The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) has awarded a $562,740 Project Grant (CFDA 93.865 - Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research) to Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas. The goal of this 5-year research project is to develop less invasive, biomimetic intervention strategies for endogenous in utero repair of spina bifida, a devastating neural tube defect. The research aims to create a pro-regenerative environment within the amniotic cavity to activate cellular and molecular cascades that can reduce the severity of spina bifida lesions. This will be evaluated through experiments using a mouse model of spina bifida and assessment of a biomimetic thermogel for in utero repair in mouse and rabbit models. The project leverages Baylor's expertise in bioengineering and placental-derived stem cell approaches to advance surgical effectiveness and improve clinical outcomes for this condition, which affects approximately 2,500 live births per year in the United States.
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