Five Year Retrospective
UCI, UCLA awarded $8 million to launch collaborative stem cell clinic
In a first-of-its-kind alliance, UC Irvine and UCLA have received a five-year, $8 million grant from the California Institute of Regenerative Medicine to establish a CIRM Alpha Stem Cell Clinic.
Daniela Bota, M.D., Ph.D. Named Clinic Director
October 2017
Dr. Daniela A. Bota is a UCI Health neuro-oncologist who specializes in the treatment of primary and metastatic brain and spinal cord tumors, as well as in the neurological complications of cancers.
Leonid Groysman M.D., Named ASCC Assistant Clinical Director
April 2019
Dr. Leonid Groysman is a specialist in Neurocritical Care.
UCI-led team begins first clinical trial of stem cell-based retinitis pigmentosa treatment
Participants are sought for safety study on the use of retinal progenitors in the eye.
UCI opens new stem cell clinical trial for ALS patients
The University of California, Irvine Alpha Stem Cell Clinic and the UCI Department of Neurology will be conducting a randomized Phase 3 trial.
Dr. Bota's Clinical Trial for Glioblastoma Presents Measurable Success
Amanda Johnson, a glioblastoma patient, had her tumor shrunk so small that it is no longer measurable thanks to promising clinical trials lead by Dr. Daniela Bota.
UCI researchers investigate use of stem cells to improve recovery of stroke survivors
PISCES III is a phase IIb clinical trial in the U.S. for stroke survivors living with chronic disability.
UCI stem cell researcher receives $4.8 million CIRM grant to address traumatic brain injury
Brian Cummings receives the only grant to support traumatic brain injury program funded by CIRM.
UCI stem cell researcher receives CIRM funding for stem cell-based retina therapy to treat blindness
Grant will fund continued development of a stem cell-based therapy for a vision-robbing eye disease, retinitis pigmentosa.
Leslie Thompson gets $6 million CIRM grant to advance Huntington’s disease treatments
A Chancellor’s Professor of psychiatry & human behavior and neurobiology & behavior, Leslie Thompson has received nearly $12 million from CIRM since 2008 supporting her efforts to slow down progression of Huntington’s disease.
Conferences and Meetings
December 2014 – UCI hosted CIRM ASCC network launch meeting
April 2019 – UCI’s ASCC director Dr. Daniela Bota co-organized CIRM’s Brainstorming Neurodegeneration Ideation Workshop
September 2019 – UCI School of Medicine hosted CIRM President and CEO Dr. Maria Millan for the inaugural Dean’s Distinguished Lecture Series
Encouraging community access
UCI Sue & Bill Gross Stem Cell Research Center seeks to demystify its work with public lecture series, open houses.
Future Focus
Recent major gifts to UCI SCRC will help to support clinic activities for many years
- Cullen gift of $2.8 million
- Holland gift of $1.6 million
Major projects in development at UCI SCRC
- Establishing a 4-bed infusion center to conduct in-patient visits for early phase trials
- Establishing a GMP production facility for clinical-grade stem cell-derived therapeutics