During the reporting period we recruited our first cohort of EDUC2-supported CIRM Bridges students and developed our graduate program infrastructure. Our first cohort began the program in August 2022. All students successfully identified host internship labs at UC Davis and are in the process of developing their project proposals with their research advisors. Their research internships will begin June 1, 2023, following their advancement to candidacy seminars. We hosted a Regenerative Medicine Lecture (RML) seminar in the Fall, a stem cell research focused seminar that is advertised and open to the public. Our RML speaker in the Fall was Dr. Gene Yeo, Professor of Cellular and Molecular Medicine from the University of California, San Diego, who presented a lecture titled "RNA, No Longer the Humble Cousin of DNA," in which he shared research on RNA binding proteins and how defects in these proteins can lead to a diversity of diseases, including cancer and neurological diseases like Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). We also recruited five speakers for a new Spring semester seminar series called the Bench to Bedside (B2B) colloquium, which was developed to provide our students with a more comprehensive understanding of regenerative medicine. To achieve this goal, the B2B seminars will feature diverse speakers with a variety of experiences and expertise in the field, including research scientists from the biotech sector who are working on developing novel therapeutics, clinical scientists who administer regenerative medicine treatments, and patient advocates who can speak to the experience of patients, including issues related to equity, inclusion, and cultural competencies.
Reporting Period:
Year 2
During the reporting period, all eight students in our first cohort successfully advanced to candidacy and began their research internships at UC Davis in June 2023. This cohort’s 8-month research internships will conclude on January 31, 2024, at which point the students will begin writing their theses and prepare for their thesis defense seminars, which will take place in May 2024. We also recruited and seated our second cohort of students in Fall 2023. All students in our second cohort have selected their host internship labs at UC Davis and are in the process of developing their project proposals with their research advisors. Their research internships will begin June 1, 2024, following their advancement to candidacy seminars.
We held Regenerative Medicine Lecture (RML) seminars in the Spring and Fall semesters, a stem cell research-focused seminar series that is advertised and open to the public. Our RML speaker in the Spring was Dr. Gerhard Bauer, Adjunct Professor and Laboratory Director of the Good Manufacturing Practices Facility at the UC Davis Institute for Regenerative Cures who presented a talk titled "Cell and Gene Therapy - Overview From Early Research to Successful Cures.” Our RML speaker in the Fall featured Dr. Maria Carolina (Carol) Marchetto, an Assistant Professor in the Anthropology Department at UC San Diego and an Adjunct Assistant Professor at the Salk Institute who presented a lecture titled "Using Stem Cells to Treat Bipolar Disorder.”
We hosted four speakers for our Spring colloquium series called the Bench to Bedside (B2B) colloquium, which was developed to provide our students with a more comprehensive understanding of regenerative medicine. The B2B seminars featured diverse speakers with a variety of experiences and expertise in the field, from research scientists in the biotech sector developing novel therapeutics, clinical scientists who administer treatments, and patient advocates who discussed the experience of patients, including issues related to equity and inclusion. Our Spring B2B speakers were: Karen O’Donnell, a clinical scientist from the UC Davis Alpha Stem Cell clinic; Ana Moreno, PhD, Founder & CEO of Navega Therapeutics; Anne Klein, PhD; CIRM Patient Advocate and parent of a child who was saved by a stem-cell based therapy; and, Le Ondra Clark Harvey, PhD, CIRM patient advocate and CEO of California Council of Behavioral Health Agencies.
Finally, students in our first cohort all participated in a community outreach and education program in which they gave presentations to Minority Serving Institutions and community colleges throughout Northern California. For their presentations, they shared information with undergraduate students about the field of regenerative medicine, about their specific research projects, about our CIRM-supported graduate program, and gave advice about pursuing stem cell research.
Reporting Period:
Year 3
During the reporting period, all eight students in our first cohort graduated in May 2024. All eight students in our second cohort successfully advanced to candidacy and began their research internships at UC Davis in June 2024. This cohort’s 8-month research internships will conclude on January 31, 2025, at which point the students will begin writing their theses and prepare for their thesis defense seminars in May 2025. We also recruited and seated our third cohort of students in Fall 2024. All students in our third cohort have selected their host internship labs at UC Davis and are in the process of developing their project proposals with their research advisors. Their research internships will begin June 1, 2025 following their advancement to candidacy seminars.
