News & Events

Brain Nerves and Senses News
Michael Quick’s appointment fits his personal background and the ideal of USC. (Photo/Steve Cohn); featured image for Michael Quick to serve on state stem cell oversight panel

Michael Quick to serve on state stem cell oversight panel

Sought: A neuroscientist with leadership experience to serve on the committee that reviews California’s funding of stem cell research. Found: Neurobiologist Michael Quick, provost and senior vice president for academic affairs at …

From left, Jon-Paul Pepper, Min Yu and Kevin S. King; featured image for The Baxter Foundation awards grants to USC researchers Min Yu, Jon-Paul Pepper and Kevin S. King

The Baxter Foundation awards grants to USC researchers Min Yu, Jon-Paul Pepper and Kevin S. King

It takes a very special doctor to push beyond existing patient treatments and engage in the quest for new ones. That’s why the Donald E. and Delia B. Baxter Foundation has selected …

Snapshot of a neurovascular unit, consisting of neurons (pink), astrocytes (blue), resident microglia (green), a penetrating arteriole and capillaries (white) (Photo courtesy of the Zlokovic Lab); featured image for Researchers clarify role of genetic risk factor in Alzheimer’s

Researchers clarify role of genetic risk factor in Alzheimer’s

Scientists at the Keck School of Medicine of USC have discovered that a protein known as PICALM regulates removal of toxic plaques from the brain, which could be a potential therapeutic target …

Eli and Edythe Broad CIRM Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research at USC (Photo by Chris Shinn); featured image for Take a tour of USC’s stem cell research center

Take a tour of USC’s stem cell research center

Video by Alric Devotta Director Andy McMahon leads a tour of the Eli and Edythe Broad CIRM Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research at USC.

Justin Ichida, PhD (Photo by Cristy Lytal); featured image for USC Stem Cell’s Justin Ichida, Sanofi and DRVision team up to fight ALS

USC Stem Cell’s Justin Ichida, Sanofi and DRVision team up to fight ALS

USC Stem Cell researcher Justin Ichida has marshaled the expertise of pharmaceutical company Sanofi and start up DRVision Technologies along with $1.5 million in federal funding to find new drugs to fight …

Clockwise from upper left: Hao Yuan Kueh, Florian Merkle, Robert A.J. Signer, members of the audience, Pedro Batista and Joseph T. Rodgers (Photos by Cristy Lytal); featured image for USC mini-symposium showcases the next generation of top stem cell scientists

USC mini-symposium showcases the next generation of top stem cell scientists

Obesity, narcolepsy, leukemia and muscle injuries have at least one thing in common: they are engaging the next generation of top stem cell scientists. Five of these scientists presented their research at …

David Hinton; featured image for Faculty Spotlight: David R. Hinton

Faculty Spotlight: David R. Hinton

David Hinton’s research is focused on developing novel therapies for age-related macular degeneration (AMD) – the leading cause of irreversible blindness in the elderly. He is approaching this goal in two main …

USC PhD student Louise Menendez examines the prototype of a potential device to treat patients with liver disease. (Photo by Cristy Lytal); featured image for “Million-dollar ideas” seminar

“Million-dollar ideas” seminar

At a special seminar on February 24, USC Stem Cell Principal Investigators discussed their “million-dollar ideas” for creating new tools and technologies to usher in the era of regenerative medicine. They shared …

From left, Toshio Miki, Qi-Long Ying, Paula Cannon (Photos by Cristy Lytal and Don Milici); featured image for Three USC researchers win $4.3 million in awards from California’s stem cell agency

Three USC researchers win $4.3 million in awards from California’s stem cell agency

Three scientists from Keck Medicine of USC have won grants exceeding $4.3 million from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) for research that includes creating a temporary liver for patients, finding …

Michael Bonaguidi (Photo by Joseph Shin); featured image for Michael Bonaguidi contributes brain power to stem cell research at USC

Michael Bonaguidi contributes brain power to stem cell research at USC

Video by Alric Devotta As a child, Michael Bonaguidi dreamed of shaping cities as an architect or engineer. Now, he dreams of shaping brains as the newest principal investigator to join USC’s …

Neil Segil (Photo by Cristy Lytal); featured image for Neil Segil uses stem cells to seek treatments for hearing loss

Neil Segil uses stem cells to seek treatments for hearing loss

During most of his twenties, Neil Segil couldn’t really imagine pursuing a career in science and being a professor. Now he’s doing both — as a principal investigator with USC Stem Cell …

De Novo (Photo by Cristy Lytal); featured image for The helix of hearing

The helix of hearing

Doctor of Pharmacy candidate Loranna Grigoryan and undergraduate biological sciences major Jonathan Lee fashioned a series of human ears attached to a two-and-a-half foot structure evoking DNA’s double helix. The work of …

Justin Ichida, PhD (Photo by Cristy Lytal); featured image for Justin Ichida screens potential therapies for Lou Gehrig’s disease

Justin Ichida screens potential therapies for Lou Gehrig’s disease

Justin Ichida started young on his path to becoming a scientist. He was in seventh grade when he discovered his passion for genetics through the pages of Michael Crichton’s Jurassic Park. “It’s …

The labs of Raymond C. Stevens, right, and Peter Kuhn will bring a cohort of approximately 50 researchers to USC. Their labs will be housed in the new USC Michelson Center for Convergent Bioscience. (Photo by Ryan Young); featured image for USC recruits renowned leaders in molecular research

USC recruits renowned leaders in molecular research

Raymond C. Stevens and Peter Kuhn have been named Provost Professor of Biological Sciences and Chemistry and Dean’s Professor of Biological Sciences, respectively. The announcements were made by Provost Elizabeth Garrett and …

Jon-Paul Pepper (Photo by Cristy Lytal); featured image for Jon-Paul Pepper is a surgeon, scientist, student and award-winner

Jon-Paul Pepper is a surgeon, scientist, student and award-winner

Video by Alric Devotta USC’s Jon-Paul Pepper is not the average award winner. He’s also not the average facial plastic surgeon, faculty researcher or master’s student — in part, because he’s currently all …

David Cobrinik (Photo by Cristy Lytal); featured image for How a single genetic change causes retinal tumors in children

How a single genetic change causes retinal tumors in children

Retinoblastoma is a retinal tumor usually affecting children one to two years of age. Although rare, it is the most common malignant tumor of the eye in children. Left untreated, retinoblastoma can …

Roberta Diaz Brinton (Photo courtesy of USC); featured image for Roberta Diaz Brinton honored as Woman of the Year by Los Angeles Magazine

Roberta Diaz Brinton honored as Woman of the Year by Los Angeles Magazine

Los Angeles Magazine has named Roberta Diaz Brinton its Woman of the Year for her revelatory research to combat Alzheimer’s disease. Brinton, executive committee member of USC Stem Cell and holder of …

George Ban-Weiss, Maryam Shanechi and Megan McCain, from left (Photos courtesy of USC Viterbi); featured image for Megan McCain and colleagues make MIT list of 35 Innovators Under 35

Megan McCain and colleagues make MIT list of 35 Innovators Under 35

The annual MIT Technology Review list of 35 Innovators Under 35 includes three USC Viterbi School of Engineering faculty members — including Megan McCain, principal investigator with USC Stem Cell. Professors McCain and …

The structure of the ear (Public domain image courtesy of Gray’s Anatomy); featured image for NIH grant provides “ear training” for the next generation of neuroscientists

NIH grant provides “ear training” for the next generation of neuroscientists

If you want to know why hearing and communication neuroscience matters, meet Richard Reed. A musician who lost his hearing for nearly a decade, Reed received a cochlear implant and successfully continued his career as a professional pianist and organist. He will be speaking and performing at 4 p.m. on August 22 on the University Park Campus to celebrate the start of the academic year and the renewal of the Hearing & Communication Neuroscience (HCN) training grant at USC.

Andy McMahon (Photo by Phil Channing); featured image for Andy McMahon and USC Stem Cell: From discoveries to cures

Andy McMahon and USC Stem Cell: From discoveries to cures

Video by Little Pictures How do fingers become fingers and not toes? How does the brain generate the correct number of neurons? How do the kidneys branch into the complex and elegant …