Injectable Macroporous Matrices to Enhance Stem Cell Engraftment and Survival

Tissue loss and organ failure represents a substantial socioeconomic burden to the State of California, with increasing medical costs for treating patients suffering from various degenerative disease, trauma and congenital defects. Furthermore, the average life-span and percentage of aging population in California is expected to grow, with increasing needs for better therapeutic strategies for caring these patients. Stem cell-based therapies hold great promise for treating tissue loss and enhancing tissue regeneration, often via direct injection of cells at the target site. However, the majority of transplanted cells die shortly after transplantation, which greatly diminishes the efficacy of stem cell-based therapies. Poor cell engraftment and survival remain a major bottleneck to fully exploiting the power of stem cells for regenerative medicine. Here we propose to validate the efficacy of novel µRB-like hydrogels as cell-delivery matrices that enhance the engraftment and survival of stem cells for both soft and hard tissue reconstruction. Our results will significantly accelerate clinical translation of stem cell-based therapy for residents in California by enhancing cell delivery, survival, and integration, thus improving therapeutic outcomes. Our validated platform will be broadly applicable to diverse cell types, and its wide dissemination will crucially advance the translation of stem cell-based therapies to combat both acute and degenerative human conditions.