Past Scholars

Laura Almeida

Host Principal Investigator: Irving Weismann, M.D.
Host Mentor: Jinyi Xiang
Stanford Institute for Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine

Mark Brown

Host Principal Investigator: Kyle Fink, Ph.D.
Host Mentor: Jennifer Waldo
UC Davis Stem Cell Program

Brooke Chalker

Host Principal Investigator: Deborah K. Lieu, PhD
UC Davis Stem Cell Program

Erin Clancy

Principal Investagator: Kristy Red Horse, Ph.D
Host Mentor: Irene Fan, PhD
Stanford Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine

Hannah Cornwell

Principal Investigator: Patricia Nguyen, MD
Stanford Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine

Julian Duran

Principal Investigator: Aijun Wang, PhD
UC Davis Stem Cell Program

Heather Jackson-Pease

Principal Investigator: Matthew Porteus, MD PhD
Stanford Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine

Monica Rodriguez

Principal Investigator: Erin G. Brown MD
UC Davis Stem Cell Program

Jonathan Tierney

Principal Investigator: Gerhard Bauer, BS
UC Davis Stem Cell Program

Nicole Womack

Host Mentor: Anna Eastman
Stanford Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine

David Alvarez

Host Mentor: Dr. Aaron Neman
Stanford Institute for Stem cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine

Ashley Amador

Host Mentor: Dr. Aijun Wang
UC Davis Stem Cell Program

McKay (Goh) Butler

Host Mentor: Dr. Charles Chan
Stanford Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine

Selena Dutton

Host Mentor: Dr. Michelle Monje
Stanford Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine

Annie Jensen

Host Mentor: Dr. Patricia Nguyen
Stanford Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine

Juan-Maria Lopez

Host Mentor: Dr. Aijun Wang
UC Davis Stem Cell Program

David Morales

Host Mentor: Dr. Fernando Fierro
UC Davis Stem Cell Program

Joe Pasillas

Host Mentor: Dr.Irving Weismann
Stanford Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine

Andrew Schenker

Host Mentor: Dr. Ravi Majeti and Dr. Cailin Collins
Stanford Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine

Colin Waichler

Host Mentor: Dr. Maria Grazia Roncarolo
Stanford Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine

Elizabeth Arouge

Host Mentor: Dr. Charles Chan
Stanford University Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine

Amin Cressman

Host Mentor: Dr. Fernando Fierro
UC Davis Stem Cell Program

James Gomez

Host Mentor: Dr. Aijun Wang
UC Davis Stem Cell Program

Lisa Kuo

Host Mentor: Dr. Jan Nolta
UC Davis Stem Cell Program

Brandon Light

Host Mentor: Dr. Ajun Wang
UC Davis Stem Cell Program

Ariah Mackie

Host Mentor: Dr. Kyle Fink
UC Davis Stem Cell Program

Natalie Pedicino

Host Mentor: Dr. Claudia Petritsch
Stanford University Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine

Jacqueline Rose

Host Mentor: Dr. Fernando Fierro
UC Davis Stem Cell Program

Grace Blacker

Host Mentors: Dr. Irving Weissman and Dr Victoria L. Mascetti
Stanford University Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine

Dixie Blumenshine

Host Mentors: Dr. Roger Pedersen and Dr. Victoria Mascetti
Stanford University Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Cures

Sarah Galloway

Host Mentor: Dr. Irv Weissman
Stanford University Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine

Megan King

Host Mentor: Dr. Gerlinde Wernig
Stanford University Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine

Miranda Rodriguez

Host Mentor: Dr. Hiromitsu Nakauchi
Stanford University Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine

Angelica Romero

Host Mentor: Dr. Theo Palmer
Stanford University Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine

Kayla Templeton

Host Mentor: Dr. Fernando Fierro
UC Davis Stem Cell Program

Benjamin Thomas

Host Mentor: Dr Maria-Grazia Roncarolo
Stanford University Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine

