UCSF CIRM Training Program Special Application Announcement

The UCSF California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) Scholar Research Training Program is pleased to offer a training slot for one clinical fellow for the period of July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026, with the possibility for renewal for a second 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 11:59pm on Wednesday April 30, 2025. Early submission is encouraged. Funding will begin July 1, 2025. A later start dates will be considered if individual circumstances require this.
• Application available at: https://ucsf.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_4GSPKqzZ8HI7cqy
• Placement is available to clinical trainees who have at least two more years of training in their selected lab as of the fellowship start date.
• There are no citizenship requirements.
• Award will be for up to 2 years contingent on annual review of satisfactory progress. The fellowship provides:
  • Contribution of $84,574 towards salary and benefits
  • A small research/travel allowance.
• Trainee selection will be based on 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 in the training activities described below.
• Please note that an additional application cycle that will also include funding opportunities for additional postdoctoral and predoctoral scholars will be announced in Fall 2025.
• Questions may be directed to [email protected]. 

Annual Training Activity Requirements

• Annual meeting with a second mentor assigned by the CIRM Training Program Director. 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.
• 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 Ethics Course led by Dr. Julia Brown. More information on this course as its scheduled.
• 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). Clinical fellows have options as described here: https://rcr.ucsf.edu/clinician-scientists. 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.  Please contact Dr. Blelloch ([email protected]) to discuss 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 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; we ask you to propose an activity to Kyle Pusateri ([email protected]), who will review with the CIRM Training Program Director prior to approval.
• Diversity, Equity and Inclusion: 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 under-represented groups 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; we ask you to propose an activity to Kyle Pusateri ([email protected]), who will review with the CIRM Training Program Director prior to approval. See https://graduate.ucsf.edu/diversity for more possibilities.
• All scholars will be eligible for a second year of funding pending receipt of satisfactory annual progress reports. These progress reports 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.