Dr. Dung Nguyen, a clinical professor in the Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, has received an R01 grant in the amount of $2.7M from the National Institutes of Health for her research project, “Development of a Bioengineered Therapeutic Device for the Prevention of Lymphedema.” 

“Lymphedema affects approximately 200 million patients globally, including 10 million in the US, often resulting from cancer treatments, especially in survivors of breast and gynecological cancers,” said Nguyen. “The condition leads to the accumulation of lymph fluid due to obstructions in the lymphatic vessels, compromising local immune function and causing irreversible structural changes in the affected tissues.” 

The funding will allow the team to create and refine specialized materials that closely resemble the structure of natural blood and lymphatic vessels. 

“This project proposes the use of nanofibrillar collagen conduits to bridge regions of lymphatic obstruction, promoting capillary flow and lymphatic regeneration. These studies aim to develop a novel biomaterials-based therapeutic strategy, with findings that could significantly impact the care of cancer patients who develop lymphedema,” said Nguyen.

These materials will be designed to support the growth of healthy cells and promote the repair of damaged lymphatic tissues. The team will also test these materials in animal models to evaluate their effectiveness in preventing and treating lymphedema.

The team conducting the research includes Dr. Ngan Huang, an associate professor in the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, and her lab at the Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System, and the Fibralign Corporation. 

Nguyen will lead the study at the Stanford University site including induction of lymphedema in a rat model, transfer of autologous lymph node tissue, and implantation of aligned nanofibrillar scaffolds. She will also provide instructional consultation to other study members to share her clinical experience regarding the use of the aligned nanofibrillar conduit.