Written by Holly Alyssa MacCormick South San Francisco, CA, January 30, 2026 – As many as 1 in 10 people in the U.S. has a rare disease, many of which have no known cure. A new program by the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) could change this by funding novel ways to develop multiple … Continue reading CIRM board supports a rare disease funding plan, administrative changes
New program to help patients with rare disease
Recently, the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) announced a new approach for how its funding can advance treatments for people living with rare diseases. Individually, few people have any single rare disease, but in aggregate, about 30 million people in the U.S. have one of the roughly 10,000 rare diseases, and 95% have no … Continue reading New program to help patients with rare disease
Early-stage research could—one day—benefit many people living with genetic diseases
Written by Holly Alyssa MacCormick Image Credit: Audrey Davidow－Calvin outside Wanting the best for your child is a universal experience, and Audrey Davidow wanted her baby to have a bright future full of possibility. But in March of 2012, her 13-month-old son Calvin was diagnosed with a rare disease called Pitt Hopkins Syndrome, and she … Continue reading Early-stage research could—one day—benefit many people living with genetic diseases
A life of service: A conversation with CIRM Board Chair Vito Imbasciani
Written by Holly Alyssa MacCormick If you ask Vito Imbasciani to tell you about his career, you won’t get a simple answer, but you will get a great story about service, both to his country and the people of California. Imbasciani, PhD, MD, FACS, Colonel (ret.), is the chair of the board for the California … Continue reading A life of service: A conversation with CIRM Board Chair Vito Imbasciani
Explore how CIRM is advancing California’s scientific vision
Our 2025 Annual Report, Looking Forward: Advancing California’s Scientific Vision, is here. This year’s report captures a future-focused mission that highlights progress, momentum, and long-term impact. It reflects California’s leadership in science, evokes hope and possibility, and embraces continual advancement in regenerative medicine. Inside the report, you'll find: Powerful Voices: Patients, families, and researchers share … Continue reading Explore how CIRM is advancing California’s scientific vision
A conversation with CIRM board member Yael Wyte
Written by Holly Alyssa MacCormick Yael Wyte knows all too well how difficult it can be to have or care for someone with Alzheimer’s Disease—she has been working with and advocating for people with Alzheimer's Disease for more than 20 years. Earlier this year, Wyte joined the board of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine … Continue reading A conversation with CIRM board member Yael Wyte
Fueling the Brain: Exploring the connection between metabolism and neurodevelopment
Top left to right: Aparna Bhaduri, PhD; Heather Christofk, PhD; Harley Kornblum, PhD; William Zeiger, MD, PhDBottom Left to right: Elizabeth Crouch, PhD; Mohammed Mostajo-Radji, PhD; Carrie Beardon, PhD; Michael Zito, MD As part of our goal of accelerating discoveries and therapies for central nervous system disorders, in 2023, the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine … Continue reading Fueling the Brain: Exploring the connection between metabolism and neurodevelopment
“An awesome responsibility”: A conversation with CIRM board member Kim Barrett
Written by Holly Alyssa MacCormick It’s not every day that you get to contribute to something that could help save a life, but when Kim Barrett joined the board of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM), that’s exactly what happened. Barrett is a research physiologist. For 36 years she studied the cells of the … Continue reading “An awesome responsibility”: A conversation with CIRM board member Kim Barrett
CIRM COMPASS scholar Maya Singh shares how the program helped paved the way for her career as 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 in the University of California, Berkeley. “I believe that being a part of research is a huge step toward being a … Continue reading CIRM COMPASS scholar Maya Singh shares how the program helped paved the way for her career as a physician
Winner of Beast Games becomes champion for his son’s rare disease
Written by Holly Alyssa MacCormick You can do a lot with $10 million. Yet, when Jeffrey Randall Allen won the largest prize in game show history on Amazon Prime Video’s Beast Games there was only one thing he wanted to spend his $10 million on—research that might help find a cure for his son’s rare … Continue reading Winner of Beast Games becomes champion for his son’s rare disease
The Stem Cellar 