California Institute for Regenerative Medicine

09/26/2025

Adrienne Shapiro is a fourth-generation mother of children born with sickle cell disease, an early advocate for Don Kohn’s, MD, groundbreaking stem cell research at the Broad Stem Cell Research Center at UCLA, and a powerful patient voice on CIRM’s Clinical Advisory Panel.

Her advocacy has helped advance a CIRM-funded clinical trial for sickle cell disease and earned her national recognition as a stem cell activist.

Adrienne has said that she “sees a new world not just for her children but for so many other children” through the promise of stem cell therapies.

Read Adrienne's story: https://bit.ly/3VAQfKY

09/25/2025

CIRM has approved funding for a new slate of discovery research projects that push the boundaries of what’s possible in regenerative medicine. These projects represent innovative approaches to address some of the most challenging and devastating diseases, offering the potential for transformative treatments for patients who currently have limited options.

“Discovery research is critical for uncovering novel disease targets and biomarkers that we can translate into therapies for clinical use,” said Kelly Shepard, PhD, Director of Discovery & Education programs at CIRM.

“[These] projects have the potential to address gaps in our current knowledge, advance our understanding of the origins and mechanisms of disease, and expand existing applications of stem cell and gene therapy-based treatments.”

Read the full announcement: https://bit.ly/4gDLREC

09/24/2025

Evie Junior was born with sickle cell disease, a condition that affects about 100,000 Americans, primarily those who are Black and Latino. By age 18, he was experiencing monthly pain crises. In his mid-20s, Evie joined a CIRM-funded clinical trial at the Broad Stem Cell Research Center at UCLA, where scientists modified his own stem cells to prevent sickling.

This Sickle Cell Awareness Month, we’re highlighting challenges faced by people like Evie and the need for cures.

Since participating in the CIRM-funded trial, Evie has not required medications or hospital visits for pain crises.

Evie now advocates for more awareness of the disease, emphasizing the importance of educating medical professionals, supporting patients, and continuing to invest in research. He says, "Sickle cell research is important because everyone deserves a chance."

Read more about Evie's story: https://bit.ly/47YO3o6

09/23/2025

One of the most powerful outcomes of CIRM’s work is seeing children thrive who might otherwise face lifelong disability.

A CIRM-funded clinical trial at UC Davis Health for spina bifida has resulted in babies with the disease growing into walking, healthy toddlers.

As a board member, Kim Barrett has seen firsthand how thoughtful decisions about funding research can change lives.

Kim’s story highlights why this work takes time but ultimately delivers hope to patients.

Read the full story: https://bit.ly/3W2nUNF

09/22/2025

September is Sickle Cell Disease Awareness Month, a reminder of the urgent need for research and treatments.

Over 100,000 Americans live with sickle cell disease, including thousands in California. The average life expectancy for someone with the disease has dropped in recent decades, from 42 years to just 39.

CIRM is helping change that. We fund cell and gene therapy research to better understand sickle cell disease and develop new therapies.

Together with the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), we’ve co-funded two clinical trials testing gene therapy approaches led by UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital Oakland and Boston Children’s Hospital.

Learn more on our blog at https://blog.cirm.ca.gov/2024/06/18/tackling-sickle-cell-disease-from-within/

09/19/2025

When Kim Barrett joined CIRM’s board in 2021, she described it as “an awesome responsibility.” With decades of experience as a researcher at UC San Diego and now Vice Dean for Research at UC Davis, she helps guide decisions that determine how California invests in regenerative medicine.

Her perspective reminds us that leadership and expertise matter in bringing new therapies to patients.

Read more about Kim’s journey and her role at CIRM on our blog at https://blog.cirm.ca.gov/2025/09/18/a-conversation-with-cirm-board-member-kim-barrett/

09/16/2025

At the 5th Annual KitsCubed STEM Fair in Oakland, CIRM participated alongside students, families, and educators in a day of hands-on exploration. The event featured activities such as extracting strawberry DNA, building bridges, and experiencing CRISPR technology through virtual reality—all designed to spark curiosity and inspire future scientists.

At the CIRM booth, kids learned about stem cells with an interactive Plinko game and made DNA friendship bracelets, while parents and guardians discovered more about CIRM’s mission and impact. As CIRM Outreach Manager Aditi Desai shared, “We’re planting seeds for future regenerative medicine researchers."

CIRM was joined by trainees from its COMPASS education and training program at UC Berkeley and San Francisco State University, whose energy and personal experiences in the lab made this outreach possible. As Aditi noted, “These young people are the future of science, so by creating awareness of CIRM and its programs, we are helping develop the future of regenerative medicine research.”

