CIRM/TEAMS Cohorts
The SPARK Awards aim to improve access to stem cell research by selecting young individuals representing the diversity of California’s population, including those challenged by economic constraints. We encourage students from historically underrepresented groups and economically disadvantaged backgrounds to participate in this program.
2024 CIRM SPARK Trainees
Julier Thein mentored by Cesar Gonzalez in the lab of Qiang Lu in Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine
Jessica Lu mentored by Anthony Park in the lab of Saul Priceman in Department of Hematology & Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation
Vivian Yuan mentored by Ignacio Norambuena-Soto in the lab of Zhao Wang in Diabetes & Cancer Metabolism
Kira Zeng mentored by Wilma Tixi in the lab of Hung-Ping Shih in Translational Research & Cellular Therapeutics
Daniel Nam mentored by Sneha Varghese in the lab of Sangeeta Dhawan in Translational Research and Cellular Therapeutics
Jonathan Li mentored by Balint Beres in the lab of Tijana Jovanovic-Talisman in Molecular Medicine
Angelina Wu mentored by Babgen Manookian in the lab of Andrei Rodin in Computational and Quantitative Medicine
Katherine Bien mentored by Chelsea Jang in the lab of Yingfeng Deng in Diabetes and Cancer Metabolism
Alenabell Yang mentored by Hongmin Wu in the lab of Zuoming Sun in Immunology and Theranostics
Christine Lin mentored by Tammy Chang in the lab of Jiing-Kuan Yee in Translational Research & Cellular Therapeutics
Aaron Yang mentored by Leying Zhang in the lab of Behnam Badie in Brain Tumor Program
Jordan Struve mentored by Malaney Young in the lab of Robert J. Hickey in Cancer Cell Biology and Molecular Medicine
Natalie Sandoval mentored by Heather N. Zook in the lab of Teresa Ku in Translational Research and Cellular Therapeutics
Isaac Jung mentored by Margarita Gutova in the lab of Russell Rockne in Computational and Quantitative Medicine
2023 CIRM SPARK Trainees
Connor Tung mentored by Janine Quijano, Ph.D., in the lab of Teresa Ku, Ph.D., in Translational Research and Cellular Therapeutics (Arthur Riggs Diabetes and Metabolism Research Institute)
Ryan Ginn mentored by Yin Wang, M.D., Ph.D., in the lab of Zhao Wang, Ph.D. in Diabetes & Cancer Metabolism (Arthur Riggs Diabetes and Metabolism Research Institute)
Stephanie Cheung mentored by Yujun Wang, M.D., Ph.D. in the lab of Lisa Feldman in Surgery
Taisho Shiono mentored by Sneha Varghese in the lab of Sangeeta Dhawan, Ph.D. in Translational Research & Cellular Therapeutics (Arthur Riggs Diabetes and Metabolism Research Institute)
Gabrielle King mentored by Zunsong Hu, Ph.D.in the lab of Zhaohui Gu, Ph.D. in Computational and Quantitative Medicine, Systems Biology
Alicia Tam mentored by Amber Tucker in the lab of Meirigeng Qi, M.D., Ph.D. in Translational Research and Cellular Therapeutics (Arthur Riggs Diabetes and Metabolism Research Institute)
Omisha Sangani mentored by Naseeb Malhi, Ph.D. in the lab of Zhen Chen, Ph.D. in Translational Research and Cellular Therapeutics (Arthur Riggs Diabetes and Metabolism Research Institute)
Joan Ruiz mentored by Alex Chassiakos in the lab of Zhaohui Gu, Ph.D. in Computational and Quantitative Medicine, Systems Biology
Aura Gallardo Muñoz mentored by Guan Wang, Ph.D. in Qiong (Annabel) Wang, Ph.D. lab in Molecular & Cellular Endocrinology (Arthur Riggs Diabetes and Metabolism Research Institute)
Juan David Gomez-Novy mentored by Isaac Garcia in the lab of Enrique Montero, M.D., Ph.D. in Translational Research and Cellular Therapeutics (Arthur Riggs Diabetes and Metabolism Research Institute)
Julissa Esparza mentored by Ling Fu in the lab of Yingfeng Deng in Diabetes & Cancer Metabolism (Arthur Riggs Diabetes and Metabolism Research Institute)
Kyan Chau mentored by Cesar Gonzalez in the lab of Qiang Lu in Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine
Renee Chen mentored by Jonas Cerneckis in the lab of Yanhong Shi in Neurodegenerative Diseases, Division of Stem Cell Biology Research
2022 CIRM SPARK Trainees
Grace Aranda, a junior at Ruben S. Ayala High School, mentored by Anthony Chan, Ph.D., in the lab of Chun-Wei (David) Chen, Ph.D., in the Division of Epigenetic and Transcriptional Engineering in the Department of Systems Biology.
