The CSUN CIRM COMPASS Training Program (N-COMPASS) cohort 1 was intentionally recruited to broaden the participation in stem cell and regenerative medicine of individuals representing the diversity of California’s population. We recruited ten biology major sophomore level undergraduate students from traditionally under-served communities. We provided stipends for workshop attendance in academic success, professional development, diversity in science, and career development activities. The ten students were cohorted into courses to build community and streamline the path to graduation with a biology BS degree. During their first of three years in the program, this cohort of undergraduate students were prepared for a summer internship in biotechnology companies through hands-on experiences in the Introduction to Molecular Biology Research course, the Pathways to Stem Cell Science 5 day full time in Stem Cell Culture, and the CITI Biomedical training courses. Summer internships were ten weeks of hands-on research/learning culminating in an oral or poster presentation of their progress. Cohort 1 will continue to receive all of the above mentioned workshop categories and another hands-on training course, Introduction to Cell and Stem Cell culture, the second Pathways to Stem Cell Science course, Advanced Stem Cell Culture, the ISCT - CMaT Workforce Development in Biomanufacturing courses, and summer research internships in academic labs. We will continue our strategic and structured mentorship experiences to enhance the trainees' transition to successful careers in translational stem cell and gene therapy careers.
Reporting Period:
Year 2
The CSUN CIRM COMPASS Training Program (N-COMPASS) cohorts 1 and 2 were intentionally recruited to broaden the participation in stem cell and regenerative medicine of individuals representing the diversity of California’s population. For each cohort, we recruited ten biology major sophomore level undergraduate students from traditionally under-served communities, first generation college students, students with disabilities, and students not eligible for NIH-funded programs. We provided stipends for workshop attendance in academic success, professional development, diversity in science, and career development activities. Each cohort was intentionally enrolled into courses together whenever possible to build community and streamline the path to graduation with a biology BS degree. During the first year of the three year program, students were prepared for a summer internship in biotechnology companies through added-value and hands-on experiences in the Introduction to Molecular Biology Research course, the Pathways to Stem Cell Science 5 day full time in Stem Cell Culture training course, and the CITI Biomedical training courses. Summer internships were ten weeks of hands-on research/learning at Biotechnology companies and Institutes that culminated in an oral or poster presentation of their progress. During the second year of the three year program, students continued to receive all of the above mentioned workshop categories and the added-value and hands-on training course, Introduction to Cell and Stem Cell culture, the second Pathways to Stem Cell Science course, the 7-day Advanced Stem Cell Culture, and the ISCT-CMaT Workforce Development in Biomanufacturing courses. Second year students also presented their summer research in poster format at the 28th Annual CSUNposium for Student Research and Creative works and at the 47th Annual West Coast Biological Sciences Undergraduate Research Conference. The second summer research internships were performed in Cedars-Sinai and UCLA academic labs. We will continue our strategic and structured student success and mentorship experiences to enhance the trainees' transition to successful careers in translational stem cell and gene therapy careers.
Reporting Period:
Year 3
The CSUN CIRM COMPASS Training Program (N-COMPASS) has successfully implemented its mission to broaden participation in the fields of stem cell and regenerative medicine by recruiting three cohorts of ten sophomore-level undergraduate biology majors from groups historically underrepresented in the sciences. These include students from under-served communities, first-generation college students, individuals with disabilities, and those ineligible for NIH-funded programs. Each cohort received financial support and participated in a structured series of workshops focused on academic success, professional development, diversity in science, and career preparation. To foster community and improve retention, students were co-enrolled in key courses whenever possible. During the first year, students completed preparatory training for summer internships, including CSUN’s Introduction to Molecular Biology Research course, the five-day intensive Stem Cell Culture course offered by Pathways to Stem Cell Science, and required CITI Biomedical Research training. Students then participated in ten-week summer internships at biotechnology companies, culminating in oral or poster presentations of their research. In the second year, students advanced their technical and professional skills through continued workshops and hands-on training in courses such as Introduction to Cell and Stem Cell Culture, the seven-day Advanced Stem Cell Culture course (Pathways to Stem Cell Science), and the ISCT-CMaT Workforce Development in Biomanufacturing program. Second-year summer internships were completed in academic research laboratories at Cedars-Sinai and UCLA, providing additional depth in translational research. Each year, cohorts 1 and 2 presented their summer research at the 25th Annual CSUN Sigma Xi Research symposium, the 28th Annual CSUNposium, and the 47th Annual West Coast Biological Sciences Undergraduate Research Conference. Cohorts 1, 2 and 3 all had the opportunity to attend one of the CIRM Educ Trainee Networking conferences. During the third year, the program continued to deliver structured academic, professional, and mentoring support to ensure the successful transition of trainees into careers in stem cell and gene therapy.
