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CIRM Training Program

Fellowship positions funded by the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) are now open to PhD and MD clinical fellows conducting research related to developmental biology, stem cells, and regenerative medicine. Fellows working on projects using stem or progenitor cells to model diseases, uncovering basic molecular mechanisms, and developing potential research tools are encouraged to apply.

The CHLA CIRM Scholar fellowships will be awarded for 2 years with the possibility of a third year of funding through a competitive renewal. To be eligible, an applicant must be a PhD or MD fellow by the time of the start of the award, and should have no more than 5 years of fellowship experience.

Funding for this first cycle will begin by Jan. 18. The number of awards will be based on the quality of applications. A second call for applications will be issued in May 2022. Unfunded applications can resubmit once; if a fellow submits two unfunded applications, any future proposals will require an entirely new project to be considered.

The goal of this fellowship is to support promising fellows (MD, PhD, or MD/PhD) who are interesting in conducting research and establishing a successful career as a scientist or physician-scientist. 

Announcements and Events

Call for application

Application for CIRM Training Grant Due Dec. 21, 2021

Program Director

Ching-Ling (Ellen) Lien, PhD

Ching-Ling (Ellen) Lien, PhD

clien@chla.usc.edu

Associate Director

Portrait of Mark Frey, PhD

Mark Frey, PhD

mfrey@chla.usc.edu

Program Coordinator

Kathryn Aguilar

kaguilar@chla.usc.edu

Potential Mentors

James Amatruda, MD, PhD 
Amatruda Lab

CHLA-James-Amatruda-1.jpg

Research Focus: Solid tumors of childhood, sarcomas, germ cell and Wilms tumor

David Cobrinik, MD, PhD 
Cobrinik Lab

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Research Focus: Modeling retinal development, tumorigenesis and tumor prevention

Stefano Da Sacco, PhD 
GOFARR Lab

Stefano Da Sacco, PhD

Research Focus: Kidney disease modeling on microfluidic glomerular chips

Roger De Filippo, MD 
GOFARR Lab

Roger De Filippo, MD

Research Focus: Kidney diseases and regeneration using tissue engineering tools

Brian Dias, PhD

Headshot of a smiling man with dark skin tone and a goatee wearing a purple vest against a blurred outdoor background

Research Focus: Intergenerational legacies of stress

Mark Frey, PhD 
Frey Lab

Portrait of Mark Frey, PhD

Research Focus: Regulation of intestinal stem cell niche and progenitor cell

Christopher Gayer, MD

Christopher Gayer, MD, PhD, FACS, FAAP

Research Focus: Dysmotility inflammatory bowel disease colorectal bowel disease

Senta Georgia, PhD 
Georgia Lab

Senta Georgia, PhD

Research Focus: Beta cell differentiation and regeneration

Brendan Grubbs, MD

Brendan Grubbs, MD

Research Focus: Fetal maternal health and human developmental biology

Christian Hochstim, MD, PhD

Christian Hochstim, MD, PhD

Research Focus: Tracheal stenosis and epithelial regeneration

Miller Huang, PhD

Miller Huang, PhD

Research Focus: Role of chromosome copy number changes in tumorigenesis

Yong-Mi Kim, MD, PhD, MPH 
Yong-Mi Kim Lab

Yong-Mi Kim, MD, PhD, MPH

Research Focus: Microenvironment, Wnt and biophysical characteristics of leukemia

Rohit Kohli, MBBS, MS 
Kohli Lab

Rohit Kohli, MBBS, MS

Research Focus: Dysregulated functions underlying liver pathophysiology in kids

Rusty Lansford, PhD 
Lansford Lab

Rusty Lansford, PhD

Research Focus: Molecular and optical tools to study cell decision-making

Ching-Ling (Ellen) Lien, PhD 
Lien Lab

Ching-Ling (Ellen) Lien, PhD

Research Focus: Heart development and regeneration and iPSC human disease models

Rex Moats, PhD

Rex Moats, PhD

Research Focus: Imaging, stem cell therapy, disease models and preclinical studies

Aaron Nagiel, MD, PhD

Portrait of Aaron Nagiel, MD, PhD

Research Focus: Retinal development and synaptogenesis

Chintan Parekh, MD 
Parekh Lab

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Research Focus: Human T-cell development

JinSeok Park, PhD

JinSeok Park, PhD

Research Focus: Cancer cells regulated by extracellular matrix

Laura Perin, PhD 
GOFARR Lab

Laura Perin, PhD

Research Focus: Stem cells derived from amniotic fluid and chronic kidney disease

Sargis Sedrakyan, PhD 
GOFARR Lab

Sargis Sedrakyan, PhD

Research Focus: Endothelial damage and extracellular vesicles for kidney disease

Wei Shi, MD, PhD 
Shi Lab

Wei Shi, MD, PhD

Research Focus: Lung mesenchymal stem cell biology and pulmonary diseases

David Warburton, DSc, MD

David Warburton, OBE, DSc, MD, MMM, FRCP, FRCS, FRCPCH

Research Focus: Human lung developmental biology and regenerative medicine

View list of all investigators at Saban Research Institute of Children’s Hospital Los Angeles

Former trainees and CHLA CIRM alumni

Michael Harrison, Ph.D. (Former Ching-Ling Lien Lab)

Current Position: Assistant Professor, Weill Cornell Medicine 

Gianluca Turcatel, Ph.D. (Former David Warburton Lab)

Current Position: Scientist at Amgen