Shen Yang

Host Mentor: Dr. Jan Nolta
UC Davis Stem Cell Program

Matthew Caldwell

"Deriving Human Trophoblast Stem Cells from Human Embryonic Cells and by the Process of Forward Programing"

Host Mentor: Roger Pendersen, Ph.D.
Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine
Stanford University

Kennedy Cunliffe-Koehler

"Exploring mechanisms of resistance to chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell immunotherapy"

Host Mentor: Michelle Monje, M.D., Ph.D.
Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Neurology & Neurological Sciences
Stanford University

Casiana Gonzalez

"Epigenetic editing via CRISPR/dCas9 as a novel therapeutic application for Rett Syndrome "

Host Mentor: Kyle Fink, Ph.D.
Institute for Regenerative Cures, Department of Neurology, Stem Cell Program
University of California, Davis Medical Center

Benjamin Lesch

"Genome Editing for the Correction of X-Linked Sideroblastic Anemia"

Host Mentor: Matthew Porteus, M.D.
Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Pediatrics
Stanford University

Michael Martinez

"Inducing the IDH1R132H mutation using CRISPR base-editing to study the therapeutic vulernabilities in low-grade gliomass"

Host Mentors: William Weiss, M.D., Ph.D. and Anders Persson, Ph.D.
Developmental and Stem Cell Biology Program, Cancer Biology and Cell Signaling, Department of Neurology
University of California, San Francisco

Kiana Robertson

"Mandibular repair by skeletal stem cells is nerve dependent"

Host Mentor: Michael Longaker, M.D., M.B.A., FACS
Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Surgery
Stanford University

Kristine Teague, M.S.

"Understanding Transcriptional Regulation of HSC Development, towards hiPSC Forward Programming for HSC generation "

Host Mentors: Irving Weissman, M.D. and Victoria Mascetti, Ph.D.
Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Developmental Biology, Department of Pathology
Stanford University

Miguel Armenta Villa

"Developing an FDA-compliant mRNA reprogramming strategy for treating Stress Urinary Incontinence"

Host Mentors: Vittorio Sebastiano, Ph.D. and Bertha Chen
Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Stanford University

Rachel E. Brewer

"Isolating a Human-derived Vessel Stem-Like Cell and Characterizing the Vascular Niche in a murine Model"

Host Mentors: Charles K.F. Chan , Michael T. Longaker
Department of Surgery, Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Stanford Immunology
Stanford School of Medicine

Samanth delCampo

"Mesenchymal stem cell-mediated delivery of an artificial transcription factor in human neurons modeling Angelman syndrome"

Host Mentor: Kyle Fink
Neurology Department & Stem Cell Program, Institute for Regenerative Cures University of California, Davis Medical Center

Lauren Koepke

"Characterization and Manipulation of the Human Skeletal Stem Cell Lineage in Response to Microfracture Surgery "

Host Mentors: Charles K.F. Chan , Michael T. Longaker
Department of Surgery, Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Stanford Immunology Stanford School of Medicine

Monique LaCourse

"Establishing a Medium Spiny Neuron Differentiation Protocol for ADCY5 Disease Modeling"

Host Mentor: Jeanne Loring
Center for Regenerative Medicine, Scripps Research Institute

Joshua Massey

"Isolation, characterization, and biomaterial delivery of lymphatic endothelial progenitor cells to promote lymphangiogenesis"

Host Mentor: Eduardo Silva
Biomedical Engineering Department, University of California, Davis

Marykate Olson

"A novel immune deficient mouse model of Sanfilippo Syndrome for human stem cell therapeutic modeling"

Host Mentor: Jan Nolta, Director UC Davis Stem Cell Program and Institute for Regenerative Cures UC Davis Medical Center

Meiliang Pan

"Treating Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease by using Genome Surgery Approach "

Host Mentor: Bruce Conklin, MD
Gladstone Institute of Cardiovascular Disease, UCSF

