Intro to Cell Biology
$895
Anthony Neil Tan
Story By Anthony Neil Tan, 2018 CIRM SPARK Student. Attended undergraduate at UC Berkeley, Majoring in Bioengineering It’s More than Just Stem Cells! In freshman year of high school, I was flipping through my favorite biology textbook when a page titled “Stem Cells” caught my eye. Captivated by the potential of stem cells to revolutionize medicine, I read and read. All the while, my simple fascination turned into a research aspiration. By summer before senior year I found myself in CIRM SPARK, an 8-week stem cell research program run by Pathways to Stem Cell Science (Pathways) and Caltech. After one week of learning stem cell culture techniques at Pathways, I was assigned to the Khoshnan Lab at Caltech to conduct my research project which investigated the presence of amyloid-producing bacteria in soil and the effect of bacterial amyloid proteins on induced human pluripotent stem cells. Every day at the lab was a journey to the microscopic world. I would stay in the microscope room for hours, mesmerized by the geometric arrangement of human stem cells and the long filamentous strands of bacteria. Eight weeks felt like eight exhilarating days and by the end of the program I had an amazing story to tell. I shared my experience with middle school students, encouraging them to seek research opportunities themselves. I also shared my story with scholarship committees and admission officers, winning scholarships and gaining early acceptance into UC Berkeley’s bioengineering program. Most of all, CIRM SPARK empowered me to achieve more. In senior year of high school, I excelled in extracurriculars and academics. I founded a non-profit project to provide students with hands-on learning opportunities and became the top winner of the 2019 HonorsGradU “Design A Better Future national challenge“. At the same time, I graduated as Valedictorian of Rowland High School Class of 2019. Now I am a second-year Bioengineering undergraduate at UC Berkeley and I am pursuing a career in the alternative protein industry where I can apply my stem cell culture skills towards creating more sustainable food systems. Starting February, I will be a Bioengineering Intern at New Age Meats, a cellular agriculture startup committed to producing intensely flavorful meat that’s better for people, animals, and the planet. Looking back, I feel extremely fortunate because all of this could not have been possible without the extra mile Pathways staff take. Pathways staff fostered a nurturing learning environment helping me to develop a resilience to failure. They welcomed every question and guided my past mistakes. Above all, Pathways training had equipped me with the mentality that every failure was an opportunity to troubleshoot. When my experiment at Caltech failed and failed while other CIRM SPARK fellows wrapped up theirs, I kept moving forward. Program mentors, Caltech graduate students, and former fellows extended their support. In the end, I not only completed my research but also became comfortable with failure as an opportunity to learn. Pathways’ forums introduced me to diverse biotech careers. I had the opportunity to talk to several guest speakers: a biotech entrepreneur, a patient advocate, a professor, a bioinformatician, an intellectual property manager, and a rare diseases researcher. Pathways founder Dr. Victoria Fox took these forums one notch further: she gave detailed presentations on tuition, length of study, and difficulty level associated with various biotech careers, helping us avoid uninformed (and costly) decision making. Collectively, these forums led me to carefully examine my educational options before choosing my college major and my intended career path.
