Newsletter October 2026

Feature

Training Tomorrow's Cell and Gene Therapy Leaders

From gene-editing technologies that target the root causes of disease to engineered cells that fight cancer, cell and gene therapies are reshaping the future of medicine. What once seemed like a distant possibility is increasingly becoming reality, offering new hope for patients with conditions that have long lacked effective treatments.

At UC Davis, researchers are helping lead this transformation while preparing the next generation of scientists, clinicians, and biotechnology professionals who will carry the field forward. In this effort, the university has a close partnership with the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM), which has invested in both pioneering research and innovative workforce development programs that accelerate the translation of discoveries into therapies. Through the UC Davis Gene Therapy Program, directed by Jan A. Nolta, and CIRM-supported training initiatives, trainees can gain hands-on experience in regenerative medicine, stem cell science and gene therapy.

Addressing disease in fundamentally different ways

Cell and gene therapies aim to address disease in fundamentally different ways than traditional medicines. Instead of treating symptoms, these approaches seek to repair, replace or regulate the underlying biological mechanisms that cause disease.

Among the UC Davis scientists advancing this work is Kyle Fink, associate professor of neurology and associate director of the School of Medicine Cell and Gene Therapy Center. Fink's research focuses on developing gene and epigenome editing therapies for rare neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders, including Huntington's disease, CDKL5 Deficiency Disorder, Rett Syndrome, Jordan’s Syndrome, and other genetic conditions that currently have limited treatment options. His laboratory combines CRISPR-based gene regulation, patient-derived cellular models and innovative therapeutic delivery approaches to develop potential treatments that could move from the laboratory to clinical testing.

Fink credits CIRM's various training programs, as well as its funding opportunities, for his lab's work and for the development of a strong workforce in the field. “CIRM has long supported the development of novel treatments using cell and gene therapy approaches and is the main reason I joined UC Davis over 13 years ago," Fink said. "CIRM has not only provided funding enabling my lab to advance innovative and hopefully impactful technologies but has helped staff my lab through the multiple training, internship, and fellowship opportunities. The trainees that have come from CIRM programs through my lab are now leading their own independent labs, serving as program managers for Rare disease organizations, working in industry, and are truly leading the next generation of medicines.”

Building the Workforce of the Future

Scientific breakthroughs alone are not enough to bring new therapies to patients. Developing cell and gene therapies requires experts in basic science, clinical research, manufacturing, quality control, regulatory science, ethics and patient care.

To meet that need, CIRM-developed training programs at UC Davis give students, postdoctoral scholars and physician-scientists hands-on experience in regenerative medicine and gene therapy. Training programs include the Bridges internship program and Solano COMPASS for undergraduate and graduate students in partnership with CSU Sacramento, Cal Poly Humboldt and Solano Community College (COMPASS). In these programs, the students take didactic coursework at their home institution and then come to UC Davis to learn benchwork, GMP manufacturing, and logistics.

Summer Program to Accelerate Regenerative Medicine Knowledge (SPARK) is designed for high school students. SPARK students spend a summer learning about stem cells and regenerative medicine and participate in a six-week paid research internship in a stem cell lab. At the end of their program, they present their research at the SPARK annual conference.

The EDUC4, CIRM's Scholar’s Program for Pre-Doctoral, Post-Doctoral, and Clinical Fellows provides trainees with interdisciplinary education, mentorship and research experience designed to prepare them for careers in academia, biotechnology and clinical translation. Nolta serves as principal investigator for the program.

“Having this program over the past decade has allowed us to train so many fabulous students who are the future of science and medicine in California and beyond,” said Nolta. “Not only are we training brilliant graduate students and postdoctoral fellows, but also innovative and ambitious M.D. fellows who are interested in administering these novel cell and gene therapies to their patients.”

The program reflects a broader recognition that workforce development is essential to sustaining innovation. As therapies move closer to widespread clinical use, the demand for highly trained professionals continues to grow.

Looking Ahead

Advances in gene editing, cellular engineering, and regenerative medicine continue to expand the possibilities for treating diseases that were once considered untreatable.

At UC Davis, that future is being shaped not only by pioneering research but also by the people preparing to lead the field in the years ahead. Through investments in both discovery and workforce development, the university is helping ensure that the promise of cell and gene therapy reaches the patients who need it most.