Ashley Ramsay

"Modelling Impaired Osteogenesis in Snyder Robinson Patients by Silencing Spermine Synthase in Human Bone Marrow Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells "

Host Mentor: Fernando Fierro
Department of Cell Biology and UC Davis Institute for Regenerative Cures

Lizette Reynaga

"Approaches for Direct Reprogramming Preterm Placenta-derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells into Endothelial cells "

Host Mentors: Diana Farmer and Ajiun Wang
Department of Surgery and Institute of Regenerative Cures UC Davis Medical Center

Elisabeth Torretti

"Fully Defined Differentiation of Medium Spiny Neurons from Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells"

Host Mentor: Jeanne Loring
Center for Regenerative Medicine, Scripps Research Institute

Jacqueline Trzeciak

"Targeting Vulnerability of NAD+ Ddepletion in Isocitrate Dehydrogenase Mutant Glioma "

Host Mentor: Anders Persson
Department of Neurology UCSF

Benjamin Woodruff

"Generation of Cranial Placode Progenitors through Directed Differentiation of Human Embryonic Stem Cells"

Host Mentors: Stefan Heller, Department of Otolaryngology, Kyle Loh, Insitute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine
Stanford University

Neha Arora

"Understanding the role of cis-regulatory elements at SOX9 locus in congenital disorders"

Host Mentor: Joanna Wysocka, Ph.D.
Stanford University

Kyle Herout

"Characterization and Modification of Exosomes for Neural Protection and Cell Rescue "

Host Mentor: Aijun Wang, M.D.
University of California Davis

Cameron Schumacher

"Role of Spermine Synthase (SMS) in Human Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Bone Formation"

Host Mentor: Fernando Fierro, Ph.D.
University of California Davis

Jessica Sepulveda

"Tissue Homeostasis: Extracellular Matrix Impact on Cardiac Function "

Host Mentor: Todd McDevitt, Ph.D.
Gladstone Institute of Cardiovascular Disease, UCSF

Kahlil Vaughan

"Establishment of Crispr KO iPSC Lines and iPSCs from PBMCs of HHT1 & HHT2 Patients for the Study of Disease Pathology"

Host Mentor: Rosemary Akhurst, Ph.D.
Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Research Institute, UCSF

Carsten Charlesworth

"Genome Editing for the Treatment of X-linked SCID "

Host Mentor: Matthew Porteus, M.D., Ph.D.
Stanford University

Zelenia Contreras

"shRNA Knockdown of METTL3 in Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells (hMSCS) to Prolong Expansion and Regenerative Properties "

Host Mentor: Jan Nolta, Ph.D.
UC Davis Institute for Regenerative Cures

Sean de la O

"Generating three dimensional culture of lung epithelial: Modeling disease and treatment "

Host Mentor: Calvin Kuo, M.D., Ph.D.
Stanford University

Haley DuBois

"Injection of Naked DNA as A Potential Gene Therapy Approach for Muscular Dystrophy"

Host Mentor: Michele Calos, Ph.D.
Stanford University

Aja Harding

"Endothelial Progenitor Cells Derived from Pluripotent Stem Cells for Treatment of Critical Limb Ischemia"

Host Mentor: Ping Zhou, Ph.D.
UC Davis Institute for Regenerative Cures

Madeline Hoon

"Engineering of Mesenchymal Stem Cell Derived Exosomes with miR-132 to Increase Angiogenesis"

Host Mentor: Jan Nolta, Ph.D.
UC Davis Institute for Regenerative Cures

Manal Hosawi

"The Role of VEGF in the Neural Stem and Progenitor cells in the Hippocampus"

Host Mentor: Tony Wyss-Coray, Ph.D.
Stanford University

Michael Lopez

"Correcting Treacher Collins Syndrome Using Patient Derived Neural Crest Stem Cells"