Sophie Karolczak
My Story, By Sophie Karolczak, 2015 Regenerative Medicine and Disease Modeling Program alumna, 2017 Teaching Research Intern (by invitation). Attended undergraduate at Wesleyan College. Each year, college students from across the country compete for internships with leading biotech research firms. Unlike university lab placements, these coveted private sector positions are extremely rare and virtually impossible to secure – even for the most accomplished science students. Beating the odds, Pathways alumna Sophie Karolczak was awarded a summer internship with Boston-based firm, CRISPR Therapeutics. This unique entrepreneurial start-up uses cutting-edge CRISPR-Cas9 gene-editing technology to develop transformative medicines for serious genetic diseases. Sophie’s inaugural internship with CRISPR Therapeutics was so successful, she was asked to return for a second summer in 2019. Sophie credits the skills and experiences she gained at Pathways to Stem Cell Science (Pathways) as being “essential” to finding and retaining such an “amazing” internship opportunity: “Interning at CRISPR Therapeutics was an amazing opportunity where I gained research experience while working on projects with the potential to change people’s lives. I would not have had the opportunity or drive to pursue stem cell science without my experiences at Pathway’s. As a high schooler, the Regenerative Medicine and Disease Modeling Program allowed me to jump headfirst into stem cell biology where I learned stem cell science was something I wanted to pursue. Since then I have focused my academic and extracurricular learning towards this goal, making me a competitive applicant for future internship opportunities. Returning to Pathway’s as a teaching assistant was a unique experience that strengthened my skills and knowledge because it required me to understand science well enough to explain things to other students. I am excited for this summer and the future opportunities it will lead to” – Sophie Karolczak – 2015 and 2017 Alumna Sophie’s position with CRISPR Therapeutics was not the only internship she secured since graduating from the 2015 Regenerative Medicine and Disease Modeling Program. In 2017 Sophie interned for eight-weeks during the summer as a teaching assistant with Pathways, helping to inspire future generations of scientists. Prior to this position, she attended Pathway’s Human Pluripotent Stem Cell Techniques Course, gaining advanced industry-level training in human stem cell techniques. Outside of summer, Sophie also researched yeast genetics in the laboratory of Dr. Amy MacQueen at Wesleyan University, where she completed her undergraduate degree in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. Since graduating from college, Sophie is now seeking employment in the biotech sector, while she applies to PhD research programs. The value of internships in providing real-world skills and experience cannot be overstated. At Pathways to Stem Cell Science we actively encourage every student to pursue ongoing real-world training throughout their post-secondary education.
Pathways Opens Biotech Innovation Headquarters in Torrance, California
By Victoria Fox, Executive Director, Pathways to Stem Cell Science and Samantha McIssac. We are excited to announce Pathways to Stem Cell Science (Pathways) has opened its first independent headquarters in Torrance, California. Graduating from the Monrovia-based incubator “Lab Launch” into a purpose-built facility represents a major milestone in our mission to advance stem cell research and create future scientists. The newly renovated 4,000 square-foot facility, located close to the 110 and 405 freeways, boasts a fully equipped biotech research incubator and three state-of-the-art teaching laboratories which convert into an auditorium and meeting space. In addition to enabling the growth of Pathways research and education programs, the facility will act as a hub for connecting students and scientists from across the LA area. Pathways new 1,400 square-foot teaching facilities, which juxtapose aspiring scientists with real life research provide space for 20 students to learn hands-on with stem cells, working alongside industry professionals. This unique layout reflects our firmly held belief that observing working scientists in a real-life environment is essential for students to forge successful science careers. Expanding from one to three teaching laboratories will significantly enhance our educational impact by enabling multiple programs to be offered concurrently and throughout the year to larger numbers of students. With dedicated teaching labs for cell culture and molecular biology, we can now launch our much-anticipated middle school and practical tutoring programs, providing learning opportunities for students at every educational stage from preschool to college. The new Torrance headquarters also houses laboratory space for Pathways growing research services, known as CellCORE, which provide technical support to university and industry scientists from across the world. Located adjacent to the teaching facilities, the research laboratories include a 1,600 square-foot shared biotech incubator where clients and partner companies can work under the guidance of Pathways scientists. This space accommodates up to 10 scientists and will be used to advance a broad portfolio of research aimed at understanding disease mechanisms and developing stem cell therapies. It will also support Pathways internal R&D program which focuses on the development of new technologies for deriving and manipulating stem cells. As professionals pursue their cutting-edge research, students will enjoy the unique opportunity to learn this exciting science first-hand in an environment of entrepreneurial innovation. Pathways is the only private sector organization that offers programs for children of all ages to engage in authentic science, taught by industry scientists in a professional biotech laboratory. Our new facilities reflect this uniqueness by creating a combined teaching and research space that does not exist anywhere else in the world outside of a University. This engaging environment will ensure more students gain the tools and knowledge needed to pursue bioscience careers. In our new location we can expose students to the industry jobs they will pursue after college and expand our network of biotech partners to create additional internship opportunities for students attending our research programs. In addition to supporting teaching and research, Pathways new headquarters will provide a home base for our mobile lab programs, which bring hands-on education to classrooms across the LA area. Growing our outreach activities to include classes for the public is a major goal that can now be achieved with our fully equipped classrooms and auditorium. Having a dedicated facility is also crucial for expanding Pathways fundraising activities, which ensure our programs are offered equally to students of all backgrounds. We’re excited to start the next phase of operational growth in our new Torrance-based headquarters and will be holding a formal open day in March 2020. Save the date! Follow our lab renovation in real time on our social media pages. BAM architecture studios were the architects for this project. Lab renovations were performed by Midstone construction.