Reporting Period:
Year 4
The CSUN CIRM COMPASS Training Program (N-COMPASS) has graduated two of three cohorts of students who represent the diversity of California’s population. Graduates of cohort 1 (n=6) and cohort 2 (n=3) have all completed two summer internships, two advanced courses in stem cell science, a patient advocacy course that prepares them to pass the Board-Certified Patient Advocate (BCPA) examination, and graduated from California State University, Northridge with bachelor’s degrees in biology (e.g., BS in Biotechnology, BS in Cell & Molecular Biology, BS in Medical Technology, or BA in Biology), making them uniquely prepared for careers in stem cell science or regenerative medicine. Cohort 3 (n=5) is in their final year of appointment and are likewise uniquely positioned to be competitive for careers in regenerative medicine and stem cell science.
Grant Application Details
Application Title:
CSUN CIRM COMPASS Training Program (N-COMPASS)
Public Abstract:
The main focus of the CSUN CIRM COMPASS Training Program (N-COMPASS) is heavily weighted on goal-oriented academic and practical laboratory training experiences in stem cell biology and stem cell-based patient therapies. Our program is integrated with educational, ethical, and guidance features for culturally diverse early-career undergraduate students. Our internship-host institutions provide mentors who are world leaders in fundamental stem cell research and therapeutic translational applications. We have both industry and academic partners that will provide hands-on training in embryonic and adult or cell type-specific stem cell biology, gene therapy, and targeted research in human disease, spanning the basic to translational investigative spectrum. Our partnerships achieve all of the major COMPASS Program objectives including 1) training laboratory personnel in current stem cell research techniques, policy, and ethics, 2) introducing community outreach, patient advocacy, and career counseling for future stem cell-based therapies, and 3) facilitating the entry of an ethnically and culturally diverse student population into the emerging world of stem cell biology and regenerative medicine. Our training program will provide CIRM trainees with opportunities to study the latest advances in stem cell biology, present their own work in settings in which they can obtain constructive feedback, interact with their peers in formal and informal forums, to meet leaders in the field, interact with patients, and to develop their career potential through advisement and mentoring. Students in COMPASS will experience three years of cohorted academic support including ten-week summer internships for two consecutive years. Host-internship mentors will undergo DEI and Critical Mentorship training prior to matching them with academically supported and prepared COMPASS trainees. The majority of intern time will be spent on laboratory research. Trainees will learn stem cell and essential analysis techniques such as microscopy, cell sorting, and good laboratory practices in the internship-host lab and affiliated cores. Their projects will be discussed and chosen in partnership with the lab mentor, who will pair trainees with more advanced senior graduate or post-doctoral students working in the area of the trainee’s project. These hands-on experiences will be supplemented by academic year participation in career counseling, community outreach, patient advocacy, and by formal and informal mentoring by home and host-institution faculty and peers. A major purpose of our inter-institutional training program is to provide an opportunity for engaged, interested, and successful trainees to gain the necessary skills and qualifications to springboard into careers in stem cell research that spans the spectrum, from basic studies to translational approaches to stem cell-based patient therapies, in academia and industry.
Statement of Benefit to California:
With substantial spending in connection with its operations, our institution has immense economic, fiscal, and social impacts far beyond the Northridge community. Our institution has an overall economic impact of nearly $1.9. Economic output generated by our institution-related spending generated nearly $677.6 million in increased wages and earnings, raising labor income across the state. Of the total labor income generated, $588.6 million landed in Los Angeles County. The additional income generated by our institution-related expenditures was primarily spent within the local economy, which, together with the increased demand for labor driven by these expenditures, resulted in a cumulative total of 11,774 jobs supported across all industries in California. Of these new jobs, 10,369 originated in Los Angeles County. In addition, our institution employees provided added value to state and local governments in increased tax revenue at a total of $122.1 million. Our trainees will have tangible health and economic impact on California, its academic institutions, its biotechnology, pharmaceutical, and stem cell companies, and the rest of the nation as California and its people move forward with personalized medicine during the 21st century.
Our host institutions are economic powerhouses for Los Angeles, Southern California, and California overall. Our host institutions generated over $11 billion in economic activity and supported more than 100,000 full-time jobs throughout the state during the 2016–17 fiscal year. Our academic host institutions are renowned worldwide for the quality of faculty, students, and trainees and their dedication to the mission of research, teaching, and service. Biocom’s 2019 Economic Impact Report Databook revealed the emergence of Los Angeles County as the third hub of California’s biotech sector. Last year all life science industry sectors generated $42.5 billion in economic activity and added $23.5 billion to LA County's gross profit. There are approximately 92,000 related jobs in the region, with an average earning of $83,000. According to the report, those jobs also support almost 191,000 peripheral jobs in the region.
The largest benefit to California is the benefit to our students. “The objective of the N-COMPASS Training Program is to prepare a diverse cadre of undergraduate students for careers in regenerative medicine through the creation of novel recruitment and support mechanisms that identify and foster untapped talent within populations that are historically underrepresented in the biomedical sciences, and by combining hands-on research opportunities with strategic and structured mentorship experiences to enhance the transition of students to successful careers.” The N-COMPASS training program is dedicated and ready for this new mission.
