UCSF CIRM Scholars Training Program Application Announcement
The UCSF California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) Scholar Research Training Program is pleased to announce funding for up to 6 postdoctoral and 3 predoctoral trainees for the period of December 1, 2025, through November 30, 2026. There is a possibility of a second year of funding pending UCSF’s successful renewal of the training grant, and based on the trainee's progress during the first year. The program is overseen by the Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research with training slots available on a competitive basis to trainees proposing stem cell and gene therapy projects across the UCSF campus. Applications are welcome from a spectrum of disciplines related to stem cell research, including stem cell biology, developmental biology, gene therapy, cell engineering, tissue engineering, synthetic biology, systems biology, immunology, translation, clinical trials and other related fields.
Applications may be submitted via the link below no later than 11:59 pm on September 21, 2025. Early submission is encouraged. Funding will begin December 1, 2025.
Application available at: https://ucsf.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_4GSPKqzZ8HI7cqy
Placement is available to trainees who have at least one remaining year of training in their selected lab as of the fellowship start date.
There are no citizenship requirements.
- The fellowship provides:
- Contribution towards salary
- Contribution towards benefits (postdoctoral scholars only)
- Contribution towards tuition and fees (predoctoral scholars only)
- A small research/travel allowance
Trainee selection will be based on the applicant’s previous scholarly record, proposed research, potential translational value, and the likelihood that the proposed training will result in a highly impactful contribution to the application of stem cell and gene therapies in the future.
Selected fellows will be required to participate in the training program as described below.
More information about the program can be found at: https://ctp.ucsf.edu/
Questions may be directed to [email protected].
UCSF CIRM Scholars Training Program Annual Training Activity Requirements:
Annual meeting with a secondary mentor. This meeting should take place within six months of the start of this award; dates of each meeting should be recorded in the annual progress report. You will be provided with suggestions of secondary mentors upon acceptance in the program.
Annual Individual Development Plan (IDP). If scholars already complete an IDP in their laboratory or if a predoctoral fellow, through the graduate program, this is acceptable. Otherwise, please utilize MyIDP, found at https://myidp.sciencecareers.org/. Dates of each IDP should be recorded in the annual progress report.
Participation in the CIRM Scholars Ethics Course. More information on this will be provided upon your acceptance into the program.
All scholars are asked to participate in institutional training for the Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR). This requirement may be satisfied for predoctoral fellows by taking GRAD 214 Responsible Conduct of Research as required by their home graduate program. Postdoctoral fellows may take Responsible Conduct of Research Program for Postdoctoral Scholars (RCR-PS) (https://rcr.ucsf.edu/postdocs-research-staff). Dates of training must be recorded in the annual progress report.
All scholars must take for credit or audit DSCB 257 Developmental & Stem Cell Biology (https://dscb.ucsf.edu/dscb-257-developmental-stem-cell-biology). This requirement may be waived if previous coursework at the undergraduate or graduate level is deemed satisfactory by the CIRM Scholars Training Program Director. Upon acceptance, you will be provided with information about requesting a potential waiver.
Participation in research-in-progress presentations at periodic half-day retreats.
Community Outreach: all scholars must participate in at least one activity related to the mission of the CIRM Training Program per year. Such activities may include running a booth or exhibit at the Bay Area Science Festival (attendance only at these events will not meet this requirement), developing and presenting an exhibit or giving a lecture at the California Academy of Sciences, teaching in UCSF’s Osher Mini Med School, etc. Additional activities are welcome; additional details will be provided upon acceptance into the program.
Inclusion Focused Activity: all scholars must participate in at least one activity per year. This could include taking coursework at UCSF (such as GRAD 202 Racism in Science for graduate students); participating in the annual national conferences Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students (ABRCMS) and Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS); undergraduate campus outreach specifically to HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) and Hispanic-Service Institutions (HSIs); mentoring/teaching though the Summer Research Training Program (SRTP), Science & Health Education Partnership (SEP), PROPEL post-baccalaureate program and UCSF Brain Camp. Additional activities related to the mission of the CIRM Training Program are welcome; additional details will be provided upon acceptance into the program.
All scholars will be required to complete an annual progress report. This report will be due 3 months prior to the end of the award term and will include information related to the following requirements.
Scholars will be contacted in advance with information and reminders about completing these requirements. The program coordinator will provide a reminder, deadline and form to use for completing the progress report.