CIRM Training Program in Systems Biology of Stem Cells

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Grant Award Details

Grant Type:

Research Training Grant

Grant Number:

EDUC4-12759

Investigator(s):

Name:

Dr. Camilla Forsberg

Institution:

University of California, Santa Cruz

Type:

Award Value:

$5,278,566

Status:

Active

Progress Reports

Reporting Period:

Year 1

During the past year, four (4) predoctoral and four (4) postdoctoral trainees were selected for funding after evaluation by an external selection committee from an applicant pool of fourteen (14) and six (6) qualified applicants, respectively. In the first year, fellows focused on their stem cell research projects, while also engaging in career development and outreach activities. Trainees presented their research in a variety of formats and locations, including internal journal clubs (i.e. Stem Cell Club; Genomics Club); the Mammary Gland Gordon conference; the International Society for Stem Cell Research conference (ISSCR); The Retinal Ganglion Cell (RGC) Repopulation, Stem cell Transplantation, and Optic Nerve Regeneration (RReSTORe) consortium; and the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) conference. Some trainees completed coursework in their first program year, including Engineering Stem Cells (BME177), Epigenetics (BIOL205), or Career Planning (BIOL290), while all mentors participated in at least one mentor training workshop. Fellows also participated in several patient and healthcare engagement activities and community outreach and education activities. These included two Treehouse Childhood Cancer Initiative events: the Community DNA Extraction and “Brave the Shave” fundraiser; Jacob’s Heart “Camp Heart and Hands”; UCSC Women in Science and Engineering (WiSE) Community outreach; Pediatric Cancer Patient Community outreach; and “Science on Tap”, a public lecture series at the Museum of Art and History. Research, activities, and classes will continue as planned in the second year of the program, with additional courses and opportunities offered. Interest in the program remains strong, with fourteen (14) pre- and four (4) post-doctoral applications received for four and one new training slots, respectively. An in-person kick-off meeting to facilitate planning, collaboration, and networking for the upcoming year for both Year 1 and Year 2 Cohorts is planned for January. During past program funding (2006 – 2015), the UCSC CIRM program produced forty-two (42) program alumni consisting of nineteen (19) predoctoral and twenty three (23) postdoctoral trainees. Combined with the 2022 and 2023 cohorts, the UCSC CIRM program has funded or committed funding for a total of 27 pre- and 28 post-doctoral trainees.

Reporting Period:

Year 2

The CIRM training program at UC Santa Cruz is operating as proposed, with a growing number of fellows engaged in stem cell research and related activities. During award Year 2, four additional pre-doctoral and two additional postdoctoral fellows were selected based on evaluation by a committee of external reviewers. The new trainees joined our previous cohort of four pre- and four postdoctoral fellows, most of whom remained in program Year 2, as expected. Trainees focused on pluripotent and germline stem cells, as well as stem cells of the brain, blood, breast and other tissues, aiming to provide a better understanding of development, aging, and cancer. CIRM-funded fellows presented their research in the form of published papers and by attending local, national, and international meetings and conferences. In addition to performing stem cell research under the mentorship of faculty members across several departments, trainees also participated in coursework, career development, patient engagement, and community outreach. All three core classes, specifically designed for CIRM fellows, were offered: BME 278 Stem Cell Biology, BME 273 Stem Cell Epigenomics, and BIOL 247 Stem Cell Ethics. The vast majority of trainees fulfilled their training requirements by participating in these classes. Outreach and patient advocacy activities included Jacob’s Heart and Treehouse Childhood Cancer events, presentations at Alisal High School and hosting laboratory tours in collaboration with WiSE (Women in Science and Engineering). Fellows also pursued career development and leadership training by participating in and co-organizing stem cell club, as well as workshops in proactive DEI; scientific communication; and equity minded mentorship. Mentors participated in mentor training during the program year, in accordance with program requirements. The annual program review by our External Advisory Board is scheduled for the second week of December. Interest in the training program was strong, with a total of 18 (4 postdoc and 14 pre-doc) applications received for Year 2 appointments. New trainees were introduced to their peers in the annual January kick-off meeting that serves both informational and community-building roles.

Reporting Period:

Year 3

Grant Application Details

Application Title:

CIRM Training Program in Systems Biology of Stem Cells

Public Abstract:

