The course plan will involve a combination of 3 required courses and at least 1 elective course. The exact schedule will be determined in collaboration with program advisors. Some courses may be used to fulfill requirements for a Minor in Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, or the MS in Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine through a progressive degree program.
Required Courses (8 units)
MEDS 335 Vertebrate Development: From Stem to Sternum, 2 units (offered Fall 2023)
A survey course introducing the breadth of embryology. Students will learn about the development, function, and reparative ability of organs, both at the physiological and cellular levels.
SCRM/MEDS 380 Stem Cells: Fact and Fiction, 2 units (offered Spring 2024)
This course explores how the stem cell field influences health care, economics, and society, covering topics such as embryonic stem (ES) cell discovery, ES versus tissue stem cells, cloning, chimerism, and organ culture.
SCRM 515 Bringing Stem Cells to the Clinic, 4 units (offered Spring 2024)
This course addresses the business, legal, ethical, manufacturing, and regulatory aspects involved in the translation of stem cell research into clinical practice. Course topics include an overview of the drug discovery process, licensing and technology transfer, manufacturing cellular products and GMP concerns, FDA approval for clinical trials, and project management. In addition, the course covers in vitro disease models for drug screening, tissue engineering, and business pitches. The course also includes presentations by industry and clinical/translational experts, providing exposure to the breadth of career opportunities available in the field of stem cell biology and regenerative medicine.
Approved Electives (4 units)
Elective courses will be chosen in consultation with the Scholar’s advisors. The chosen course(s) will take into consideration areas of concentration of interest to the Scholar including biotechnology, basic/translational stem cell research, biomedical engineering, computational biology, business, journalism, GMP manufacturing as well as the Scholar’s career goals.
- SCRM 310L Laboratory Techniques in Developmental and Stem Cell Biology, 4 units (Fall)
- SCRM 490 Research for Credit, 2–4 units
- BISC 486 Regenerative Medicine: Principles, Paradigms and Practice, 4 units (Fall)
- BISC 480 Biology of Development, 4 units (Spring)
- BME 410L Introduction to Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering, 4 units
- BME 459L Introduction to Nanomedicine and Drug Delivery, 4 units
- QBIO 310 Statistical Thinking for Quantitative Biology, 2 units
- QBIO 401 Introduction to Computational Analysis of Biological Data, 4 units
- QBIO 482 Systems Biology: Modeling the Dynamics of Life, 4 units
- JOUR 409 Radio Storytelling and Podcasts, 4 units
- JOUR 414 Advanced Digital Media Storytelling, 2 units
- BUCO 333 Communication in the Working World—Managing Diversity, 4 units
- ACAD 245 Designing Products I, 4 units
Additional electives may be permitted in consultation with the program director.