The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has awarded the University at Albany (UAlbany) a five-year, $2.5 million grant to support nanoscale efforts to improve the treatment of xerostomia.
The research will be conducted jointly by the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering and the department of biological sciences.
The research will involve the use of nanofibers to develop bioengineered artificial scaffolds. Those scaffolds would then be deployed to promote the growth of salivary gland cells, with a goal of enabling the future engineering of functional salivary glands, according to the university.
The multistep process includes developing a noninvasive, high-throughput microelectromechanical system (MEMS) probe to sense salivary cell function in live cells that are grown on nanoscale-sized scaffold materials, something that was not previously possible. The investigators will design "smart" scaffolds that direct cell behavior to stimulate cell function.
In addition to informing the future engineering of artificial salivary glands, the principles developed through this research will also be applied to treat diseases in other complex branching organs, and improve the drug screening process, according to the university.
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