The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) awarded a $601,104 project grant (CFDA 93.865 - Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research) to the Magee-Womens Research Institute and Foundation in Pittsburgh, PA. The grant will support research to develop a bioinspired composite scaffold for the surgical repair of pubovisceral muscle enthesis injuries that commonly occur during vaginal childbirth. The research aims to improve identification and treatment of these injuries, which can lead to pelvic organ prolapse and associated disorders later in life. The project will investigate the structure and function of the native pubovisceral muscle enthesis, study pathophysiological events following injury, and design a scaffold that can enable superior enthesis regeneration compared to current suture repair approaches. The research will involve cell culture studies, small animal models, and a non-human primate preclinical study to inform the scaffold design and evaluate its efficacy.
Generated 3/4/25, 8:22 AM