Learn more about CIRM’s education and work training programs at cirm.ca.gov/education.

09/10/2025

CIRM-funded researchers at UCLA Broad Stem Cell Research Center modified patients' blood stem cells to produce a steady supply of T cells that specifically target cancer, confirming the effectiveness of this approach.

This technique, which builds on decades of basic science research, offers a potential path toward developing longer-lasting and renewable cancer immunotherapies.

Although the study is still in its early stages, if it continues to show promise in later trials, it could help people whose tumors are resistant to other therapies.

In a first-of-its-kind clinical trial, UCLA scientists have shown it’s possible to reprogram a patient’s blood-forming stem cells to generate a continuous supply of functional T cells, the immune system’s most powerful cancer-killing agents. This approach suggests a new way to deliver immunoth...

09/09/2025

CIRM's COMPASS program provides undergraduates in California with hands-on research experience, mentorship, and professional development to prepare them for careers in regenerative medicine and the life sciences.

Maya Singh, a COMPASS scholar from UC Berkeley, embodies this mission. Guided by her mentors, she contributed to research on BRCA2 mutations, which are linked to various types of cancer. Beyond lab skills, Maya also gained professional growth and a network of peers through the COMPASS community and the 2025 CIRM Trainee Conference.

Now furthering her education in medicine at Touro University California, Maya says, "I am very thankful to CIRM for sponsoring me and enabling me to develop the skills needed to become a physician in the future."

Learn more about Maya’s experience in the COMPASS Program on our blog at https://blog.cirm.ca.gov/2025/08/27/cirm-compass-scholar-shares-how-program-helped-her-career-as-a-physician/

09/05/2025

Kidney cancer ranks among the top 10 most common cancers for both men and women in the US. To combat kidney cancer, UCLA Health researchers, supported by CIRM funding, are developing an innovative immunotherapy known as AlloCAR70-NKT.

The therapy is an "off-the-shelf” cell therapy, meaning it uses immune cells derived from healthy donors instead of the patients.

This immunotherapy targets tumors directly and reprograms their protective environment. This stem cell-derived approach could improve access, enhance outcomes, and reduce complications for patients with aggressive, late-stage disease.

UCLA researchers have developed a new kind of immunotherapy that uses specially engineered immune cells equipped with built-in weapons to attack kidney cancer tumors and reprogram their protective environment — all without the need to customize treatment for each individual patient.

08/29/2025

Many paths can lead to a career in medicine. For undergraduate Maya Singh, it started not in a clinic but at a lab bench at UC Berkeley.

Through CIRM's COMPASS program, Maya received hands-on experience in stem cell science, received mentorship from Dirk Hockemeyer, PhD, and grad student Anna Horaceck, and explored the various career paths available in biomedical research. Alongside her mentors, she studied BRCA2 gene mutations, which are connected to cancers such as breast, ovarian, prostate, and pancreatic cancer.

Today, Maya is not just pursuing her education－she is actively applying her skills at Touro University California, where she plans to further her medical education. Reflecting on her journey, she credits the COMPASS program for equipping her with essential tools, exceptional mentorship, and the unwavering confidence needed to chase her dream of becoming a physician.

Written by Holly Alyssa MacCormick Image Credit: Maya Singh Many paths can lead to a career as a physician. For undergraduate Maya Singh, the road to becoming a doctor begins at a laboratory bench …

08/15/2025

Hope is what drives season 1 Beast Games winner Jeffrey Randall Allen forward. His son Lucas lives with creatine transporter deficiency (CTD), a rare genetic disorder that disrupts the brain’s ability to get the energy it needs. There are no treatments or cures yet.

Speaking to students and work trainees at the 2025 CIRM Trainee Networking Conference, Jeffrey emphasized that scientific discovery is only part of the solution. The connection between researchers and patients is just as important.

CIRM is supporting CTD research at UCLA with a $2.3 million award to develop a gene therapy project, led by Gerald Lipshutz, MD, that could serve as a model for treating other rare genetic conditions.

For families like Jeffrey’s, every breakthrough brings them closer to the day when “rare” no longer means “untreatable.”

Beast Games winner Jeffrey Allen is using his $10 million prize to fund research for his son’s rare genetic disorder, creatine transporter deficiency (CTD). Speaking at the 2025 CIRM Trainee Networking Conference, he inspired future scientists as CIRM funds UCLA’s $2.3M gene therapy project for ...