Inspiration comes in many different shapes and sizes, but when you see it there is no mistaking it. And when you meet and talk to the students in CIRM’s Bridges program you find inspiration in each and every one of them.

Training the next generation of stem cell scientists

The program is designed to train the next generation of stem cell scientists, bridging (hence the name) the gap between undergraduate and Master’s level training in research.

But it’s so much more than just a recruiting and training program because one of the goals of Bridges is to find students who are often overlooked for opportunities like this: students who may be the first in their family to go to college, who don’t come from a wealthy family or fancy school.

These students seize the opportunity with both hands and their sense of delight at being given a chance, and enthusiasm for the work is exciting and infectious.

Bridges Trainee Meeting

We held our annual Bridges Trainee Meeting in Burlingame this week. It gave all the students a chance to come together, hear lectures from world‑class stem cell researchers, and present posters on the work they completed this year.

Many students seemed shy at first, but once you asked about their projects, their enthusiasm poured out. Shayda Kianfar graduated from Berkeley City College and now studies at UC Berkeley. She says the program accepted her even though she had no previous lab experience.

“This has given me an amazing experience. Being surrounded by incredible people and having great mentors is life‑changing. You learn so many new skills, and it opens your eyes. I hadn’t considered stem cell work before, but now I would love to pursue it. It’s so exciting.”

More amazing work

Kevin Martinez talks to fellow Bridges student David James.

Kevin Martinez graduated from San Francisco State University and says working with top researchers like Thea Tlsty, Ph.D., at UC San Francisco was incredible. He joined Tlsty’s team as they discovered that rare cells from adult breast tissue can be directed to become different types of cells—a finding with major potential for regenerative medicine.

What surprised him most was the independence they gave him. They treated him like a colleague, not a student.

“They trained me and gave me the chance to do amazing work. This is great preparation for a career in academia or industry because you learn to do research independently while still working as part of a team.”

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Focus on leukemia

Eleanor Kim spent her year at City of Hope near Los Angeles. She studied leukemia stem cells, testing medications to see if they could prevent the cancer from returning or slow how quickly it spreads.

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Eleanor was a pre‑med student who hadn’t considered research until she discovered the Bridges program. Now she plans to become an MD/PhD.

“This got me far more interested in the biology of cancers—what drives them and what controls them. I want to explain to my future patients what is happening to them, and I also want to do research that could help them.”

She also learned the importance of a good night’s sleep.

“I learned that you have to work hard, but you can’t push yourself to the point of sleep deprivation. This work demands attention to detail. If you’re tired, you make mistakes, and one mistake can set you back days.”

Each Bridges student has their own story and brings a unique perspective to the program and the field.

You can hear some of our students talk about their experience.