Host Mentor: Michael Longaker, M.D., M.B.A.
Stanford University

Michael Olvera

"A Genome-wide CRISPRi Screen for Discovering Novel Factors of iPSC Growth & Survival"

Host Mentor: Bruce Conklin, M.D.
Gladstone Institute of Cardiovascular Disease

Hannah Collins

"The role of cell polarity protein Lgl1 in oligodendrocytes precursor cells "

Host Mentor: Claudia Petritsch
University of California, San Francisco

Sergio Fitch

"Engineering Adipose Stem Cells with Nanoparticles Against Malignant Brain Tumors"

Host Mentor: Fan Yang
Stanford University

Jessica Fuhriman

"The Role of p63 in Psoriasis "

Host Mentor: Peter Marinkovich
Stanford University

Todd Gallagher

"Reprogramming Fibroblasts into Myoblasts: Creating a Regenerative Cell Therapy to Treat Muscular Dystrophy"

Host Mentor: Michelle Calos
Stanford University

Wes Jenkins

"Searching for exRNA Transfer in Early Development "

Host Mentor: Michael McManus
University of California San Francisco

Brendan Kelly

"Functional Analysis of the H3.3-K27M Mutation in Pediatric Glioma-Derived IPS Cells"

Host Mentor: Marius Wernig
Stanford University

Steven Mayerl

"The Measurement of Non-Homologous End Joining and Homologous Directed Recombination in a Single Reaction"

Host Mentor: Deepak Srivastava and Bruce Conklin
Gladstone Institute and University of California San Francisco

Ian Meyers

"Polarity regulation of myelinating cells of the adult mammalian brain"

Host Mentor: Claudia Petritsch
University of California San Francisco

Samantha Shelton

"In Vivo Analyses of Autism Spectrum Disorder Candidate Gene CNTNAP2 in Inhibitory Cortical Interneurons"

Host Mentor: John Rubenstein
University of California San Francisco

Jennifer Burkett

"The Role of Planar Cell Polarity Proteins in Granule Neuron Differentiation"

Host lab: Matt Scott
Stanford University

Morgaine Green

"Smooth Muscle Cell Derivation for Treatment of Stress Incontinence"

Host lab: Renee Reijo Pera
Stanford University

Kyle Hendrix

"Generation of an immune deficient mouse model of Huntington’s disease for efficacy testing of human cell based therapies"

Host lab: Jan A. Nolta
University of California, Davis

Akela Kuwahara

"VEGF signaling in adult neural progenitor cells"

Host lab: Tony Wyss-Coray
Stanford University

William Oakley

"Investigating the function of repulsive guidance molecule B in intestinal stem cell biology"

Host lab: Calvin Kuo
Stanford University

Janell Rivera

"The Impact of Obesity Induced Inflammation on the Cancer Stem Cell Phenotype"

Host lab: William J. Murphy
University of California, Davis

Veronica Spandler

"Measuring chemotactic factors secreted from mesenchymal stromal cells on an extracellular matrix for myocardial infarction"

Host lab: Claus Svane Sondergaard
University of California, Davis

Jessica Torkelson

"Regulation by Long Non-Coding RNAs in Epidermal Differentiation"

Host lab: Anthony Oro
Stanford University School of Medicine

Taylor Wearda

"Finding the Human Skeletal Stem Cel"

Host lab: Michael Longaker
Stanford University

Ashley George

"Hypoxia and inflammatory cytokines/chemokines intrinsic to menstruation niche enhance endometrial mesenchymal stem cell proliferation and migration"

Host lab: Linda Giudice
University of California, San Francisco

Johanna Kirby

"Developing an in vitro system for the study of CAIRE-binding transcription factors"

Host lab: Roel Nusse
Stanford University

Jinze Li

"Generation of iPSCs from Human Foreskin Fibroblast for Transplantation with Embryonic Olfactory Ensheathing Gila into a Rat Model to Cure Spinal Cord Injury"

