Office of Regenerative Medicine Trainee Committee
The Office of Regenerative Medicine (ORM) has established the ORM Trainee Committee (OTC) to advocate on behalf of trainees in regenerative medicine. Trainees can connect directly with committee members to share their needs, wants, and experiences so that ORM can better serve trainees in its programs.
Aboozar Moavarfeshani
Aboozar is a postdoctoral research fellow at the F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center (Boston Children’s Hospital) and the Center for Brain Science (Harvard University). He investigates molecular mechanisms that regulate neurodegeneration of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). His goal is to exploit genetic programs of neural cells in the retina to prevent degeneration of visual neural circuit.
Funding Opportunities & Notices
NEI Audacious Goals Initiative (AGI)
The Audacious Goals Initiative (AGI) for Regenerative Medicine is an effort by NEI to push the boundaries of vision science and restore vision through regeneration of the retina.
NIH Regenerative Medicine Innovation Project
The Regenerative Medicine Innovation Project (RMIP) was established by the 21st Century Cures Act to accelerate progress in the field by supporting clinical research on adult stem cells, while promoting scientific rigor and protecting patient safety. This initiative is a trans-NIH effort, in coordination with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Congress created the NIH Common Fund in 2006 for research programs that cut across multiple divisions at NIH — and that no one division could tackle on its own. Common Fund programs focus on urgent NIH priorities, emerging scientific opportunities, and pressing challenges in biomedical research.
- Learn about this year’s Common Fund opportunities. See an overview of Common Fund programs.
- The Common Fund’s High-Risk, High-Reward program helps exceptional scientists pursue creative approaches to major research challenges.
Expertise & Resources at NIH
NEI AMD Integrative Biology Initiative
The NYSCF Research Institute and the NEI have generated iPSCs from AMD patients, which are available to the vision research community.
Collaboration opportunities with NCATS
The National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences ' (NCATS) Division of Preclinical Innovation that is dedicated to addressing the scientific and technological challenges in the induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) field has a state-of-the-art research facility called the Stem Cell Translation Laboratory (SCTL).
The SCTL is seeking new collaborations to help achieve common goals in iPSC biology in a faster and more coordinated fashion. Prospective collaborators are encouraged to connect with NCATS for timely notification when program updates are announced. Learn more about the proposal process.
Additional Resources
A compilation of third-party guides, resources and templates that are highly relevant to researchers that want to learn more about gene therapy and how to develop a new gene therapy program.
FDA Gene Therapy Guidances
- FDA CBER Cellular & Gene Therapy Guidances Website - Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER)
- Chemistry, Manufacturing, and Control (CMC) Information for Human Gene Therapy Investigational New Drug Applications (INDs) - FDA CBER
- Preclinical Assessment of Investigational Cellular and Gene Therapy Products - FDA CBER
- Considerations for the Design of Early-Phase Clinical Trials of Cellular and Gene Therapy Products - FDA CBER
Standards and Best Practices for New Programs
- Regenerative Medicine Standards Landscape - Standards Coordinating Body
- Perspectives on Best Practices for Gene Therapy Programs - Human Gene Therapy
ISSCR 2021 Guidelines for the Field of Stem Cell Research and Regenerative Medicine
Guidelines for the Field of Stem Cell Research and Regenerative Medicine - ISSCR
For more context, refer to the following paper written by members off the 2021 ISSCR Guidelines Steering Committee and additional resources:
“Why stem cell guidelines needed an update: New criteria aim to reassure the public to permit progress in contentious research,” by Lovell-Badge (Nature)