CIRM/Teams Faculty

David Ann, Ph.D. 

Director, Eugene and Ruth Roberts Summer student Academy and Co-director CIRM/TEAMS Program 

David Ann, Ph.D
David Ann, Ph.D. is the Director of the Eugene and Ruth Roberts Summer Student Academy and the Co-Director of the CIRM/TEAMS Program, the Dean and the Helen & Morgan Chu Dean’s Chair of the Irell & Manella Graduate School of Biological Sciences, and Professor in the Department of Diabetes Complications and Metabolism at City of Hope.  

After receiving his Ph.D. from Purdue University and completing post-doctoral training at the University of California, Davis, Dr. Ann held professor positions at the University of Minnesota Medical School and the University of Southern California in the Department of Molecular Pharmacology. Shortly after joining City of Hope’s Department of Diabetes and Metabolism Complications as a professor in 2014, he received a joint appointment to the Department of Genetics and Epigenetics. His research focuses on the identification of the genes and pathways that contribute to disorders with complex etiologies, particularly cancer and metabolism. 

Under Dr. Ann’s leadership, the Irell & Manella Graduate School of Biological Sciences has entered a new epoch of training, research, and discovery. He is dedicated to providing unique outreach and mentored research experiences in diabetes and cancer research laboratories to underrepresented students. He has dedicated over 8 years to the development of the Eugene and Ruth Roberts Summer Student Academy, the CIRM/TEAMS program, and the NCI-YES2SUCCESS program at City of Hope.  

 

Hung-Ping (Ben) Shih, Ph.D. 

Co-Director, CIRM/TEAMS Program

Hung-Ping (Ben) Shih, Ph.D.
Ben Shih, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor in the Department of Translational Research and Cellular Therapeutics at the City of Hope and the Co-director of the CIRM/TEAMS program. 

After completing his undergraduate and master’s studies in Taiwan, Dr. Shih received his Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Biophysics from Oregon State University. He continued post-doctoral training as a fellow in a developmental biology laboratory at UC Irvine and a regenerative medicine lab at UC San Diego. He established his laboratory at City of Hope in 2015 with the goal of understanding the molecular mechanisms of how environmental factors regulate the formation and function of pancreatic cells. For the past few years, his lab has focused on defining the role of cell-cell adhesion signaling during pancreatic cell differentiation.  

Dr. Shih is a firm believer in the value of mentoring. He has worked with more than 25 outstanding summer students as a part of the Eugene and Ruth Roberts Summer Student Academy and the CIRM/TEAMS program, among others. He approaches teaching with the goal of sharing his passion for science and lending students the momentum and inspiration necessary to pursue careers in STEM. He believes that the CIRM/TEAMS program is essential to motivate young trainees to enter regenerative medicine.  

Glenn Manthey, Ph.D. 

Associate Program Director, Eugene and Ruth Roberts Summer Student Academy  

Glenn Manthey, Ph.D.
Glenn Manthey, Ph.D. is the Assistant Director of Admissions and Recruitment at the Irell & Manella Graduate School of Biological Sciences and the Associate Program Director for the Eugene and Ruth Roberts Summer Student Academy and the CIRM/TEAMS program.  

His career began at Grinnell College, where he obtained his bachelor's degree in Biology. He received his Ph.D. in Microbiology and Molecular Genetics from UCLA and furthered his training with fellowships at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, WA and City of Hope’s own Beckman Research Institute. He then began working as a Staff Scientist in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology at City of Hope before he transferred to the Irell & Manella Graduate School. In his 25 years at City of Hope, he has mentored dozens of students, including Eugene and Ruth Roberts Summer Student Academy trainees and graduate students.  

Dr. Manthey’s scientific philosophy is rooted in mentorship. His own mentors guided him through the trials and tribulations of becoming a scientist and taught him the importance of building a legacy. He believes it is his responsibility to pass on the knowledge he has acquired to the next generation of scientists. He consistently goes out of his way to work with trainees and to provide them with the most supportive environment for learning possible.