Meet USC’s CIRM Scholar Alumni: Guanyi Huang, Associate Principal Scientist at Merck
Guanyi Huang, associate principal scientist at Merck, has often found himself in the right place at the right time. The son of a middle school math teacher and computer science professor-turned-entrepreneur, Huang …
Meet USC’s CIRM Scholar Alumni: Vivian Medina, Senior Manager of Digital and Data Analytics at Takeda
As the Senior Manager of Digital and Data Analytics at Takeda in Los Angeles, Vivian Medina pursues her career in science with the ultimate goal of helping people. A lifelong Angeleno whose …
Meet USC’s CIRM Scholar Alumni: Maksim Plikus, Professor at the University of California, Irvine
Maksim Plikus was still an undergraduate when he first became fascinated by the study of hair biology. His lab supervisor asked him to dissect a rat whisker, and to recombine parts of …
Meet USC’s CIRM Scholar Alumni: Suhasni Gopalakrishnan, Director at Allogene Therapeutics
“I feel like I’m a person who goes with the flow,” said Suhasni Gopalakrishnan, Director at Allogene Therapeutics in San Francisco. Going with the flow has led Gopalakrishnan to many fascinating places. …
Meet USC’s CIRM Scholar Alumni: Noah Merin, Assistant Professor at Cedars-Sinai
For physician-scientist Noah Merin, the form of stem cell transplantation known as bone marrow transplantation remains the “coolest thing in medicine” and the focus of his career. “I do bone marrow transplantation …
USC trains biotech leaders, thanks to state stem cell funding
To accelerate stem cell treatments to patients with unmet medical needs, the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) has always recognized the need to educate and train a scientific workforce. Since 2006, …
USC Dornsife undergraduates Catcher Salazar and Jason Toliao earn prestigious Goldwater scholarships
Aimed at identifying and nurturing scientific talent, the scholarships support students focused on developmental biology and pediatric neurology. The Goldwater scholarships, administered by the Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation, …
Leaping lizards! Class of 2025 grad looks to reptiles to help ACL injuries
Alfred E. Mann Department of Biomedical Engineering graduating senior Alex Kuncz is studying how lizards regenerate their tails to improve orthopedic treatments. USC Viterbi graduating BME senior Alex Kuncz wants to help …
Turning brainwaves into biomarkers: How a USC grad is using code to improve early autism intervention
After starting with Minecraft mods at 13, Joey Yap now applies his skills in signal processing to pediatric brain data and is headed to NYU for a Ph.D. in biomedical engineering. This …
Guided by COMPASS, USC undergraduates navigate stem cell research at inaugural symposium
Thirty undergraduates gathered to share their research at the first year-end symposium for USC CIRM COMPASS, a comprehensive two-year program designed to prepare juniors and seniors for careers in stem cell biology …
Meet the nine scholarship winners in USC’s stem cell master’s program
This year, philanthropic giving supported scholarships for nine students in USC’s master of science (MS) program in stem cell biology and regenerative medicine. Launched in 2014 as one of the only programs …
Getting lost in translation—the clinical kind—at USC’s stem cell retreat
At the retreat for USC’s Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, newly appointed leader Chuck Murry shared a vision as sweeping as the panoramic view of the Pacific Ocean from …
Gage Crump receives the 2025 USC Provost Mentoring Award
Gage Crump, professor and vice-chair of the Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research at the Keck School of Medicine of USC, will be honored with the …
USC COMPASS undergraduate program prepares juniors and seniors for stem cell careers
For 20 undergraduate students at USC, stem cell research is more than the topic of a lecture or an article in a textbook. It’s the focus of a comprehensive two-year program designed …
USC Stem Cell welcomes new leader, renowned physician-scientist Chuck Murry
Charles (Chuck) Murry, MD, PhD, has been appointed as the next head of USC Stem Cell. In that capacity, he will be the chair of the Department of Stem Cell Biology and …
USC-hosted CIRM conference welcomes stem cell trainees from across California
At the inaugural California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) Trainee Network Conference, over 400 students and postdocs from across California gathered for three days of learning, networking, and career development on USC’s …
Graduates of the Keck School of Medicine of USC’s master’s, doctoral, and nurse anesthesia programs go forth with “gwenchana”
At the Keck School of Medicine of USC’s 2024 Commencement Ceremony for the master’s, doctoral, and nurse anesthesia programs, the word of the day was “gwenchana.” “Today, I want to teach a …
How the USC stem cell master’s program changed the lives of 10 alumni
In honor of the 10th anniversary of USC’s stem cell master’s program, we asked 10 alumni to reflect on how the program changed the course of their lives and careers. Launched in …
$3.95 million CIRM grant establishes USC ASCEND Center to make stem cell-derived organ models accessible to all
To democratize access to lab-grown organ-like structures known as organoids and other advanced stem cell and transcriptomic technologies, USC will launch the CIRM ASCEND Center, dedicated to “Advancing Stem Cell Education and …
2024 Segil Stem Cell Travel Scholarship: Call for Applications
We are pleased to announce that applications are open for two 2024 Segil Stem Cell Travel Scholarships. The Neil Segil Stem Cell Travel Scholarship fund was set up to commemorate our friend …