Hair Regrowth Without Transplant? New Molecular Approach Offers Hope
According to a recent study published in "Stem Cell Research & Therapy" integrating stem cell biology, gene therapy, and
molecular signalling
can potentially help to treat hair loss conditions like
androgenetic alopecia
(AGA) without the need of a transplant.
The study co-authored by a multidisciplinary team from US and India, involving researchers of QR678, a
hair regrowth
formulation and The Esthetic Clinics (TEC)
, suggest
androgenetic alopecia (AGA)—the most common form of hair loss—not as an irreversible condition, but as a breakdown in regenerative signalling that can potentially be reversed.'
Under the study, the researchers analysed five key molecular pathways—Wnt/β-catenin, Sonic Hedgehog (Shh), Bone Morphogenetic Protein (BMP), Notch, and AKT/MAPK—that collectively manage the hair follicle lifecycle.
During their analysis, researchers found that in conditions like AGA, the communication between these aforementioned pathways breaks down, particularly with Wnt suppression and BMP overactivation, causing follicles to fall into dormancy.
To correct such breakdowns the study outlined that gene-editing tools like CRISPR and stem cell therapies can help to correct misfiring signals, rebuild a supportive microenvironment.
As per the researchers some of these treatments have already shown success in lab-grown tissue and animal models, and early clinical trials are expected to begin within the next two years.
'By mapping out the molecular misfires behind hair follicle dormancy, we now have a clearer pathway to develop therapies that don't just slow hair loss—but potentially reverse it by reawakening the body's own regenerative systems,' said Dr Michael Gold, dermatologist and founder of Gold Skin Care Center, USA.
'Hair follicles don't disappear; they go dormant due to disrupted cellular signals. By identifying how these signals fail—and how they can be restored—we move closer to resetting the system at a molecular level. It's a fundamental shift in how hair loss can be understood, and ultimately, reversed,' Dr Debraj Shome, senior author and Director at TEC, added.
Scientists involved in the study suggest the global hair loss treatment market, valued around $4 billion (₹34,000 crore) available solutions includes only external therapies–-drugs, and treatment procedures—surgery, transplants.
Whereas, the study's findings signal a space for exploring gene- and cell-based molecular therapies—a therapeutic domain that follows a completely different approach with differentiated targeting and treatment mechanisms.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
2 days ago
- Time of India
Hair Regrowth Without Transplant? New Molecular Approach Offers Hope
Mumbai: A team of scientists by mapping the complete molecular network of human hair, have identified several treatment procedures that can potentially eliminate the need for surgery or transplants for restoring hair growth. According to a recent study published in "Stem Cell Research & Therapy" integrating stem cell biology, gene therapy, and molecular signalling can potentially help to treat hair loss conditions like androgenetic alopecia (AGA) without the need of a transplant. The study co-authored by a multidisciplinary team from US and India, involving researchers of QR678, a hair regrowth formulation and The Esthetic Clinics (TEC) , suggest androgenetic alopecia (AGA)—the most common form of hair loss—not as an irreversible condition, but as a breakdown in regenerative signalling that can potentially be reversed.' Under the study, the researchers analysed five key molecular pathways—Wnt/β-catenin, Sonic Hedgehog (Shh), Bone Morphogenetic Protein (BMP), Notch, and AKT/MAPK—that collectively manage the hair follicle lifecycle. During their analysis, researchers found that in conditions like AGA, the communication between these aforementioned pathways breaks down, particularly with Wnt suppression and BMP overactivation, causing follicles to fall into dormancy. To correct such breakdowns the study outlined that gene-editing tools like CRISPR and stem cell therapies can help to correct misfiring signals, rebuild a supportive microenvironment. As per the researchers some of these treatments have already shown success in lab-grown tissue and animal models, and early clinical trials are expected to begin within the next two years. 'By mapping out the molecular misfires behind hair follicle dormancy, we now have a clearer pathway to develop therapies that don't just slow hair loss—but potentially reverse it by reawakening the body's own regenerative systems,' said Dr Michael Gold, dermatologist and founder of Gold Skin Care Center, USA. 'Hair follicles don't disappear; they go dormant due to disrupted cellular signals. By identifying how these signals fail—and how they can be restored—we move closer to resetting the system at a molecular level. It's a fundamental shift in how hair loss can be understood, and ultimately, reversed,' Dr Debraj Shome, senior author and Director at TEC, added. Scientists involved in the study suggest the global hair loss treatment market, valued around $4 billion (₹34,000 crore) available solutions includes only external therapies–-drugs, and treatment procedures—surgery, transplants. Whereas, the study's findings signal a space for exploring gene- and cell-based molecular therapies—a therapeutic domain that follows a completely different approach with differentiated targeting and treatment mechanisms.