Aditya Daita
My Story, By Aditya Daita, 2017 Stem Cell Research Internship Student. Attended undergraduate at UC Berkeley. Throughout high school, I always loved science and reading about scientific discoveries. Interested to learn first-hand how discoveries are made, I applied to the Stem Cell Research Internship Program at Pathways to Stem Cell Science (Pathways) and was accepted into their 2017 program. After a week of laboratory training, I interned in the research laboratories at HMRI, assisting their scientists with creating a safe assay to measure brain degeneration in the urine of Alzheimer’s patients. I also worked for several weeks in Pathways’ biotech research facility, alongside Pathways founder, Dr. Victoria Fox. At Pathways my project focused on developing engineered stem cells for use in biomedical research and disease modeling studies, tying in perfectly with my interest in neurodegenerative diseases. These experiences showed me how to work independently, think analytically, and apply the scientific method to investigate relevant questions. Through being in a professional lab with experienced science mentors I gained a new outlook on life, focused career goals and the motivation to achieve them. Real-world science training allows people who seek a future in any science field to get professional hands-on experience and understand the techniques, methods, and attitudes in that field. My experience at Pathways, in the Stem Cell Research Internship program has inspired me to contribute towards the alleviation of neurological diseases, which I have since achieved in three critical ways: Fundraising: Having gained a real-world understanding of the importance of Alzheimer’s disease research, I participated in fundraising activities, releasing a video of my own Sitar (Indian musical) compositions which raised $2,190. I also released and sold many copies of my first comic book for which I’m the author and illustrator. In both cases, 100% of the proceeds were donated to the Alzheimer’s Association to support research, awareness and education. Volunteering: Motivated to do more, I volunteered at the Pleasanton Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, aiding patients suffering from Alzheimer’s and Dementia. I also volunteered at Stanford Health Care Hospital’s clinical lab, helping doctors collect and process patient samples. These experiences enabled me to build upon the practical skills I gained during the Stem Cell Research Internship Program. College education: I applied to and was accepted into every University of California campus in addition to several private institutions. Several of these offers included scholarships and/or research grant awards. I have chosen to pursue a major in Neurobiology at UC Berkeley and, will begin my freshman year in the fall. For those who love science, seek hands-on experience or insights into the many possibilities that science holds, I would strongly recommend learning more through volunteering, outreach and real-world training programs like those at Pathways to Stem Cell Science.
Pathways to Stem Cell Science Awarded Grant to Host CIRM SPARK Program Meeting at Caltech
By Victoria Fox, Executive Director, Pathways to Stem Cell Science. We are pleased to announce Pathways to Stem Cell Science has been selected to host the 4th annual CIRM Summer Program to Accelerate Regenerative Medicine Knowledge (SPARK) Meeting at Caltech. Funded by a $49,915 grant from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM), this event assembles participants of the CIRM SPARK program for a 2-day science and networking symposium. CIRM SPARK is a CIRM funded summer internship program that enables high school students to gain stem cell research experience working in academic laboratories across California. The program aims to engage high school students in the field of stem cell research while initiating their journey towards bioscience careers. Seven institutions currently hold an active CIRM SPARK award, including Caltech, City of Hope, Cedars Sinai, UC Davis, UCSF, Stanford University and Children’s Hospital Oakland Research Institute (CHORI). The profound impact of the SPARK program is evident through the student’s social media communications. Their photos of life in the lab appear on Instagram under the hashtag #cirmsparklab. And in blog posts, students share their surprise that bioscience labs are not cold and stern, but exciting and warm places. Anna Guzman, then a high school Junior in 2018, wrote: “I imagined the chilling concentration of dozens of geniuses bent over their work, of tissue culture rooms where every tiny movement was a potential disaster…. I soon found that the lab was a place of laughter and jokes across bays, a place of smiles in the hallways and mentors who tirelessly explained theory after theory until the intoxicating satisfaction of a lightbulb sparked on inside my head…. I was wrong when I assumed that this was a place where I would never belong. Instead, as I stood in front of this community of amazingly brilliant and kind people, my mouth forming words that I couldn’t have dreamed of understanding a month ago, I realized that this was precisely where I belonged. This was the place for