Designing cell-instructive viscoelastic hydrogels to understand and exploit mechanobiology
About This Grant
ABSTRACT Tissues exhibit spatially heterogeneous viscoelastic mechanics during development, disease progression, and wound repair, but dissecting how viscoelasticity regulates in vivo phenomena remains challenging. This MIRA tackles this key challenge through the invention of the first hydrogel 3D cell culture platform with photopatterned spatiotemporal control of viscoelasticity and stress relaxation. Theme 1: Enacting spatiotemporal control of hydrogel viscoelasticity to match heterogeneous tissue mechanics. Knowledge Gap: Tissue viscoelasticity varies, with stress relaxation timescales spanning seconds to hours. This heterogeneity influences cell-microenvironment interactions, but current 3D models fail to replicate it. Rationale: Our hydrogel system combines phototunable slow-relaxing dynamic covalent crosslinks and fast- relaxing guest-host interactions, enabling spatiotemporal viscoelasticity control to mimic tissue mechanics. Preliminary data show robust MSC spreading in these hydrogels. Hypothesis: Hydrogels patterned with varying viscoelasticity, guided by nanoindentation of tissues, will differentially regulate stromal cell responses via YAP/TAZ and TRPV4. Outcomes: Rheology and nanoindentation will guide the fabrication of hydrogels mimicking patient tissue mechanics. These models will elucidate how viscoelasticity regulates cell behavior. Theme 2: Determining how immune cells influence stromal cell mechanotransduction in viscoelastic hydrogels. Knowledge Gap: Fibroproliferative diseases involve an inflammatory, stiffened ECM, but the role of mechanics in immune-driven stromal activation is unclear. Rationale: We previously showed M2 macrophages promote IL6-dependent fibroblast activation in 2D culture, but it is unknown how viscoelasticity modulates immune-stromal interactions in 3D hydrogels. Hypothesis: Slower stress relaxation suppresses IL6-driven fibroblast activation in 3D, even with pro-fibrotic immune cells. Outcomes: Using spatial transcriptomics and knockout cell lines, we will uncover how viscoelasticity shapes immune-stromal crosstalk. Theme 3: Creating bioprinted viscoelastic hydrogels capable of both protease-dependent and protease-independent remodeling. Knowledge Gap: Digital light processing (DLP) bioprinting achieves high fidelity but typically requires dense crosslinking that restricts cell functions. Rationale: Building on our hydrogel platform from Theme 1, we will use DLP to print structures with complex architectures. Incorporating MMP- degradable crosslinks will enable enzymatic remodeling alongside viscoelastic relaxation. Hypothesis: Dual remodeling hydrogels (protease-dependent and protease-independent) will support robust cell viability, spreading, and mechanosensing. Outcomes: Advanced hydrogel platforms will model tissue complexity and reveal how cells integrate viscoelastic and enzymatic cues, advancing understanding of cell-ECM interactions.
Grant Summary
Designing cell-instructive viscoelastic hydrogels to understand and exploit mechanobiology is a NIGMS - National Institute of General Medical Sciences grant providing up to $415K for university, nonprofit, healthcare org. Applications are due 2031-02-28 (open). Check eligibility and apply with FindGrants.
Not quite the right fit?
Search 9,000+ open grants, or get matches ranked for your organization — free.
Focus Areas
Eligibility
How to Apply
Up to $415K
2031-02-28
- 1Confirm your organization is eligible for Designing cell-instructive viscoelastic hydrogels to understand and exploit mechanobiology from NIGMS - National Institute of General Medical Sciences, checking organization type, location, and any population or project requirements.
- 2Gather the required documents and information, including your organization details, project plan, and budget figures.
- 3Draft your application narrative and budget addressing the funder's priorities and review criteria. FindGrants can draft each section for you to review and edit.
- 4Review every section against the requirements checklist, then export a submission-ready application pack and submit it to NIGMS - National Institute of General Medical Sciences before the deadline.
Don't want to draft it yourself?
We'll draft the complete application against NIGMS - National Institute of General Medical Sciences's requirements, run a quality review, and email you a submission-ready PDF plus an editable Word doc within 5 business days. Most orders deliver in 24-48 hours. Flat $399, any grant size.
AI Requirement Analysis
Detailed requirements not yet analyzed
Have the NOFO? Paste it below for AI-powered requirement analysis.
Designing cell-instructive viscoelastic hydrogels to understand and exploit mechanobiology: Frequently Asked Questions
Who is eligible for the Designing cell-instructive viscoelastic hydrogels to understand and exploit mechanobiology?
Designing cell-instructive viscoelastic hydrogels to understand and exploit mechanobiology is offered by NIGMS - National Institute of General Medical Sciences and is generally open to university, nonprofit, healthcare org. It is open to organizations nationwide unless the funder specifies otherwise. Review the specific eligibility terms before applying, since funders set their own requirements around organization type, location, and the population or project being served.
How much funding does the Designing cell-instructive viscoelastic hydrogels to understand and exploit mechanobiology provide?
Designing cell-instructive viscoelastic hydrogels to understand and exploit mechanobiology provides up to $415K per award from NIGMS - National Institute of General Medical Sciences. Actual award sizes depend on the scope of your project, available program funds, and the number of applicants, so build a budget that reflects realistic, allowable costs rather than the maximum figure.
When is the Designing cell-instructive viscoelastic hydrogels to understand and exploit mechanobiology deadline?
Applications for Designing cell-instructive viscoelastic hydrogels to understand and exploit mechanobiology are due 2031-02-28 (open). Because deadlines can change, verify the date with the funder, NIGMS - National Institute of General Medical Sciences, and give yourself enough time to prepare a complete, competitive application before the close date.
How do you apply for the Designing cell-instructive viscoelastic hydrogels to understand and exploit mechanobiology?
To apply for Designing cell-instructive viscoelastic hydrogels to understand and exploit mechanobiology, confirm your eligibility, gather the required documents, and prepare a narrative and budget that address the funder's priorities. FindGrants guides you step by step and can draft each section, then exports a submission-ready application pack for this grant from NIGMS - National Institute of General Medical Sciences.