Bridges to Stem Cells

Laboratory-Based Stem Cell Master's Internships

UC Santa Cruz is a host institution for two Master's internships in stem cell laboratory methods, supervised by faculty mentors. Interns at UC Santa Cruz devote most of the internship year to an independent laboratory research project focusing on basic research in the systems biology of stem cells, enjoy the benefits of networking with peers, and can take advantage of seminars and courses offered on campus, including programs offered by the UC Santa Cruz Genomics Institute Office of Diversity. Students enter these programs through the institutions they are enrolled in.

1. San Jose State's SCILL program: The San Jose State University consortium for Stem Cell Internships in Laboratory-based Learning Program (SCILL) provides coursework towards a Master’s of Arts or Master's of Biotechnology degree at San Jose State University in the Department of Biological Sciences and a 12-month, full-time internship in stem cell research in one of the four host institutions (UC Santa Cruz, Stanford University, the Parkinson's Institute, or Escape Therapeutics). Each intern develops an individual research plan as part of a professional development plan. Plans are developed in concert with a mentorship team that includes an internship coordinator from SJSU, a research mentor from the host institution, and a faculty mentor from SJSU.

2. CSU Channel Islands' SCTLM program: The Stem Cell Technology and Laboratory Management emphasis at California State University, Channel Islands provides intensive stem cell technology training via engagement in cutting-edge stem cell courses and a mandatory 1-year internship at a host facility (UC Santa Cruz, the Scripps Research Institute, the Beckman Center, UC Davis, UC Santa Barbara, University of Southern California, UC Riverside, UC San Diego, Cedars-Sinai Center, the Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles, Celavie Biosciences, Sanford Burnham Institute, Stanford University, or Western University).

Each of these Master's programs is supported by a Bridges to Stem Cell Research Grant from The California Institute of Regenerative Medicine (CIRM).