California is a pioneer in the field of regenerative medicine — harnessing stem cells to usher in breakthrough scientific discoveries. Through the CIRM Bridges CSUN Stem Cell Research and Therapy Training Program, students at California State University, Northridge are helping to lead the way.

Funded by the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) and directed by CSUN biology professor Cindy Malone, Bridges is a program that engages CSUN undergraduates in cutting-edge stem cell research and puts them on a path to successful careers in the sciences. 

“Bridges gives our undergraduates access to incredible research opportunities that enable them to build critical knowledge and skills while also contributing to work that can have a real impact on people’s lives,” Malone said.

Stem cells are the building blocks of living organisms, with the ability to make infinite copies of themselves and change to become specialized cells. These abilities bring promise to research to heal spinal cord injuries, cancer, heart attack scars and other serious health challenges.

During her time in the Bridges program, Mineli Harteni ’18 (Biology) participated in preliminary research seeking to leverage stem cells to test the efficacy of novel cancer drugs in fighting brain tumors. The research, she said, was just one aspect of what made the experience worthwhile.

“Working in the lab was fascinating, but Bridges also helped me enormously by introducing me to the real-world application of biology and by teaching me how to talk to diverse audiences through the presentations I gave,” Harteni said. “I came to the U.S. from Iran in 2011 not speaking a word of English, and today I’m a new doctor starting my residency in internal medicine. Being in the Bridges program exposed me to so much and gave me a definite leg up in medical school.”

The program in CSUN’s College of Science and Mathematics accommodates up to 10 students annually, starting them off in the spring with a research techniques course, followed by a summer-long stem cell research intensive. In the fall, they are placed in full-time, paid positions at UCLA-based stem cell research laboratories for the entire academic year. Students also take a directed independent research class with Malone to prepare their lab work for presentation at stem cell conferences nationwide.

“Bridges students participate in amazing research on a broad range of topics,” Malone said. “Past projects have included investigations into degenerative disorders like muscular dystrophy — using stem cells to try to help people walk again. Other students have looked at how stem cells can revolutionize bone marrow transplants and whether they can repair scarred heart tissue resulting from a heart attack.”

Bridges participants write up their research as a senior thesis, and more than 50% end the program published in a prestigious, peer-reviewed journal.

The Bridges program has been awarded more than $12 million since 2010, including $4.3 million since 2022.

Inspired by their experiences in the stem cell lab, many graduates go on to pursue related careers. Christopher Nosala ’09 (Biotechnology), M.S. ’12 (Molecular Biology), who completed the program in 2011-12, received a Ph.D. in microbiology from UC Davis. Today, he’s a director of scientific communications for oncology at Amgen Inc. Bridges was a huge influence on his trajectory, he said. 

“I’m not someone who comes from a fancy background—I grew up in a blue-collar family and was the first one to get a college degree,” Nosala said. “The Bridges program really set me up to be competitive and to succeed.”

Cristian Rodriguez ’25 (Biology) is another first-generation college student whose Bridges experience, in 2023-24, opened doors.

“I worked in a lab developing protocols to generate stem cells for spinal cord injuries,” Rodriguez said. “My parents are immigrants from Mexico who didn’t have the privilege of getting an education, and I always assumed I would end up helping support them by joining my dad as a gardener. But this program put me on a different path. After my year was over, I got hired to continue in the lab full-time while I finished up my degree, and now I’m applying to Ph.D. programs in biology so I can continue studying regenerative medicine.”

For Malone, Bridges’ extraordinary student outcomes are a rich and fulfilling reward.

“I love seeing these kids fall in love with science and seize this life-changing opportunity they had no idea was out there for them,” she said. “I recently went to see the doctor, and when I walked into the lobby, I ran into one of my former students from the program. He’s now an orthopedic surgeon in that office! I was so proud — and so grateful to have been part of his journey.”

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