High school SPARK intern presents stem cell research to academic audience 

Earlier this year, CIRM welcomed many energetic and enthusiastic high school students at the 2022 SPARK Program annual conference in Oakland. The SPARK program is one of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine’s (CIRM) many programs dedicated to building a diverse and highly-skilled workforce to support the growing regenerative medicine economy right here in California.    … Continue reading High school SPARK intern presents stem cell research to academic audience 

[PHOTOS] California high school students celebrate regenerative medicine science at CIRM’s annual SPARK conference

We had a wonderful time meeting so many energetic and enthusiastic high school students at the 2022 SPARK Program annual conference hosted by UCSF at the MLK Research Building. The SPARK program is one of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine’s (CIRM) many programs dedicated to building a diverse and highly-skilled workforce to support the growing regenerative … Continue reading [PHOTOS] California high school students celebrate regenerative medicine science at CIRM’s annual SPARK conference

CIRM’s SPARK internship program provides California high school students with hands-on training in stem cell research

The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) is dedicated to building a diverse and highly-skilled workforce to support the growing regenerative medicine economy right here in California.  One of the ways we do this is through our SPARK educational internship program.  The SPARK awards—also known as the Summer Program to Accelerate Regenerative medicine Knowledge— support … Continue reading CIRM’s SPARK internship program provides California high school students with hands-on training in stem cell research

How this scientist uses Legos to explain the power of stem cells 

Explaining science is hard. Explaining stem cells, which have their very own unique complexities, can be even more of a challenge, especially when communicating with a non-scientific audience.   That’s why when we received this blog submission from a CIRM SPARK Program intern through UCSF’s High School Intern Program (HIP) explaining stem cells in a simple, … Continue reading How this scientist uses Legos to explain the power of stem cells 

How one student overcame uncertainty in CIRM’s high school internship program

This summer—as well as year round—the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) will highlight blog submissions, photos, and other fun content from our SPARK Program. SPARK—also known as the Summer Program to Accelerate Regenerative Medicine Knowledge—gives high school students a chance to spend their summer working in a world class stem cell research facility here … Continue reading How one student overcame uncertainty in CIRM’s high school internship program

Educating and training the next generation of regenerative science workforce

THIS BLOG IS ALSO AVAILABLE AS AN AUDIO CAST Regenerative medicine is a diverse and rapidly evolving field, employing core expertise from biologists, engineers, and clinicians. As the field continues to advance, a well-trained regenerative science workforce is needed to apply the newest discoveries to clinical care. That’s why one of the goals outlined in … Continue reading Educating and training the next generation of regenerative science workforce

CIRM Board Approves Continued Funding for SPARK and Alpha Stem Cell Clinics

Yesterday the governing Board of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) approved $8.5 million to continue funding of the Summer Program to Accelerate Regenerative Medicine Knowledge (SPARK) and Alpha Stem Cell Clinics (ASCC). This past February, the Board approved continued funding for stem cell focused educational programs geared towards undergraduate, masters, pre/postdoctoral, and medical … Continue reading CIRM Board Approves Continued Funding for SPARK and Alpha Stem Cell Clinics

Life lessons learned in the CIRM summer intern program

When I was in high school I spent my summers working in a shoe shop and playing soccer with my mates. It never occurred to me that I could do something really  worthwhile with that time. So, when I meet the high school students who took part in the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine’s SPARK … Continue reading Life lessons learned in the CIRM summer intern program

Learning life lessons in the lab

One of the most amazing parts of an amazing job is getting to know the students who take part in CIRM’s SPARK (Summer Program to Accelerate Regenerative Medicine Knowledge) program. It’s an internship giving high school students, that reflect the diversity of California, a chance to work in a world-class stem cell research facility. This … Continue reading Learning life lessons in the lab