me.” Pathways to Stem Cell Science is also a key participant in the program’s success, acting as the co-director of the Caltech program and organizer of the 2019 CIRM SPARK meeting. The CIRM SPARK program is an integral part of our mission to foster equal educational and career opportunities for students across diverse and underserved backgrounds. It provides hands-on skills and career focused knowledge to low-income and underserved students. The CIRM SPARK program is culminated each year by the CIRM SPARK meeting, a 2-day event that enables students, scientists and program organizers to come together with policy makers, funding bodies, and influential figures in the scientific community. Sparking conversation between students and those established in the stem cell research community provides a critical platform for early career scientists to build confidence and professional networking skills. Organized by Pathways Program Director, Dr. Mickey Pentecost, the 2019 CIRM SPARK meeting will take place August 11th and 12th, 2019 at the William. G. Kerckhoff Laboratories at Caltech where over 200 students, scientists, companies, CIRM officials and influential figures in the life science field are expected to attend. The meeting will kick off with a networking dinner on the first day, followed on the second day by poster presentations, corporate displays and a symposium featuring key note speakers from industry, academia and patient advocacy groups. Renowned speakers will include Dr. Dennis Clegg of Regenerative Patch Technologies, Magdalena Zernicka-Goetz of Caltech, Adrienne Shapiro of Axis Advocacy and more. Pathways is excited to play an ongoing role in this life changing program and honored to have secured a competitive bid to host the 2019 CIRM SPARK meeting. To learn more, visit the event website.
Pathways to Stem Cell Science Featured in Arcadia Weekly’s Education News
By Victoria Fox, Executive Director, Pathways to Stem Cell Science. Pathways to Stem Cell Science was recently profiled in the education section of the Arcadia Weekly news. View the original article by education writer May. S. Ruiz, here.
Pathways to Stem Cell Science Recruits Top Stem Cell Scientist as Program Director
By Samantha McIsaac, Science writer Pathways to Stem Cell Science. Pathways to Stem Cell Science is excited to introduce our new Program Director, Dr. Mickey Pentecost. A cell biologist, engineer, and self-described “creative entrepreneur”, Dr. Pentecost joins our mission in advancing stem cell science and regenerative medicine while inspiring and preparing students for future bioscience careers. Dr. Pentecost received his Bachelor of Science in engineering from The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art in New York City. He then went on to earn a PhD from Stanford University School of Medicine while pioneering new research methodologies that enabled him to make significant discoveries in the mechanisms of microbial infections. Dr. Mickey Pentecost completed a Postdoctoral Fellowship at UCLA where he continued his success in cell biology, discovering important interactions between viruses and cell proteins. With expertise in molecular biology, genetic engineering, biochemistry, proteomics, cell biology, microscopy, bacteriology, virology, bioprocessing, biomanufacturing and data science, Dr. Pentecost will certainly be an asset to the team in multiple facets. His roles include helping with philanthropic fundraising and grant writing – to this end he has already secured a nearly $50,000 grant for our upcoming CIRM SPARK conference. Operating in collaboration with Caltech, the CIRM SPARK conference showcases the scientific accomplishments and presentations of high school students researching stem cells. Supervising and mentoring student researchers in the past as a Postdoctoral Fellow, Dr. Pentecost will now further our goal of preparing students for modern bioscience careers through teaching a new hands-on molecular stem cell biology course for high schoolers. This course will help us provide real-world education in the application of modern techniques for cloning engineered fusion proteins in stem cells. Dr. Pentecost will also help us partner with schools and other educational programs, including a STEM initiative with the Lower East Side Girls Club in New York. His addition to the team will assist Pathways to Stem Cell Science in creating more opportunity for students to learn about bioscience, furthering our educational objective of public education and outreach. Dr. Pentecost’s impressive accomplishments include receiving a National Research Service Award and co-authoring eight peer-reviewed publications and one patent. Also, at Cell Care Therapeutics in Los Angeles, California, he was Principal Scientist and then Director of R&D, where he established a biomanufacturing process for a novel stem cell-derived biologic. Dr. Pentecost’s role at Pathways to Stem Cell Science will be coupled with contracted research and launching his own stem cell therapeutics company, Diadem Biotherapeutics. The company will focus on developing Mesenchymal stem cell-based therapies for COPD. Pathways to Stem Cell Science is truly excited to welcome Dr. Mickey Pentecost!