We hosted Regenerative Medicine Lecture (RML) seminars in the Spring and Fall semesters, a stem cell research-focused seminar that is advertised and open to the public. Our RML speaker in the Spring was Dr. Steven A. Sloan, an associate professor in the Department of Human Genetics at the Emory University School of Medicine who presented a lecture titled “Organoid-Based Approaches to Investigate Human Neurodevelopment.” Our RML speaker in the Fall featured Dr. Francesca Mariani, an associate professor of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine at the Keck School of Medicine of USC, who presented a lecture titled "Unlocking the Secrets of Bone Repair and Regeneration.”
We hosted four speakers for our Spring colloquium series called the Bench to Bedside (B2B) colloquium, which was developed to provide our students with a more comprehensive understanding of regenerative medicine. The B2B seminars featured diverse speakers with a variety of experiences and expertise in the field, from research scientists from the biotech sector working on developing treatments, clinical scientists who administer treatments, and patient advocates who discussed the experience of patients, including issues related to equity and inclusion. Our Spring B2B speakers were: Kay-Dienne Robinson, MPH, CHW, Board member for Rare Advocacy Movement and professional patient advocate; Jasmine Carter, PhD, Program Manager, CDKL5 Program of Excellence, Orphan Disease Center and Gene Therapy Program, University of Pennsylvania; Jacqueline Hantgan, Senior Advisor, Community Outreach and Advocacy for CIRM; and Cathy Samayoa, PhD, Director, Health & Equity Research Lab, San Francisco State University.
Finally, students in our second cohort all participated in a community outreach program in which they visited minority-serving universities and community colleges throughout Northern California where they shared information with students both about their research and our graduate program.
Reporting Period:
Year 4
This year, our CIRM Bridges program made significant progress in training the next generation of stem cell scientists and strengthening community engagement in regenerative medicine. Through student advancement, hands-on research experiences, public educational events, and outreach to diverse communities, the program continued to build a strong pipeline of skilled researchers prepared to contribute to the future of stem cell–based therapies.
During the reporting period, all eight students in our second cohort graduated in May 2025. All five students in our third cohort successfully advanced to candidacy and began their research internships at UC Davis in June 2025. This cohort’s 8-month research internships will conclude on January 31, 2026, at which point the students will begin writing their theses and prepare for their thesis defense seminars in May 2026. We also recruited and seated our fourth cohort of students in Fall 2025. All students in our fourth cohort have selected their host internship labs at UC Davis and are in the process of developing their project proposals with their research advisors. Their research internships will begin June 1, 2026 following their advancement to candidacy seminars.
We hosted Regenerative Medicine Lecture (RML) seminars in the Spring and Fall semesters, a stem cell research-focused seminar that is advertised and open to the public. Our RML speaker in the Spring was Dr. Bryce Carey, Senior Director at Vertex Pharmaceuticals, who presented a lecture titled “Stem Cells and Type 1 Diabetes.” Our RML speaker in the Fall featured Dr. Casey Gifford, an assistant professor of pediatric cardiology and genetics at Stanford University School of Medicine, who presented a lecture titled "The Beat Goes On: Using Cardiac Organoids to Study Heart Development and Disease.”
We hosted four speakers for our colloquium series called the Bench to Bedside (B2B) colloquium, which was developed to provide our students with a more comprehensive understanding of regenerative medicine. The B2B seminars featured a diverse group of speakers with a wide range of experiences and expertise, including a clinical scientist who administers treatments, patient advocates and patients who discussed the patient experience and issues related to equity and inclusion, and a program alumnus who currently manages an orphan disease center. Our 2025 B2B speakers were: Nadia Bodkin, Pharm.D., M.S., Patient and Professional Patient Advocate, and Founder of Rare Advocacy Movement; Karen O’Donnell, Clinical Scientist with the UC Davis Alpha Stem Cell Clinic, Jasmine Carter, PhD, Program Manager, CDKL5 Program of Excellence, Orphan Disease Center and Gene Therapy Program, University of Pennsylvania; and Jacqueline Hantgan, Senior Advisor, Community Outreach and Advocacy for CIRM.
