Areas Of Research
Stem Cell Research

Stem cells are the foundation cells for virtually every tissue and organ in the body. They are essentially "blank" cells that have not yet been programmed to differentiate into the various specialized cells that make up an organism. There are two main classes of stem cells. Embryonic stems cells are derived from developing embryos or fetuses. They are referred to as pluripotent because they can give rise to any cell type in the body. Adult stem cells are derived from differentiated tissues such as brain or bone marrow. Typically, they are pre-programmed to form different cell types of their own tissue, and as such they are referred to as multipotent.

The discovery of stem cells has been suggested by many to represent one of the most important medical discoveries of the past 100 years. Over the last several years there has been a remarkable surge in literature documenting the feasibility of using stem cells to treat a broad spectrum of human diseases including multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer's disease, cancer, ALS, type-1 diabetes, arthritis, burns, and spinal cord injury. In addition, stem cells are being used in basic research laboratories to help elucidate fundamental concepts in molecular, cellular, and developmental biology.

Organized around the Stem Cell Research Center (SCRC), the University of California, Irvine is currently on the cutting edge of stem cell research. The SCRC was established in 2005 by the School of Biological Sciences and the School of Medicine with the stated goal of promoting basic and clinical stem cell research and training at UCI and collaborating institutions. The SCRC has grown rapidly in the past year. It has built and equipped a laboratory core facility, located in the University Research Park (Theory Building). The core facility has been designed to promote stem cell technology, resources, expertise, and training in all aspects of stem cell biology.

The biotechnology community has recognized the applicability of stem cells for use in treating human disease for several years. Many companies have devoted significant portions of their research and development budgets into stem cell biology research platforms. As such, the need for well-trained scientists, skilled in the growth and manipulation of stem cells, is currently on the rise. Therefore, UCI now offers an Emphasis in Stem Cell Biology in conjunction with our Masters in Biotechnology graduate program.