2016 CIRM SPARK Blogs
Adriana Millan – Lifeline Education Charter School, Compton, CA As children, we all grew up with the companionship of our favorite television shows. We enjoyed sitcoms and other animations throughout our childhood and even as adults, there’s no shame. The goofy and spontaneous skits we enjoyed a laugh over, yet we did not pay much attention to the lessons they attempted to teach us. As a child, these shows play crucial roles in our educational endeavors. We are immediately hooked and tune in for every episode. They spark curiosity, as they allow our imaginations to run wild. For me, that is exactly where my curiosity stemmed and grew for science over the years. A delusional young girl, who had no idea what the reality of science was like. You expect to enter a lab and run a full day of experimentations. Accidentally mix the wrong chemicals and discover the cure for cancer. Okay, maybe not mix the incorrect chemicals together, I learned that in my safety training class. The reality is that working in a lab was far from what I expected — eye opening. Working alongside my mentor Sarah Frail was one of the best ways I have spent a summer. It was not my ideal summer of sleeping in until noon, but it was worthwhile. My experience is something that is a part of me now. I talk about it every chance I get, “Mom, can you believe I passaged cells today!” It changed the way I viewed the principles of science. Science is one of the most valuable concepts on this planet, it’s responsible for everything and that’s what I have taken and construed from my mentor. She shared her passion for science with me and that completed my experience. Before when I looked at cells, I did not know exactly what I was supposed to observe. What am I looking at? What is that pink stuff you are adding to the plate? However, now I feel accomplished. It was a bit of a roller coaster ride, with complications along the way, but I can say that I’m leaving this experience with a new passion. I am not just saying this to please the audience, but to express my gratitude. I would have never even looked into Huntington’s Disease. When I first arrived I was discombobulated. Huntington’s Disease? Now I can proudly say I have a grasp on the complexity of the disease and not embarrass my mentor my calling human cells bacteria – quite embarrassing in fact. I’m a professional pipette handler, I work well in the hood, I can operate a microscope – not so impressive, I have made possibly hundreds of gels, I have run PCRs, and my cells love me, what else can I ask for. If you are questioning what career path you are to take and even if it is the slightest chance it may be a course in science, I suggest volunteering in a lab. You will leave with your questioned answered. Is science for me? This is what I am leaving my experience with. Science is for me. Adriana was a recipient of the 2016 CIRM SPARK best blog award. Juleny Dueñez – Animo Leadership Charter High School, Inglewood, CA This internship has been a great and wonderful experience throughout. I am very fortunate enough to have received this opportunity and I am glad to have taken advantage of it. Being able to learn at this level of research under many great people with different experiences has been a highlight of my summer. What I loved the most about my internship at the California Institute of Technology was that I was able to learn very hands on with many great scientist. I was not only focused on one aspect or idea but I got to see a wide spectrum of work from many innovative and influential people. I really enjoyed learning under all of my mentors and being able to learn about innovative work that goes on daily and could change many people’s lives. Being in a lab where I was not limited to learning under one person was extraordinary. It was truly a privilege to work with all of the amazing researches and astounding postdocs and listen to what they were working on and take their advice. I got a true sense of what life as a true researcher consist of. Learning during lectures and then putting my knowledge to use was also something I looked forward to daily. I enjoyed learning different concepts and techniques like transfection and differentiation and then being able to practice how to complete these ideas. With my mentor by my side teaching and helping me to do things step by step with protocols made me feel confident and helped me learn much better. I built many trusting and good relationships not only with my mentor but many others that helped me gain experience not only with stem cells but making solutions and even viewing others work and progress. From this experience I learned many things about careers in research. I learned that being a researcher is a lot of dedication and perseverance. Being a researcher is difficult work and that can involve days of uncertain results or even failed experiments. A researcher’s schedule almost never goes as planned and can take a huge turn of events. Although sometimes frustrating to many of the researchers in the lab it was really inspiring to watch them never give up and continue to diligently work very hard for their goal. This experience overall has made me consider becoming a researcher. Although I am more interested in pursuing a career in the medical field, it has broadened my views over scientific work and has made me consider research overall. I enjoyed this program throughout its entirety, it was a helpful experience for me and my career choices but also for giving me the experience and preparing me for college/university which my parents and sister can
The Birth of Pathways to Stem Cell Science
Coming soon!