In our first cohort, we recruited 4 PhD graduate students and 9 postdoctoral trainees in our first year of the CIRM Scholars Training Program. Cedars-Sinai’s Regenerative Medicine Institute (RMI) is a world-renowned center for stem cell research and an ideal training environment. Our training program combines the unique strengths of faculty, scientists and clinicians with expertise in key areas of stem cell and regenerative medicine research to facilitate bench-to-bedside advances. The Program has already offered a comprehensive training course on the use of stem cells in regenerative medicine and its applications. The 24-lecture course were on different organs/tissues focus on diseases and stem cell therapy. The modules were given by a pair of a scientist and a clinician faculty, to bridge the bed and bench on one topic.
The first cohort have also used their allocated funding for research materials and travels, attending and presenting in several conferences. Overall, the trainees had 8 publications, 18 submitted manuscripts, 35 conference abstracts, and attended more than 40 conferences. Several of trainees also have lectured in person or virtually at local high schools to engage younger scientists in stem cell and gene therapy biology.