Paul Patterson
California Institute of Technology
Status: Active

Proposal Abstract as Submitted by Applicant

The Caltech Stem Cell Biology Training Program will educate postdoctoral scholars in stem cell biology, its various potential medical applications, as well as the social, ethical and legal issues in this field. In addition to our present stem cell course offerings, we have organized a new bioethics course that emphasizes issues raised by stem cell research and applications. We have also initiated a collaboration with the Keck School of Medicine/University of Southern California (USC) and the Childrens Hospital of Los Angeles (CHLA) to offer a new tri-campus lecture course in stem cell biology.

The major strengths of a CIRM training program at Caltech are the extremely high quality of the trainee population, the strength and cross-disciplinary nature of research offerings, the research facilities, and the available and new courses. Relevant areas of current research at Caltech include embryonic and adult stem cell plasticity, stem cells and cancer, embryonic development, imaging technology, tissue engineering and macromolecular fabrication, computational biology, nanoscale biology and chemistry, and the basic science of hematopoietic, muscle, endothelial and neural stem cells. The cells and organisms being studied in this context include yeast, C. elegans, Drosophila, Xenopus, zebrafish, chick, rodents and humans. The new, collaborative part of this training program utilizes the expertise at Keck/USC and CHLA in the areas of human embryonic stem cell growth and differentiation, cutting edge gene transfer technology application in the clinic, stem cell research in a variety of organs, as well as medical ethics. Together, these institutions can provide a broad, in depth curriculum for trainees. This collaboration also offers the opportunity and stimulus for basic scientists to become familiar with related clinical issues and the potential application of their findings to disease.

To enhance interaction among the CIRM trainees and to keep them up to date in this field, the Caltech program will include new stem cell seminar and journal club programs, as well as an annual symposium.

Benefit of this Program to California

This program will benefit the people and the state of California by providing high-quality training in the scientific, clinical, social, and ethical aspects of stem cell research to the scientists and clinicians who will develop and apply future therapies in this rapidly emerging field.