Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The University of Minnesota received a $398,144 Project Grant from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) under the Biomedical Research and Research Training program (CFDA 93.859), effective April 1, 2026, through January 31, 2031. The award funds research to develop immunocompetent tissue models by combining human pluripotent stem cells (HPSCs) and genetic engineering techniques to create microtissues containing tissue-resident macrophages with controllable inflammatory states. Using a progenitor-based assembly approach, the research will generate skeletal muscle, liver, and adipose tissue models derived from myeloid progenitors matched with developmentally appropriate tissue and vascular components to address dysregulated inflammation in metabolic diseases.

The project will deliver both research outputs and practical tools for the broader scientific community. Deliverables include characterization protocols for the engineered immunocompetent microtissues, bioprocessing procedures to enable scalability and cryopreservation of key progenitors for distribution to other research institutions, and novel genetic engineering systems compatible with HPSCs and their derivatives to provide on-demand control over inflammatory responses. These products are designed to facilitate adoption of tissue engineering and inflammatory disease research methodologies across laboratories lacking specialized expertise in stem cell biology and tissue engineering.