USC Stem Cell prepares undergraduates to present research and become the regenerative medicine workforce of the future.

Stem cell research took center stage at the year-end symposium for the USC CIRM COMPASS Scholars Program, featuring the work of USC undergraduates working in labs.

Dubbed “Creating Opportunities through Mentorship and Partnership Across Stem Cell Science,” the two-year program was launched in 2023 with $2.9 million in funding from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM), the state’s stem cell agency. The goal is to prepare undergraduate students for careers in stem cell biology and regenerative medicine.

A group of 20 juniors and seniors shared their research on May 4, 2026, at the Eli and Edythe Broad CIRM Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research at USC. Senta Georgia, director of USC CIRM COMPASS and an associate professor of pediatrics and stem cell biology and regenerative medicine at the Keck School of Medicine, kicked off the official program by paying tribute to the commitment of USC researchers who guide the program’s undergraduates in their scientific training.

“We are a program dialed in on making sure our students have the resources and experiences they need to proceed forward in careers in regenerative medicine,” said Georgia, a principal investigator at the Center for Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA). “We’re very grateful for the principal investigators who sponsor our students’ research, as well as the mentors they have in the lab, whether postdocs, graduate students or technicians.”

USC CIRM COMPASS is a multidisciplinary endeavor led by USC Stem Cell and uniting the Keck School of Medicine of USC, the USC Viterbi School of Engineering and USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences. There are 15 other COMPASS programs statewide at University of California, California State University and community college campuses.

Chuck Murry, leader of USC Stem Cell, emphasized the broader impact of the program: “The future of stem cell biology depends on talented, diverse young scientists entering the field. COMPASS is helping make that future a reality by opening doors and accelerating students’ paths into impactful careers.”

During the evening’s program, the cohort of 10 COMPASS Scholars who will graduate in 2026 stepped on stage to briefly cover the topics and findings of their investigations:

• Ahvital Artison shared her work with Cristal Hill’s research group at the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, which examined how a low-protein diet affects blood stem cells. Numerous lab studies suggest this diet may benefit health and lifespan.
• Brandon Barnes from Thomas Lozito’s lab presented his studies into how lizards’ tails regenerate blood vessels, a topic that could inform future regenerative medicine therapies in humans.
• Alara Berkmen, who was part of James Amatruda’s team at CHLA, studied the spread of Ewing’s sarcoma, a rare pediatric bone tumor, using human cells in zebrafish.
• Daniela Gioia from Amy Merrill’s lab talked about her research into temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders — which can cause jaw pain and impair chewing and speaking — using mice to profile changes in gene activity in different layers of cartilage.
• Henry Le from Michael Bonaguidi’s lab conducted studies in older mice to increase understanding of a biochemical pathway that promotes the growth of stem cells in the brain, making it a promising target for potential therapies addressing age-related cognitive decline.
• Baihui (Iris) Qian gave a presentation about her research with the team led by Francesca Mariani, co-director of USC CIRM COMPASS, to develop a lab model for broken bones that don’t heal, a key step toward understanding and treating such injuries.
• Catcher Salazar, a member of Leonardo Morsut’s lab, shared his work attempting to control the shape that clusters of mammalian cells form as they develop, with potential applications in improving organoids, lab-grown clusters of cells that mimic organs, as well as in developing future regenerative therapies.
• Welela Solomon from Oliver Bell’s lab looked at how different variants of the same protein affect stem cell differentiation, a process where errors can lead to cancer.
• Tiffany Wang presented her research with Ryo Higuchi-Sanabria’s group at the USC Leonard Davis School, using roundworms to understand how a stress-related protein influences aging.
• Micaela Zamora from the lab of Christian Pike, also of the USC Leonard Davis School, talked about her investigations in mice exploring the interaction between genetics and the fasting-mimicking diet, a low-calorie, plant-based diet that might reduce inflammation, improve brain health and help prevent Alzheimer’s disease.

After commencement, six COMPASS Scholars are pursuing graduate studies or medical school, three have secured or are seeking work in research labs or biotechnology companies, and one is leading a nonprofit that provides medical care and education to the underserved. Solomon will be studying in Uganda through a Fulbright grant and Dhablania and Kim Family Global Medicine and Health Fellowship. Salazar received a Goldwater Scholarship and Berkmen was awarded an Astronaut Scholarship.

Prior to the evening’s program, 10 juniors presented research posters:

• Anita Adeshokan, a member of János Peti-Peterdi’s lab, studied variations in function among a population of kidney cells involved with sensing salt levels in the body.
• Pranav Barla from the research group led by Chuck Murry investigated a strategy for improving the generation of stem cell-derived heart cells.
• Musa Bittaye from the Lozito Lab conducted research into genetic and cellular mechanisms driving tissue regeneration.
• Jasmin Cantu-Perez from the Georgia Lab at CHLA investigated a phenomenon in which the cells in the pancreas that produce insulin — a hormone needed to turn sugars into usable energy — increase in size and number during pregnancy.
• Querondra Dilworth from Mark Frey’s lab at CHLA studied a biochemical signal that regulates a population of cells in the intestinal lining that, when things go wrong, sets off the autoimmune reactions behind Crohn’s disease and irritable bowel syndrome.
• Mishael Earley from the Merrill Lab investigated the role that a specific gene plays in the development of connective tissue.
• Lilah Phillips from the USC+CHLA Alpha Clinic analyzed factors that affect clinical trial participation among members of California’s underserved communities.
• Salma Setia, who works with Mark Frey’s lab at CHLA, showed how a particular enzyme involved in the development and repair of the intestinal lining plays a role in drawing energy from fats and other lipids.
• Trace Wang from Peter Kuhn’s lab worked on validating a system for single-cell screening of rare cells, with potential for detecting cancer.
• Joshua Wong from Shahab Asgharzadeh’s lab at CHLA conducted research designed to simplify the process behind CAR T cell therapy, a cell-based treatment for cancer.

At the end of the symposium, graduating seniors were presented with mementos of their journey in stem cell research, small inscribed compasses. Student Iris Qian offered closing comments.

“When we started the COMPASS program, we were a lot like stem cells — full of potential, but not yet fully formed in who we would become,” she said. “USC did not narrow us; it expanded us. It pushed us beyond our disciplines, challenged us to think across systems and reminded us that health care is never one-dimensional.”

“We leave here differentiated,” she continued, “not into a single specialty, but into a shared commitment to lead with compassion and to innovate with purpose.”