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Leadership Update at the Stem Cell Research Center

Save The Date: Feb 24-25, 2026 - 2026 Featured Community Lecture & 13th Annual Stem Cell Symposium

About Us

Today’s UC Irvine Stem Cell Research Center is a dynamic center encompassing a diverse array of interdisciplinary investigators that span the schools of Medicine, Biological Sciences, Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Engineering, Arts, and the Program in Public Health. Our state-of-the-art, LEED Platinum certified research and clinical building houses 25 of our 65 center faculty members.    

Center faculty have obtained more than $275 million dollars in grant and foundation funds, including over $165 million dollars from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine. Our research programs include two National Institutes of Health (NIH)-sponsored T32 training grants, NIH R25 training program, 2 CIRM training grants supporting trainees from undergraduate through to postdoctoral and clinical fellows, a NIAMS P30 skin biology research center grant, state-of-the-art shared equipment and research services cores, community lecture series, an annual stem cell science symposium, and numerous seminar series.

What can we do for you ?

Research areas, available resources and clinical trials

Learn about our clinical research and trials

Learn how you can support stem cell research at UCI

See the latest news, videos and upcoming events

News

New Research Advances Brain Regeneration After Injury

UC Irvine researchers led by Dr. Lisa Flanagan discovered critical communication between brain cells and blood vessels that drives adult neural stem cell formation. This breakthrough advances understanding of brain development and could lead to new regenerative therapies for stroke patients and recovery from brain injury.

UC Irvine-led team discovers potential new therapeutic targets for Huntington’s disease
Findings from a study led by UC Irvine’s Thai B. Nguyen, Leslie Thompson and Robert Spitale have revealed specific patterns of RNA modifications and splicing errors unique to Huntington’s disease, potentially facilitating new approaches to treatment.
Light Signals Improve Heart Function in New Study
UC Irvine researchers breakthrough in light-triggered cardiac therapy represents groundbreaking innovation in heart treatment. Dr. Ardoña's team developed synthetic biomolecules that convert light into healing signals, offering hope for patients through non-invasive pacemaking technologies and advanced stem cell treatments.

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Events

Community lectures, special events and opportunities to engage. Find details for future events here.

Oct.

RNA in Cell Fate Determination

Yongsheng Shi, Ph.D.
Gross Hall, Thorp Conference Center
Tuesday, October 7, 2025 | 

7:00 PM – 8:00PM Pacific Time




17 Oct.

Mechanobiology of hiPSC Heart Muscle Cells
Beth Pruitt, Ph.D. - UC Santa Barbara
Gross Hall, Thorp Conference Center 4001
October 17, 2025 | 11:00 AM—12:00 PM Pacific Time

24 Oct.

Single-cell RNA sequencing identifies cancer-associated fibroblasts subtypes in early & late stages of mycosis fungoides
Courtney Johnson, M.D., Ph.D - Clinical Associate, Johns Hopkins Medicine
Gross Hall, Thorp Conference Center 4001 & Hybrid Event
October 24, 2025 | 11:00 AM—12:00 PM Pacific Time

Nov.

Finding Kidney Cancer Vulnerabilities By Synthetic Lethality Approach
Olga Razorenova Ph.D.
Gross Hall, Thorp Conference Center
Tuesday, November 4, 2025 | 7:00 PM – 8:00PM Pacific Time