Year 6

Trainees were required to attend various courses, seminars, conferences to expose them to the current studies and technologies involving stem cells. Trainees were also required to attend the Annual CIRM Training Grant Retreat. This Retreat is held in conjunction with UCSD, Scripps and Sanford-Burnham trainees. Selected trainees present their work at the Retreat, followed by discussions and workshops/roundtables. This is a unique opportunity to allow all CIRM trainees to interact and learn about each other’s work and possibly set up collaborations to help advance their studies. Trainees also have regular meetings with their mentor to ensure that the trainee is making the right progress in his/her research project, communicating abilities (manuscripts, seminars, journal clubs), independent research thinking and is on the right track to obtaining an independent position. The specific focus and purpose of this program is to develop and enhance research opportunities for postdoctoral fellows training for careers in the field of human stem cell biology. We have been able to develop a curriculum of study and research experiences necessary to provide high quality research training and to ensure a continuing supply of well-trained scientists prepared to conduct cutting-edge health-related research in human embryonic stem cell biology. To date we have been able to support a total of 19 trainees, many of whom have gone on to independent faculty positions.