Finally, students in our third cohort all participated in a community outreach program in which they visited minority serving universities and community colleges in Northern California where they shared information with students both about their research and our graduate program.
Grant Application Details
Application Title:
Strengthening the Pipeline of Master's-level Scientific and Laboratory Personnel in Stem Cell Research
Public Abstract:
The applicant institution will partner with a CIRM Major Facility to create a comprehensive program that will produce 50 master’s degree graduates with the scientific foundation, research experience, and laboratory skills to pursue careers in stem cell research. Graduates of the Stem Cell Master’s Program will develop knowledge and skills required for basic research, as well as its translation into clinical applications. Rather than a traditional, independent master’s thesis project, students will engage in activities specifically intended to improve their professional preparation for laboratory careers in applied biosciences. This will enable our graduates to help fill the high demand for research-support professionals in a growing number of laboratories devoted to stem cell research and translation to the clinic.
This program builds upon curricular strengths at the applicant institution and the outstanding research facilities of the CIRM Major Facility located nearby. The twenty-month program consists of graduate courses taken at Sacramento State and a research internship at UC Davis. During the eight-month research internship, students work with mentors as part of disease teams that bring students and research scientists together with clinicians to work toward cellular therapy trials. Students will also receive advanced training during a week-long Stem Cell Culture Techniques Course at the CIRM Major Facility. Education enhancement and professional development activities will include a course in Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) at the CIRM Major Facility, and the Bench-to-Bedside Seminar Series at the applicant institution featuring speakers from renowned laboratories, patient advocacy groups and community healthcare facilities.
The program will emphasize community engagement through various mechanisms, including the dissemination of a student-authored stem cell blog featuring Bridges student research of CIRM Bridges students, as well as the Regenerative Medicine Lecture Series—a community lecture featuring prominent stem cell scientists— hosted by the applicant institution twice per calendar year.
The applicant institution has considerable potential to attract students from underserved populations. The program will be advertised to students throughout California, with an emphasis on minority-serving institutions and programs, like the Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation Program and the Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS).
With a combination of research and professional skills, graduates will fill roles vital to furthering the progress of regenerative medicine. Graduates experienced in team-based research and GMP will have high potential for career advancement, transitioning easily beyond entry-level positions or into doctoral programs. Our program aims to both broaden participation in regenerative medicine and to enhance the development of novel stem cell-based therapies.
Statement of Benefit to California:
CIRM's funding and training institutions play a critical role in accelerating the rate at which qualified members join the field of stem cell research which, in turn, accelerates the rate at which human stem cell treatments and cures begin mending the current untreatable diseases that plague the population of California and the world beyond.
Over the last 11 years, the CIRM Bridges students interning at laboratories within the Stem Cell Master’s Program have significantly contributed to the development of stem cell science currently being translated into clinical applications for devastating disorders such as Huntington's disease, critical limb ischemia, non-healing diabetic ulcers, liver disease, kidney and bladder disease, HIV and epidermolysis bullosa. With this established track record, it is anticipated that the new Bridges students will have their own major impact in our stem cell laboratories, furthering the clinical translation of current stem cell applications. In addition to their technical training, students will become well-versed in new approaches to patient care, including how to effectively and compassionately communicate with patients about relevant stem cell therapies. With their specialized and focused education, it is expected that CIRM Bridges students will become leaders in biomedical fields and industry as stem cell applications become commercialized therapies that routinely benefit patients in the exciting field of regenerative medicine in healthcare.
Of previous CIRM Bridges students who have graduated from the Master’s Program, the vast majority are currently working within the biomedical sector or are in PhD programs in California, indicating a long-term benefit to the regional STEM workforce. With our increased recruitment efforts centered on students from historically underrepresented groups and the addition of equity-centered inclusive training practices, our program also aims to increase the diversity of California’s biomedical workforce.