Ashley Chen, a junior at Arcadia High School, mentored by Aly Buckley in the lab of Zijie (ZJ) Sun, M.D., Ph.D., in the Department of Cancer Biology.
Victoria Chen, a sophomore at Arcadia High School, mentored by Lei Tian, Ph.D., in the lab of Jianhua Ya, Ph.D., in the Department of Hematology & Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation.
Ethan Chen, a senior at Arcadia High School, mentored by Eryun Zhang, Ph.D., in the lab of Wendong Huang, Ph.D., in the Department of Diabetes Complications & Metabolism.
Elizabeth Gayhart, a junior at Mountain View High School, was mentored by Eric Carlson in the lab of Mark LaBarge, Ph.D., in the Department of Population Sciences.
Elyse Hwang, a junior at La Cañada High School, mentored by Chih-Hong Lou, Ph.D., in the lab of JK Yee, Ph.D., in the Department of Stem Cell Biology & Regenerative Medicine.
Anvitha Marlapati, a junior at Arcadia High School, mentored by Diana Gumber in the lab of Leo Wang, M.D., Ph.D., in the Department of Immuno-Oncology.
Zaighum Nagra, a junior at North Hollywood High School, mentored by Guan Wang, Ph.D., in the lab of Qiong (Annabel) Wang, Ph.D., in the Department of Molecular & Cellular Endocrinology.
Mindy Rodriguez, a senior at Los Altos High School, was mentored by Alonso Tapia in the lab of Zhen Bouman Chen, Ph.D., in the Department of Diabetes Complications & Metabolism.
Arianna Serna, a senior at Duarte High School, mentored by Aly Buckley in the lab of Zijie (ZJ) Sun, M.D., Ph.D., in the Department of Cancer Biology.
Chengming (Lucas) Sun, a junior at Arcadia High School, mentored by Sneha Varghese, Ph.D., in the lab of Sangeeta Dhawan, Ph.D., in the Department of Translational Research & Cellular Therapeutics
Alyssa Wu, a senior at Diamond Bar High School, mentored by Qi Cui, Ph.D., in the lab of Yanhong Shi, Ph.D., in the Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine.
Teresa Yu, a junior at Duarte High School, was mentored by Junfeng Li, Ph.D., in the Department of Translational Research and Cellular Therapeutics.
Richard Zhu, a junior at North Hollywood High School, mentored by Haitao Sun, Ph.D., in the lab of Binghui Shen, Ph.D., in the Department of Cancer Genetics and Epigenetics.
2021 CIRM SPARK Trainees
Neil Chen, a junior at San Marino High School, was mentored by Zhen Bouman Chen, Ph.D., in the Department of Diabetes Complications & Metabolism.
Cindy Fabian, a junior at John H. Francis Polytechnic High School, was mentored by Wilma Tixi, Ph.D. in the lab of Hung-Ping (Ben) Shih, Ph.D., in the Department of Translational Research and Cellular Therapeutics.
Lauren Ginn, a senior at Flintridge Preparatory School, was mentored by Maricela Maldonado, Ph.D., in the lab of Hung-Ping (Ben) Shih, Ph.D., in the Department of Translational Research and Cellular Therapeutics.
Lina Huang, a junior at Philips Exeter Academy, was mentored by Lynn Miao, Ph.D., in the lab of Fouad Kandeel, M.D., Ph.D., in the Department of Translational Research and Cellular Therapeutics.
Audrey Jung, a sophomore at Flintridge Preparatory School, was mentored by Keiko Omori, Ph.D., in the lab of Fouad Kandeel, M.D., Ph.D., in the Department of Translational Research and Cellular Therapeutics.
Nikolai Piskulich, a junior at Damien High School, was mentored by Lynn Miao, Ph.D., in the lab of Fouad Kandeel, M.D., Ph.D., in the Department of Translational Research and Cellular Therapeutics.
Mary White, a junior at Harvard-Westlake School, was mentored by Meirigeng Qi, M.D., Ph.D., in the lab of Fouad Kandeel, M.D., Ph.D., in the Department of Translational Research and Cellular Therapeutics.