Kyoto, Japan -- Swallowing is a fundamental human function that supports nutrition and communication. Damage to swallowing muscles can reduce quality of life and even lead to aspiration pneumonia or malnutrition. Many patients suffer from swallowing difficulties after being treated for head or neck cancer, and swallowing disorders are also common in older adults, yet effective therapies have been limited.

Stem cell therapy is considered a promising strategy for muscle repair, including the swallowing muscles, but so far it has not demonstrated the desired effect. Many transplanted cells die quickly after injection because they cannot survive in an injured environment. Spheroids, or three-dimensional cell clusters, are known to improve stem cell function, but large spheroids often develop a necrotic core due to limited oxygen and nutrient supply.

This motivated a collaborative team of researchers from Kyoto University and McGill University to take a new approach to tackling this uncomfortable condition. They included a soft, biocompatible material inside the spheroid to support cell survival and function. Biodegradable nanogels proved to be the innovative material they needed.

Researchers will investigate how a common dietary nutrient may control a hidden layer of gene regulation in cancer cells.