Federal Project Grant Award Summary

Rowan University received a $561,681 Project Grant award from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) under the Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Diseases Extramural Research program (CFDA 93.847), effective July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2029. The award supports research to develop and evaluate a multi-targeted therapeutic approach for diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) healing through the combined application of electric field stimulation and nitric oxide (NO) therapy. The research will investigate how electric field stimulation enhances cellular energy production and mitochondrial activity to promote wound closure and tissue regeneration, while simultaneously leveraging nitric oxide's mechanisms to reduce vascular complications, inflammation, and infection in hyperglycemic conditions.

The project involves developing a bio-engineered therapeutic system that addresses the complex pathology of diabetic foot ulcers, which currently achieve complete healing in only approximately 25 percent of cases within 12 weeks using standard treatment approaches. By systematically evaluating the healing mechanisms of diabetic wounds through a combination of stimulation-based and biochemical interventions, this research aims to produce novel treatment protocols that comprehensively target multiple disease pathways. The work will be conducted at Rowan University's facility in Glassboro, New Jersey.