Aaliyah Staples-West didn’t originally plan to become a stem cell researcher. As a student at San Diego State University, she admits she sometimes struggled to read protocols or finish experiments on time. She was also originally studying chemistry, a field very different from regenerative medicine. 

Bridges

But when she saw an Instagram post about the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) Bridges to Stem Cell Research and Therapy internship program, she did some research and ultimately pursued the opportunity.   

“Everything I was looking for aligned with what I wanted to do,” she says. “I applied, and I was greeted with open arms and an acceptance about a week later.” She even stayed an extra semester in college so she could enroll in the CIRM internship program.

During the year-long internship at UC San Diego’s Sanford Consortium for Regenerative Medicine, Aaliyah studied and modeled a rare disease called Cockayne Syndrome B (CSB). CSB is a rare disease that causes short stature, premature aging, severe photosensitivity, and moderate to severe learning delay. 

In the lab, Aaliyah worked with stem cells to derive brain organoids, which are three-dimensional, organ-like clusters of cells. She also researched vascular endothelial cells, which form a single-cell layer lining all blood vessels. She tested and observed these to further understand the causes of CSB.  

Science conferences

Aaliyah also had opportunities to work outside the lab, traveling to scientific conferences across the state to explain her work to other scientists.

She enjoyed sharing her findings, but Aaliyah says it was challenging at first to learn the complex science and terminology related to stem cells. She overcame that obstacle by asking lots of questions and putting in extra effort to understand the biology and reasoning behind her work.  

“I would write down all the terms my mentor would say that I didn’t understand and look them up,” she says. “I would even practice using them in a sentence. I made it very intentional that if I wanted to continue researching in this field, I needed to be on the same page.”

What’s next

Now that her internship is over, Aaliyah is much more confident and has learned techniques to complete research projects successfully. She now works for biotechnology company Resilience as a research associate working with induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and hematopoietic stem cells. Though she originally intended to go to medical school, she is now exploring MD/PhD programs where she can apply what she’s learned in her training and education.  

“I never thought I would have a love for stem cell research until participating in this program,” she says. “Stem cell research and regenerative medicine provide infinite opportunities for developing, understanding, and potentially curing diseases. It’s important to continue this type of research to ensure science is quickly evolving and to make an impact on overall health.” 

To date, 1,663 Bridges alumni and 109 Bridges trainees are completing their internships in 2022.  Learn more about CIRM’s internship programs here. 

All photos courtesy of Sarah White/SDSU and Aaliyah Staples-West.