Host lab: Giles W. Plant
Stanford University

Arlee Mesler

"Alterations to Anaplerosis in Tumor Cell Metabolism by Oncogenic Kras"

Host lab: Alejandro Sweet-Cordero
Stanford University

Tye Petrie

"Extracellular Matrix Bioscaffold Augmented with Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells for Cardiovascular Repair"

Host lab: Jan Nolte
University of California, Davis

Kelly Roelf

"Correction of Genetic Iron Deficiency Anemia by Intestinal Stem Cell Transplantation"

Host lab: Calvin Kuo
Stanford University

Alex Winans

"Fibroblast derived, GMP grade induced pluripotent stem cells for the treatment of Recessive Dystrophic Epidermolysis Bullosa"

Host lab: Gerhard Bauer
University of California, Davis

Du Cheng

Host research mentor: Jill Helms, D.D.S., Ph.D.
Stanford University

Natalie Grace

Host research mentor: Jan Nolta, Ph.D.
University of California, Davis

Cody Kime

Host research mentors: Tim Rand M.D., Ph.D.; Shinya Yamanaka, M.D., Ph.D.
University of California, San Francisco

Marc Meadows

Host research mentor: Ebenezer Yamoah, M.D.
Univrsity of California, Davis

Nathaniel Paul Meyer

Host research mentor: Michael T. Longaker, M.D.
Stanford University

Tawny Neal

Host research mentor: Michelle Calos, Ph.D.
Stanford University

Jessica Perez

Host research mentor: William Murphy, Ph.D.
University of California, Davis

Paula Schanes

Host research mentor: Rene Reijo Pera, Ph.D.
Stanford University

Andrew Smith

Host research mentor: Jill Helms, D.D.S., Ph.D. Stanford University

Benjamin J. Tschudy Seney

Host research mentor: Mark Zern
University of California, San Francisco

Andrew Chin

Host research mentor: Valerie Weaver, PhD, Departments of Surgery and Bioengineering and Therapeutics; Director, Center for Bioengineering and Tissue Regeneration, UCSF

Peter Din

Host research mentor: Theo Palmer, PhD, Professor of Neurosurgery, Stanford Institute of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine and the Stanford Institute for Neuro-Innovation and Translational Neurosciences

Julia Freewoman

Host research mentor: Theo Palmer, PhD, Professor of Neurosurgery, Stanford Institute of Stem Cell
Biology and Regenerative Medicine and the Stanford Institute for Neuro-Innovation and Translational
Neurosciences

Jennifer Hampton

Host research mentor: Didier Stainier, PhD, Professor, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, UCSF

Dan Hunter

Host research mentor: Jill Helms, PhD, Professor of Surgery Stanford University

Kate Steeper

Host research mentor: Thomas A. Rando, M.D, PhD, Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine

Humberto Contreras

Host research mentor: Irving Weissman, Stanford
Research Topic: Characterization and therapeutic antibody treatment of various cancer stem cells

Sara Louise Downey

Host research mentor: Joseph Costello, UCSF
Research Topic: Genetic and epigenetic alterations in the development of sporadic cancers

Spenser Falor‐Ward

Host research mentor: Allan Balmain, UCSF
Research Topic: Molecular mechanisms of multistage carcinogenesis in skin

Elizabeth Gould

Host research mentor: Theo Palmer, Stanford
Research Topic: Neuronal precursor cell derived treatment for diminished neurogenesis and neurodegenerative disease

Timothy Laurent

Host research mentor: Robert Blelloch, UCSF
Research Topic: Molecular mechanisms cellular differentiation and de‐differentiation in development and cancer with an emphasis on microRNA

Logan Linthicum

Host research mentor: Pamela Denbesten, UCSF
Research Topic: Ameloblast differentiation from human embryonic stem cells and whole tooth generation

Robin Martin

Host research mentor: Irving Weissman, Stanford
Research Topic: Characterization and therapeutic antibody treatment of various cancer stem cells