作者：辛西娅·休伯特

2024年7月24日

In her undergraduate Biology courses at 萨克拉门托 State, Fatima Miranda Chavez became fascinated with stem cells and their potential to treat and cure devastating illnesses including cancer, Parkinson’s disease and bone disorders.

米兰达·查韦斯现在是萨克州立大学的研究生，她正在研究干细胞的博彩平台。 And the first few weeks of her internship in Professor Thomas Ambrosi’s UC Davis Health lab have convinced her she has found her career path.

“These cells are my babies,” said Miranda Chavez, who along with another 囊状态 graduate student, Amber Maifeld, is studying the potential for stem cells to treat osteoporosis and other bone maladies. “I’m so excited to be working with them.”

Miranda Chavez和Maifeld是Sac州立大学最新一批优秀学生的一部分，他们参加了与加州大学戴维斯分校合作的生物技术干细胞硕士项目。 该项目由加州再生医学研究所（California Institute for Regenerative Medicine）提供的290万美元赠款资助，该研究所支持全州各机构和公司的研究和教育。

自2011年以来，Sac州立大学的学生一直参与该项目，该校是接受该研究所资助的14所州立大学之一。

这些资金支持旨在利用干细胞进行医学治疗的研究。 干细胞存在于大多数组织中，具有巨大的潜力，因为除了自我复制的能力之外，它们还可以在一个被称为分化的过程中转化为不同类型的细胞。

Miranda Chavez和Maifeld在Ambrosi的指导下工作，Ambrosi是加州大学戴维斯分校骨科外科的助理教授，也是干细胞生物学的专家。 Ambrosi和他的同事们正致力于利用干细胞来预防和逆转骨老化和恶性肿瘤。

“All of these students are interested in research that can have a lasting impact on patients. Stem cell research can lead to cures.”

-- Kimberly Mulligan, 囊状态 associate professor of Biology

萨克州立大学的学生们正在从人类和小鼠组织中收集细胞，制造纯样本，培养细胞并测试它们增强骨骼的能力。

“We’re looking at aging-related changes to bones, and how stem cells might be stimulated to enhance bone growth,” said Ambrosi. 他指出，大约一半的女性患有与衰老有关的骨折，而这样的研究可能会导致逆转这一过程的治疗方法。

Including Maifeld and Miranda Chavez, eight 囊状态 students are currently participating in the program, studying the molecular underpinnings of conditions including Parkinson’s disease, spina bifida, sickle cell anemia and Huntington’s disease.

“All of these students are interested in research that can have a lasting impact on patients,” said Kimberly Mulligan, a 囊状态 associate professor of Biology who oversees the University’s Stem Cell Program. “Stem cell research can lead to cures.”

穆利根说，参加比赛的学生不仅是优秀的学者，而且表现出了热情和毅力。

“研究 is demanding, and it can really break you down,” she said. “Resilience and motivation are very important.”

在Sac州立大学学习了两个学期的分子生物学和相关学科的研究生课程后，学生们将在加州大学戴维斯分校干细胞项目中学习八个月，在最先进的实验室全职工作，并获得每月的津贴和学费帮助。

Mulligan说，这个项目提供了宝贵的经验，可以加快他们在干细胞领域的职业生涯，同时知道他们的研究可以为现实世界的治疗做出贡献，也让他们感到满意。

In addition, she said, the collaboration between 囊状态 and UC Davis offers students “the best of both worlds.” 他们在萨克州立大学接受一流的、专注的细胞生物学课堂培训，然后在世界一流的研究机构将他们的研究付诸实践。

Participating students “bring new energy and ideas into our labs,” said Jan Nolta, director of the UC Davis Stem Cell Program. “I look forward to their arrival every summer.”

“We are truly fortunate to have such inspiring young people choose to spend their summer with us.”

Maifeld and Miranda Chavez came into Ambrosi’s lab with minimal research experience.

“I got a small taste of the potential of stem cells as an undergraduate, and it intrigued me,” