ALS and frontotemporal dementia show origins in utero, according to evidence from mice and patient-derived stem cells
Even though neurodegenerative diseases often strike in middle age or later, patients could have structural differences in their brains that arise before birth. In a new study in Cell Reports, USC Stem …
USC Stem Cell mouse studies tune into hearing regeneration
A deafened adult cannot recover the ability to hear, because the sensory hearing cells of the inner ear don’t regenerate after damage. In two new studies, partially funded by the National Institutes …
Researchers unlock mystery of cartilage regeneration in lizards
Scientists from the Keck School of Medicine of USC identify key cells involved in the process of cartilage regeneration in lizards—a discovery that could offer insights into novel approaches to treating osteoarthritis. …
Stem Cell PhD student Alma Zuniga Munoz wins USC’s first Gilliam Fellowship from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Alma Zuniga Munoz, a student in USC’s PhD program in Development, Stem Cells, and Regeneration, is used to being the first. She’s a first-generation American, the first member of her extended family …
For dogs with arthritis, pet pain relief effort could be a game-changer
A USC researcher is launching a biopharmaceutical startup with backing from the university to develop a drug to slow premature aging and arthritis — in dogs. Denis Evseenko, a professor of orthopedic …
Ten USC Stem Cell PhD students and recent graduates earn NIH fellowships
Ten USC Stem Cell PhD students and recent graduates have been awarded fellowships from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Known as F31 awards, these prestigious fellowships provide promising PhD students with …
University Professor Yang Chai wins 2023 Harvard School of Dental Medicine’s Paul Goldhaber Award
Yang Chai, the associate dean of research for the Ostrow School of Dentistry of USC, has been awarded the 2023 Paul Goldhaber Award by the Harvard School of Dental Medicine. The highest …
USC Stem Cell faculty member Louise Menendez helps students realize their pluri-potential
Louise Menendez, the newest assistant professor in USC’s Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, credits her mother as her first role model for career success. Both of Menendez’s parents work …
USC Stem Cell’s journey towards 1,000 mini-kidneys begins with $1 million from KidneyX
To help patients in need of transplants, artificial kidneys would have to function like their natural counterparts, but they wouldn’t necessarily have to look like them. With a new $1 million prize …
Senta Georgia reflects on Title IX and becoming the first Black PhD scientist to earn tenure at the Keck School of Medicine of USC
When USC Stem Cell researcher Senta Georgia was granted tenure on March 10, 2023, she became the first Black PhD scientist to earn this promotion in the history of the Keck School …
The Keck School of Medicine of USC celebrates the graduates of the master’s, doctoral, and nurse anesthesia programs
“I now declare commencement ceremonies for the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California open!” announced Francesca Mariani, associate professor of stem cell biology and regenerative medicine, and integrative …
Study offers new insights into how the most common kidney cancer starts in kids
Researchers at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles found new clues to how disruption of the early process of kidney formation may be linked to the development of Wilms tumor — also known as …
2023 Call for Applications: NIH T32 PhD Fellowships in Developmental Biology, Stem Cells, and Regeneration
All PhD students who are conducting research related to developmental biology, stem cell biology, and/or regenerative medicine are encouraged to apply for a training fellowship. We have one slot available for a …
Stem cell faculty member Francesca Mariani wins USC’s highest honor for outstanding teaching
When Francesca Mariani learned that she would receive USC’s highest honor for outstanding teaching, a 2023 Associates Award for Excellence in Teaching, it took her by surprise. “Sometimes it feels mysterious as …
USC Professor Bérénice Benayoun receives grant to study menopause and ovarian aging
Bérénice Benayoun, assistant professor of gerontology at the USC Leonard Davis School, received a $200,000 grant from the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI). The funding will support Benayoun’s work in understanding the molecular …
USC researchers probe how nerves impact stem cells
It’s well known that nerves are vital for sensing the world, but researchers are now discovering how they also change the behavior of stem cells, which could have implications for regrowing teeth. …
USC introduces an undergraduate minor in stem cell biology and regenerative medicine
Starting in Fall 2023, USC will offer one of the few undergraduate minors in stem cell biology and regenerative medicine in the U.S. “What we hope to do with the minor is …
Neil Segil Stem Cell Travel Scholarship
A fund has been set up to commemorate our friend and colleague Professor Neil Segil. Recognizing Neil’s passion for science and education, we are delighted to announce that applications are now being …
Joe Hacia receives the Kaiser-Permanente Excellence in Teaching Award
Joe Hacia, an Associate Professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, has received the Kaiser-Permanente Excellence in Teaching Award for the Basic Science Years. This is the Keck School of …
2023–2024 Broad Collaborative Challenge Grant for Graduate Students and Postdoctoral Fellows
USC Stem Cell invites applications for the Broad Collaborative Challenge Grant for Graduate Students and Postdoctoral Fellows. The goal of the program is to stimulate new interdisciplinary stem cell research across the USC community, and to provide a means of enhancing student/postdoc creativity and independence. Proposals should be initiated by graduate students and/or postdoctoral fellows. An additional goal of this program is to stimulate future K- or F-series NIH training grant proposals, or other parent lab collaborative grant opportunities.