California Institute for Regenerative Medicine

10/15/2026

Many Californians are affected by chronic diseases such as cancer, Alzheimer’s, and diabetes, but are unaware that California state, through CIRM, supports research and education to develop therapies for these diseases.

As CIRM’s community outreach manager, Aditi Desai connects with Californians one-on-one to ensure they are aware of the CIRM programs, clinical trials, and efforts that could benefit them and their loved ones.

Desai’s mission is to raise awareness of how CIRM funds the development of new cell and gene therapies, accelerating promising treatments through clinical trials, training a regenerative medicine workforce, strengthening the biotechnology economy, and expanding access to new treatments.

“There are so many times I've met patients who just had no idea that California was funding this kind of research,” said Desai. “That stands out as the most important reason why I keep doing this. The most important reason for CIRM to exist is to keep building that hope for people who could be hopeless.”

Read Aditi's story: https://bit.ly/3VPyScD

10/14/2026

Stem cell research has the potential to transform how we understand, prevent, and treat disease. That’s why California created Stem Cell Awareness Day in 2008—to make information about stem cells and regenerative medicine accessible, engaging, and inspiring for students and communities.

This year, we’re highlighting educational cartoons and activities created by high school interns in CIRM’s SPARK program. Their work helps make complex science easier to understand while encouraging the next generation of scientists, educators, and innovators.

Explore their creativity, learn something new, and help us spread the word about the promise of stem cell research.

10/08/2026

A CIRM training grant helped Mercedes Paredes, MD, PhD, turn her passion for understanding neuropsychiatric diseases into a career leading her own lab.

Today, she’s advancing patient-centered research, engaging Spanish-speaking communities, and mentoring the next generation of regenerative medicine professionals—including many CIRM-funded trainees.

Her journey reflects the lasting impact of investing in people: CIRM has supported more than 4,600 students who are helping build California’s regenerative medicine workforce.

Read Mercedes' story: https://bit.ly/4dWRtJY

Learn about Mercedes Paredes and how a CIRM grant helped her develop groundbreaking research in neuropsychiatric diseases.

09/30/2026

Christelle Salomon was diagnosed with sickle cell disease as a newborn and she spent years navigating painful crises, limited treatment options, and the emotional toll of a chronic illness.

After trying multiple therapies with little relief, she made the brave decision at 28 to pursue a bone marrow transplant at UC San Francisco. The procedure, supported by her care team and a stem cell donation from her brother, functionally cured her disease.

Nearly five years later, Christelle is channeling that experience into meaningful change. As a health policy and education analyst at the UCSF Sickle Cell Center of Excellence, she helps bridge communication gaps between patients, providers, and scientists. With her combined background as a patient, medical trainee, and researcher, she translates complex science into clear, compassionate information that empowers sickle cell warriors to make informed decisions about emerging treatments like cell and gene therapy.

Christelle also speaks candidly about the mistrust many patients feel— a mistrust that’s rooted in real experiences— and encourages providers to listen with curiosity and empathy. Christelle’s message is simple and powerful: patients aren’t just part of innovation; they drive it: https://bit.ly/4xVwPB4

09/29/2026

Participating in a clinical trial shouldn’t depend on whether a family can afford a hotel room.

For Sam and his wife, finding a CIRM-supported clinical trial at Stanford for their 6-year-old daughter was a lifeline. But the logistics—juggling jobs in Southern California, caring for their 3-year-old son, and planning for a 60-day stay in Palo Alto—posed an overwhelming financial hurdle.

This is exactly where the CIRM Patient Support Program steps in. Funded by royalties from commercialized therapies, the program provides financial assistance for flights, lodging, food, and transport for under-resourced Californians participating in CIRM-supported trials.

Studies show that up to 30% of clinical trial participants drop out before completing treatment due to travel costs and logistical barriers. By easing these financial burdens, CIRM is helping to ensure that life-saving treatments are accessible to those who need them most, while helping critical clinical trials succeed.

Read Sam’s story and learn how CIRM is fulfilling its Proposition 14 commitment to healthcare equity across California: https://bit.ly/3TYFR2j

09/25/2026

“Every person in California should be able to access the most promising medical advances, including cell and gene therapies that are changing what is possible for serious and life-threatening diseases.” - Shyam Patel, Associate Vice President of Patient Access

Read the full press release: https://bit.ly/4rt5pAY

09/22/2026

Join us for a Closer to Cures event where you can hear about progress of CIRM grantees toward FDA approval on September 24 at *2:45 PM (PST). Featured speaker, Dr. Maria Grazia Roncarolo, will share some of the latest news on the cell therapy that Tr1x, Inc. is developing for the chronic autoimmune disease, multiple sclerosis.

The livestreamed event is part of the full CIRM board meeting: https://www.youtube.com/

*Time of presentation may be changed without notice.

09/21/2026

Gisselle Contreras is the first person in her family to earn a college degree, and she is charting a brand-new path, not just for herself but for her family and the future of cancer research.

A molecular biology graduate from Cal State Fullerton and now a researcher at City of Hope, Gisselle is on the team researching cutting-edge gene and cell therapies to treat glioblastoma, one of the most aggressive forms of brain cancer. Her work under Dr. Karen S. Aboody is even helping prepare for first-in-human ovarian cancer trials scheduled for 2027.

Gisselle’s incredible journey from a self-described high school "band kid" intimidated by science to presenting research at an international neuro-oncology conference was made possible by mentorship and opportunity through the CIRM Bridges Program.

Today, Gisselle is paying it forward. By volunteering with local nonprofits and CIRM’s SPARK program, she is helping introduce STEM and stem cell research to high school students who, like her younger self, might not otherwise know these career paths exist. Read more of Gisselle's story: https://bit.ly/4iGGyaE

Discover how the CIRM-supported Bridges program helped Gisselle Contreras achieve her dreams in molecular biology and cancer research.

09/16/2026

Join us for our upcoming speaker series, Closer to Cures, on Thursday, September 24 at *2:45 PM (PT).

Hear from CIRM awardees Dr. Maria Grazia Roncarolo of Stanford University and Tr1X Inc and Dr. Stephanie Cherqui of the Gene Therapy Initiative at UC San Diego, about the progress of their clinical trials for multiple sclerosis and cystinosis.

These presentations are part of the CIRM governing board meeting, which is open to the public and can be viewed on the CIRM YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/

*Time of presentation may be changed without notice.

09/16/2026

Can "virtual stress" hold the key to stopping aggressive brain cancer? Glioblastomas are among the most difficult cancers to treat. Because they develop invasive tendrils that reach into healthy brain tissue, surgical removal is incredibly risky, and traditional treatments like chemotherapy can cause widespread damage to the body.

However, researchers at UC Santa Barbara may have found a new way forward. Led by synthetic biologist Max Wilson and graduate student Lisa Månsson, the team discovered that triggering an Integrated Stress Response (ISR) in glioblastoma cells can suppress their growth and completely halt their ability to invade neighboring tissue.

Using an innovative optogenetic platform, the team engineered cancer cells with light-responsive plant proteins. This let them use light to trigger a "virtual stress" response in the lab without physically damaging the cells. The virtual stress dialed down the cells' migration genes and stopped them from building the protein scaffold they use to push into healthy tissue. In 3D mini-tumor models, the light-targeted side of the tumor stopped invading entirely.

This research suggests an exciting new paradigm in cancer therapy. Instead of only focusing on destroying cancer cells, we might be able to modify tumor behavior to make them easier to remove surgically or safer to live with.

Researchers find that triggering a stress response in glioblastoma cells with light stops them from spreading — a development that could point the way for treatments for the hard-to-reach brain tumors