CIRM Cell and Gene Therapy Training Program 2.0

Return to Grants

Grant Award Details

Grant Number:
EDUC4-12792
Investigator(s):
Type:
PI

Award Value:
$5,331,340
Status:
Active

Progress Reports

Reporting Period:
Year 1
Reporting Period:
Year 2

Grant Application Details

Application Title:

CIRM Cell and Gene Therapy Training Program 2.0

Statement of Benefit to California:
The CIRM Scholar Research Training Program will provide significant benefit to the State of California and its citizens in the following ways: • Train diverse scholars to be the next generation of regenerative medicine leaders, advancing basic, translational, and clinical research and serving as mentors for future generations of scholars. • Develop diverse team-oriented investigators who will facilitate research and engage community partners implementing new cell and gene therapies for a range of human diseases and across all age groups. • Work with community partners to address health disparities. • Effectively communicate the science behind new therapies as well as the ethical, legal, and social implications of regenerative medicine and gene therapy research. Well-trained personnel are needed to eliminate critical bottlenecks in bringing cell and gene therapies to the clinic and to ensure these new therapies will be made available to all patients in need. Training scientists and clinicians committed to the field that remain in the state of California will relieve the statewide shortage. The program will also benefit trainees by providing new workforce opportunities. Over the 10 years of prior funding, our CIRM Training Program included ~60 graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and clinical fellows that participated in a broad range of stem cell/regenerative medicine research projects. These projects resulted in ~200 publications in peer-reviewed journals. Current positions of former trainees indicate that the majority are in academic or industry positions primarily in California, with others working in healthcare settings, supporting the long-term benefits to California and its citizens. With our recruitment efforts centered on trainees from historically underrepresented groups, and the addition of equity-centered inclusive training practices, the program aims to further increase the diversity of California’s cell and gene therapy expertise thus providing future leaders. The new cohorts of scholars proposed will also be focused on reducing healthcare disparities in California thus providing benefit to a wide range of patients and communities.