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
2 days ago
- Business Standard
Researchers map hair growth pathways for non-surgical hair restoration
Mumbai-based The Esthetic Clinics (TEC), in collaboration with QR678 Research, have co-authored a research paper that maps the complete molecular network governing human hair growth—potentially offering the clearest path yet to hair restoration without the need for surgery, medication, or transplantation. Shome added that the global hair transplant market is currently valued at $15.22 billion and is projected to reach $23.32 billion by 2030. Published in Stem Cell Research & Therapy, the paper was developed by a multidisciplinary team of researchers from India and the United States. It redefines androgenetic alopecia (AGA)—the most common form of hair loss. Significantly, the study is among the first to integrate stem cell biology, gene therapy, and molecular signalling into a unified therapeutic approach for treating AGA. 'For decades, we have treated hair loss as a cosmetic issue. This paper consolidates what we now understand about the biological breakdown behind it—and reframes baldness as a malfunction of the body's regenerative system,' said Debraj Shome, senior author and Director at TEC. The paper focuses on five main molecular pathways—Wnt/β-catenin, Sonic Hedgehog (Shh), Bone Morphogenetic Protein (BMP), Notch, and AKT/MAPK—that work together to control the hair follicle's growth cycle. In cases of AGA, this communication system breaks down—especially due to reduced Wnt activity and increased BMP signals—causing hair follicles to become inactive or dormant. The research proposes several therapeutic strategies to biologically 'reset' hair follicles, such as using stem cell therapies to restore a healthy follicle environment, among other approaches. The Esthetic Clinics noted that some of these approaches have shown results in lab-grown tissues and animal models, with early-stage clinical trials expected to begin within the next two years.
India Today
2 days ago
- India Today
Scientists decode molecular secret behind hair loss, regrowth without transplant
Scientists have figured out the molecular system in our body that controls how hair grows. This could lead to new treatments that help people regrow hair naturally, without needing surgery, medicines, or hair in Stem Cell Research & Therapy, the study suggests that the most common type of hair loss (called androgenetic alopecia) isn't permanent. Instead, it's caused by a breakdown in the signals that tell hair to grow, and that process might be team combined years of research to understand what causes hair to stop growing. They found five key systems in the body that manage the hair growth cycle. In people with hair loss, these systems stop talking to each other properly, causing hair follicles to "go to sleep."To fix this, the scientists suggest using certain treatments to wake the hair follicles up again. This could include boosting helpful signals, blocking harmful ones, using tools to fix faulty genes, or even using stem cells to support hair trials could begin within the next two years, as early lab tests on animals have shown positive results.'This changes everything,' said Dr. Debraj Shome, Department of Facial Plastic Surgery and Facial Cosmetic Surgery, The Esthetic Clinics, one of the lead researchers of the paper. 'Hair follicles don't die, they just go silent. And now we know how to make them active again.'Today, most treatments for hair loss only slow it down or cover it up. But this new research aims to tackle the root cause and help people grow their own hair Depti Bellani, one of the lead authors of the paper, added: 'We're not just trying to stop hair loss anymore—we're trying to restart growth.'If the upcoming tests go well, hair restoration in the future could rely not on cosmetics but on the body's own ability to grow hair."In the future, hair regrowth treatments are likely to become more personalized. Doctors may use a person's genetic information and specific body markers to design treatments that match the exact cause of their hair loss. New medicines, including some small molecules like valproic acid and CHIR99021, will aim to target the key signals that control hair growth—making treatments safer and more effective," the paper editing tools like CRISPR could help fix genetic problems that lead to hair loss. And in more severe cases, combining stem cell therapies with tissue engineering may help rebuild or regrow hair follicles from scratch.- EndsMust Watch
