Introductory course to human pluripotent stem cell culture, reprogramming, differentiation, and gene editing techniques
SYLLABUS
Course Description
We will provide foundational training in core stem cell technologies, including human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) reprogramming, human pluripotent stem cell (PSC) culture, genome engineering, and cellular differentiation. This introductory training program is delivered virtually by UCLA faculty in collaboration with Thermo Fisher Scientific, a leading member of the California biotechnology community and a trusted provider of standardized reagents and platforms for stem cell research and regenerative medicine applications. The program builds upon educational materials that have been successfully developed, refined, and utilized by Thermo Fisher Scientific for over a decade.
In addition to the core curriculum, UCLA faculty will present specialized lectures on emerging areas of stem cell and regenerative medicine research, including “Clinical Trials and Brain Organoids” (Dr. Ming-Fen Ho, The Mayo Clinic), “3D Biology to the Future” (Dr. Glauco Souza, Greiner Bio-One), and “Integrating Systems Biology and AI” (Dr. Cristina Correia, The Mayo Clinic). Faculty members including Dr. Kathrin Plath and Dr. Kitai Kim will also participate in discussions and Q&A sessions.
Overall, the course is designed to provide participants with a practical introduction to conducting human PSC-based research within their own laboratories and serves as part of the UCLA-CIRM Shared Resource Laboratory educational initiative (https://www.uclastemcellengineering.com/ucla-cirm-srl).
Course Objectives
Upon completion of the program, participants will gain a strong foundation in essential stem cell laboratory techniques and develop new technical and professional competencies, including:
• Best practices for aseptic tissue culture techniques, laboratory organization, and proper maintenance of stem cell culture equipment.
• Expansion, maintenance, cryopreservation, thawing, and passaging of human pluripotent stem cells (PSCs), including both feeder-dependent and feeder-free culture systems.
• Directed differentiation of human PSCs into specialized cell types, including neural and mesodermal lineages.
• Exposure to neural differentiation, muscle differentiation, and genome engineering services and workflows available through the UCLA Human Stem Cell and Genome Engineering Center.
• Methods for characterization and quality assessment of pluripotent stem cells and differentiated cell populations.
• Genome engineering strategies in human PSCs, including CRISPR-based design, delivery, screening, validation, and clonal expansion of edited PSC lines.
• Understanding of policy, ethical, and regulatory considerations that influence human PSC research and translational applications.
• Key considerations for the clinical and regenerative medicine applications of human PSC technologies.
• Opportunities to expand professional networks through interactions with UCLA faculty, scientific experts, industry collaborators, and technical staff.
Course Format and Dates
7 virtual sessions (1.5 - 2 hours each), Mondays at 9 AM – spanning seven weeks from April 6, 2026 – May 18, 2026. The specific lecture dates are listed below:
The individual sessions will consist of lectures by experienced stem cell biology scientists and educators from Thermo Fisher, with support from UCLA faculty. For a thorough learning
experience, the lecture material will be paired with relevant e-learning resources and instructional videos.
Lecture 1: Introduction to human PSCs Monday 9 am, April 6th
Lecture 2: Reprogramming to human iPSCs Monday 9 am, Apri 13th
Lecture 3: Basics of feeder-free human PSC culture (W/ Dr. Ho) Monday 9 am, April 20th
Lecture 4: Advanced feeder-free human PSC culture Monday 9 am, April 27th
Lecture 5: Gene Editing on human PSCs Monday 9 am, May 4th
Lecture 6: Mesodermal differentiation (w/ Dr. Souza) Monday 9 am, May 11th
Lecture 7: Neural differentiation in 2D/3D (w/ Dr. Correia) Monday 9 am, May 18th
Course Instructors
Thomas Forbes, PhD, Staff Scientist, Field Applications, Thermo Fisher Scientific thomas.forbes@thermofisher.com
Omar Farah, PhD, Manager, Field Applications, Thermo Fisher Scientific omar.farah@thermofisher.com
Kitai Kim, PhD, Director of the CIRM-UCLA Shared Resource Lab, knkim@mednet.ucla.edu
Kathrin Plath, PhD, PI of the CIRM-UCLA Shared Resource Lab, kplath@mednet.ucla.edu
Ming-Fen Ho, PhD, Associate Professor of Psychiatry Mayo Clinic, Ho.MingFen@mayo.edu
Glauco Souza, PhD, Director of Global Business Development & Innovation, Greiner Bio-One, Glauco.Souza@gbo.com
Cristina Miranda de Araujo Correia, PhD, Assistant Professor of Pharmacology Mayo Clinic, Correia.Cristina@mayo.edu
Course Tuition
Offered free of charge through the collaboration and support of the Thermo Fisher Scientific Outreach Program.
Course Prerequisites
• Introductory coursework or foundational knowledge in cell biology and molecular biology.
• Basic familiarity with laboratory safety practices and standard biosafety protocols.
Course Materials
Course materials, including presentation slides, session recordings, detailed protocols, eLearning modules, instructional videos, and step-by-step guides, will be made available to all trainees throughout the program. In addition, participants will be provided with recommendations for relevant research articles, protocols, and reference materials to further strengthen their understanding of stem cell biology, genome engineering, and regenerative medicine applications.
Beyond the formal course curriculum, the program will place a strong emphasis on mentorship and professional networking opportunities with the teaching faculty and instructors. All instructors are committed to supporting trainees both during and after the course through scientific discussions, guidance on experimental design and troubleshooting, potential collaborative opportunities, and career development mentorship.