MOSCOW, Idaho — University of Idaho is leveraging three unique laboratory capabilities in an interdisciplinary effort to grow understanding of human tendon development and healing after injury.

A group of U of I faculty members from the College of Engineering and the College of Science, led by College of Agricultural and Life Sciences Distinguished Professor Carolyn Hovde Bohach, were recently awarded a $598,537 grant from the IDeA Networks of Biomedical Research Excellence (INBRE) to design and evaluate a biomaterial and to support further research into identifying the cell responses that signal tendon tissue development.

“We’re leveraging complementary skill sets in chemistry and engineering to lead transformative research at University of Idaho,” said Bohach, principal investigator and Idaho INBRE director. “This award allows our students to participate in research to better understand the mechanisms of tendon tissue formation and our faculty members to ultimately engineer tendon tissue replacements and design regenerative therapies.”

According to the National Institutes of Health, there are more than 32 million reported tendon injuries in the U.S. each year. Because tendons undergo repetitive motions and sustain major physical forces, they’re prone to injury. Once injured, treatment may involve suturing the tendon through surgery, followed by rehabilitative therapy. Re-rupture is a common occurrence, and patients rarely regain the mechanical strength they once had.

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This project, “Establishing a developmentally inspired biomaterial platform to direct stem cell tenogenesis,” was funded under the University of Idaho Idaho INBRE program, funded through DHHS NIH under award 3P20GM103408. The total Idaho INBRE project funding is $20,203,883, of which 100% is the federal share.