Stem Cell Agency President Named One of the Most Influential People in Stem Cells

San Francisco, CA – Alan Trounson, PhD, President of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine, has been named one of the Top 50 most influential people in the global stem cell field today.

Trounson was named the seventh most influential person in a global poll conducted by Terrapinn, an international business conference and exhibition organizer.

“This is a delightful, and unexpected surprise,” says Trounson. “It’s always flattering to be singled out by your peers, but to be named number seven in a list that contains so many extraordinary scientists and individuals is really quite humbling.”

Trounson was honored not just for helping make the stem cell agency, and California, a global leader in the field of regenerative medicine but also for his pioneering work in human in vitro fertilization.

The 50 were chosen on the basis of their career achievements, groundbreaking discovery and research or innovation, as well as for their lifetime dedication and inspirational leadership. The full list is available here.

Topping the list is the CIRM-funded Dr. Shinya Yamanaka. It’s been a great 12 months for the Gladstone Institutes’ researcher. Last year he won the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine, and earlier this year he was named one of the winners of the new $3 million Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences. 

Bob Klein, the author of Proposition 71, the voter-approved initiative that created the stem cell agency was named number 21 on the list.

Others on the list affiliated with CIRM are:

  • James Thompson, researcher in CIRM facility at UC Santa Barbara (2)
  • Michael West, CEO CIRM-funded BioTime (8)
  • Mahendra Rao, expert reviewer on Grants Working Group (GWG) from NIH Center for Regenerative Medicine (9)
  • Thomas Okarma, executive at BioTime (12)
  • Randall Mills, President Osiris Therapeutics, GWG member (13)
  • Stephen Minger, GE Healthcare, GWG member (16)
  • Martin McGlynn, President CIRM-funded StemCells, Inc. (18)
  • Anthony Atala, editor CIRM supported journal Stem Cells Translational Medicine (36)
  • Jan Nolta, CIRM researcher at UC Davis (39)
  • Fred Gage, CIRM researcher at Salk Institute (40)
  • Susan Solomon, CEO New York Stem Cell Foundation, CIRM collaborative funding partner (42)
  • Paul Laikind, CIRM-funded ViaCyte (43)
  • Alan Lewis, CEO of Medistem, was CEO of CIRM funded Novocell, now Viacyte (44)
  • Paul Knoepfler, CIRM researcher at UC Davis (50)

“This is not just great news for Alan, but for everyone associated with the stem cell agency,” says Jonathan Thomas, PhD, JD, Chairman of the agency’s Board. “It’s a reflection of the influence we are having on the entire field of regenerative medicine, and a tribute to the people of California and their faith in the power of this approach to change the face of medicine.”

About CIRM: CIRM was established in November 2004 with the passage of Proposition 71, the California Stem Cell Research and Cures Act. The statewide ballot measure, which provided $3 billion in funding for stem cell research at California universities and research institutions, was overwhelmingly approved by voters, and called for the establishment of an entity to make grants and provide loans for stem cell research, research facilities, and other vital research opportunities. A list of grants and loans awarded to date may be seen here: https://www.cirm.ca.gov/for-researchers/researchfunding

Contact:
Kevin McCormack
415-396-9813
kmccormack@cirm.ca.gov