In 2020 the people of CA reaffirmed their commitment to stem cell research and therapy development by passing proposition 14 that funds basic and translational research and educational programs that promote training of students in stem cell fields. The objective of this program is to train basic, data, and social scientists and engineers to become the next generation of leaders whose approaches to translating stem cell discoveries into therapies are unconstrained by disciplinary boundaries. We have designed a program that will bring together scientists from a wide variety of academic and cultural backgrounds to participate in an inclusive and collaborative stem cell community. Our approach to integrate research, coursework and public service will be to build on each trainee’s strengths and passion with a training program that provides the following. 1) Coursework: We have designed a curriculum that covers the fundamentals of stem cell biology, specialized features of stem cells, methodologies that allow the experimental and computational study of stem cells, and the ethical, legal and social implications of stem cell research. 2) Seminars: Trainees will attend conferences that feature leading stem cell scientists and allow opportunities for scientific exchange. They will also participate in local Stem Cell Science Club and regional Stem Cell meetings. 3) Trainees will engage in community outreach, educational ventures, and patient engagement activities. We will provide many opportunities for trainees to speak with community members, teach at high schools and support local patients and their families. 4) Career development: trainees will have access to the members of our internal and external oversight committees of prominent stem cell biologists, who will provide career advice; to our extensive contacts in industry, who will provide shadowing opportunities in regenerative medicine; and to our colleagues at the CA State Universities who will provide pedagogy training opportunities. 5) Mentoring: We implement a structured and purposeful mentoring program by faculty members who are trained in inclusive and equitable mentorship. 6) Research: Trainees will devote most of their time to stem cell laboratory research, supervised by our growing numbers of stem cell faculty who are leaders in cell, molecular and computational biology, biochemistry and bioengineering. Trainees will also have the opportunity to explore how science intersects ethics by engaging with our collaborators at the Science and Justice Research Center. This application builds and expands on our previous CIRM funded Training Program that generated impressive outcomes for our cohort of 17 graduate students and 25 postdoctoral fellows. Here, we continue our training by building a collaborative cohort of dedicated trainees who will serve as a catalyst for the interdisciplinary approaches required to bring stem cell research from the bench to the bedside of the diverse CA population.

Statement of Benefit to California:

The State of California has made a commitment to support stem cell research and training to advance discoveries that will lead to diagnostics, therapies, and cures for human injury and disease. This proposed training program will propel the State towards reaching this goal by training Ph.D. students and postdoctoral researchers into future leaders in the fields of basic and translational stem cell research. Basic (or discovery) research uncovers the molecular and cellular mechanisms that instruct stem cells to remain as stem cells or to differentiate into the myriad types of cells of the human body. Knowledge of how stem cells function at this level is critical to utilizing stem cells for medical breakthroughs. While in this program, trainees will not only be gaining an education, but also making important contributions to the stem cell research project they have mapped out with their mentor. Trainees will receive interdisciplinary training in stem cell research that draws on expertise in developmental biology, cancer, genomics, neurobiology, and bioengineering. Trainees will also receive career skill training and build professional networks through program liaisons with California-based biomedical companies, and research- and teaching-focused partner universities. Thus, many of these newly trained stem cell scientists are expected to stay in California to build their own careers in academia or industry. Retention of highly skilled stem cell researchers will benefit the California economy and patients for years to come. A first-hand awareness about the needs of California's patients will be gained by trainees engaging with patient advocates, by shadowing opportunities with Regenerative Medicine companies, by collaborations with translational and clinical teams, and by working side-by-side with trainees focused on the social justice aspects of stem cell research. Trainees will disseminate their research findings to the lay public through a variety of community-level outreach efforts, thereby establishing a cohort of capable stem cell ambassadors. All training and activities will take place in an environment where diversity, equity and inclusion are highly valued and reinforced by multiple mechanisms. Trainees will be recruited from a variety of academic and cultural backgrounds and urged to appreciate the complex societal, ethical and legal implications of stem cell discoveries and the importance of equitably distributing the therapeutic fruits of this research. Thus, stem cell research will be performed both by and for the diverse California population.

Publications

Front Cell Neurosci (2022): Adult Expression of Tbr2 Is Required for the Maintenance but Not Survival of Intrinsically Photosensitive Retinal Ganglion Cells. (PubMed: 35401124)
Cell (2024): An age-progressive platelet differentiation path from hematopoietic stem cells causes exacerbated thrombosis. (PubMed: 38749423)
Heliyon (2022): Cloud-controlled microscopy enables remote project-based biology education in underserved Latinx communities. (PubMed: 36439758)
J Biol Chem (2024): Epididymis-specific RNase A family genes regulate fertility and small RNA processing. (PubMed: 39476961)
J Immunol (2022): lincRNA-Cox2 Functions to Regulate Inflammation in Alveolar Macrophages during Acute Lung Injury. (PubMed: 35365562)
Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol (2023): LincRNA-Cox2 Regulates Smoke-induced Inflammation in Murine Macrophages. (PubMed: 36657060)
Adv Exp Med Biol (2022): LncRNA Biomarkers of Inflammation and Cancer. (PubMed: 35220568)
Sci Rep (2022): Modular automated microfluidic cell culture platform reduces glycolytic stress in cerebral cortex organoids. (PubMed: 36418910)
Cell Rep (2022): Mutant KRAS regulates transposable element RNA and innate immunity via KRAB zinc-finger genes. (PubMed: 35858545)
Nat Biomed Eng (2023): Profiling of repetitive RNA sequences in the blood plasma of patients with cancer. (PubMed: 37652985)
Cell Rep (2022): Stromal AR inhibits prostate tumor progression by restraining secretory luminal epithelial cells. (PubMed: 35613593)
Elife (2023): Subfunctionalized expression drives evolutionary retention of ribosomal protein paralogs Rps27 and Rps27l in vertebrates. (PubMed: 37306301)

CIRM Training Program in Systems Biology of Stem Cells

Grant Award Details

Progress Reports

Grant Application Details

CIRM Training Program in Systems Biology of Stem Cells

Publications

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