiments testing the effectiveness of implanted muscle progenitor cells in restoring laryngeal muscle strength and nerve recovery, with variations in treatment timing and cell dosage; and 2) Identifying the cellular mechanisms by which implanted muscle progenitor cells increase nerve innervation. The findings could inform future clinical trials and lead to new approaches for maximizing recovery of injured nerves. This project leverages The Washington University's expertise in biomedical research and tissue engineering.
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