On the first day, of the 2024 CIRM Trainee Network Conference, Jake Javier took shared his experience as a clinical trial patient, as how he benefited from the innovative trial.  

The event done in partnership with the University of Southern California (USC) gave trainees from CIRM’s education and training programs an opportunity to engage with patient advocates.  

At the conference, Javier highlighted the life-altering spinal cord injury (SCI) he experienced the day before his high school graduation and how his story has evolved into one of remarkable recovery and achievement. 

A Stem Cell Clinical Trial Pioneer 

Jake became one of the first participants in a groundbreaking clinical trial involving human embryonic stem cells (hESCs).  

At just 28 days post-injury, he received 10 million stem cells injected into his spinal cord. It marked the beginning of a long and uncertain recovery.

“It was an amazing opportunity to be involved in something very exciting that could potentially help my recovery,” Javier said. “[Existing data from the first phase of the trial] showed that it was safe. I didn’t have much to lose, so I said yes.”  

The experience laid the foundation for Jake’s remarkable progress. He says the recovery from the point of the trial to now has been immense. It included a lot more than he would have expected, including regaining some function in his right hand.  

A Challenging Yet Transformative Journey 

Determined to regain his independence, Jake set ambitious goals. The first was returning to school and pursuing a future in biomedical engineering.  

After months of intense rehabilitation and learning to navigate life from a wheelchair, Jake graduated from Cal Poly with a degree in Biomedical Engineering. He was also able to earn a master’s degree from Duke University. He described his journey through rehabilitation as challenging yet transformative.

“The first year after my injury was the most painful and important year of my life,” he said. 

Today, Jake is not just surviving, he’s thriving. He has traveled extensively. Along the way he’s forged lifelong friendships. Recently got engaged to the love of his life, and started his career as a quality engineer at ClearPoint Neuro in Carlsbad, California. He’ll be working on medical and neurosurgical devices. His experience with receiving cutting-edge treatments, have fueled his passion for helping others.

Jake’s story is a powerful testament to resilience and the transformative impact of medical innovation. From a life-altering injury to a fulfilling career, Jake continues to push the boundaries of what’s possible, inspiring others along the way. 

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To date, CIRM has funded 109 stem cell and gene therapy clinical trials to find treatments for a variety of diseases and conditions. To learn more about CIRM-funded clinical trials, visit this page.