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Guanyi Huang (Photo courtesy of Guanyi Huang); featured image for Meet USC’s CIRM Scholar Alumni: Guanyi Huang, Associate Principal Scientist at Merck

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 …

Vivian Medina (Photo courtesy of Vivian Medina); featured image for Meet USC’s CIRM Scholar Alumni: Vivian Medina, Senior Manager of Digital and Data Analytics at Takeda

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 …

Maksim Plikus; featured image for Meet USC’s CIRM Scholar Alumni: Maksim Plikus, Professor at the University of California, Irvine

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 …

Suhasni Gopalakrishnan at the Base Torres del Paine in Patagonia, Chile. (Photo by Arvind Baskaran); featured image for Meet USC’s CIRM Scholar Alumni: Suhasni Gopalakrishnan, Director at Allogene Therapeutics

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. …

Noah Merin (Photo courtesy of Cedars-Sinai); featured image for Meet USC’s CIRM Scholar Alumni: Noah Merin, Assistant Professor at Cedars-Sinai

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 …

CIRM training program alumna Suhasni Gopalakrishnan with her mentor Neil Segil at USC (Photo by Chris Shinn); featured image for USC trains biotech leaders, thanks to state stem cell funding

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, …

Catcher Salazar (Photo courtesy of Catcher Salazar); featured image for USC Dornsife undergraduates Catcher Salazar and Jason Toliao earn prestigious Goldwater scholarships

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, …

Class of 2025 BME graduate Alex Kuncz holding a crested gecko (Correlophus ciliatus) from New Caledonia. This is one of the few gecko species that do not regenerate their tails, which allows Kuncz and his colleagues to better study which cells and processes are responsible for regeneration. (Image courtesy of Alex Kuncz); featured image for Leaping lizards! Class of 2025 grad looks to reptiles to help ACL injuries

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 …

At Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Joey is researching biomarkers for autism in children. (Photos courtesy of Joey Yap); featured image for Turning brainwaves into biomarkers: How a USC grad is using code to improve early autism intervention

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 …

USC CIRM COMPASS scholars with stem cell faculty members Senta Georgia, Francesca Mariani and Louise Menendez (Photo courtesy of Senta Georgia); featured image for Guided by COMPASS, USC undergraduates navigate stem cell research at inaugural symposium

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 …

Students at the Keck School of Medicine of USC (Photo by William Vasta); featured image for Meet the nine scholarship winners in USC’s stem cell master’s program

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 …

USC Stem Cell scientists watched the sun set over the Pacific Ocean during a Q&A with keynote speaker Aileen Anderson. (Photo by Cristy Lytal)

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 (Photo courtesy of Gage Crump); featured image for Gage Crump receives the 2025 USC Provost Mentoring Award

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 …

COMPASS cohort (Photo by Cristy Lytal); featured image for USC COMPASS undergraduate program prepares juniors and seniors for stem cell careers

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 …

Charles (Chuck) Murry (Photo by Gavin Sisk/ University of Washington); featured image for USC Stem Cell welcomes new leader, renowned physician-scientist Chuck Murry

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 …

Poster session at the 2024 CIRM Trainee Network Conference at USC's Town and Gown (Photo by Sergio Bianco)

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 …

Christian Chung; featured image for Graduates of the Keck School of Medicine of USC’s master’s, doctoral, and nurse anesthesia programs go forth with “gwenchana”

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 …

(Photo by William Vasta); featured image for How the USC stem cell master’s program changed the lives of 10 alumni

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 …

Kidney organoids with proximal tubules (Image by Jack Schnell/Lindström Lab); featured image for $3.95 million CIRM grant establishes USC ASCEND Center to make stem cell-derived  organ models accessible to all

$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 …

Neil Segil (Photo by Chris Shinn); featured image for 2024 Segil Stem Cell Travel Scholarship: Call for Applications

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 …