Federal Grant Award Summary

The National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering awarded The Leland Stanford Junior University a Project Grant of $428,089 under the Discovery and Applied Research for Technological Innovations to Improve Human Health program (CFDA 93.286) for the period April 1, 2026 through March 31, 2028. The funded research focuses on the development of protein-based conductive, injectable, biodegradable hydrogels designed to support tissue regeneration applications.

The core deliverable is the design, synthesis, and validation of a fully recombinant hydrogel incorporating electrically conductive protein nanowires, engineered matrix-like proteins, and hyaluronic acid. The hydrogel material employs dynamic covalent chemistry for tunable viscoelastic properties and injectability while maintaining biodegradability in response to cell-secreted enzymes. The research team will demonstrate technological efficacy through a cell-based therapy application targeting spinal cord injury, utilizing neural progenitor cells transplanted within the hydrogel to promote neuronal maturation and functional recovery. This project addresses the significant clinical gap in spinal cord injury treatment, where less than one percent of patients achieve full neurological recovery, and builds on prior Stanford research demonstrating that neural progenitor cells enhance neuronal maturation when cultured on conductive biomaterials.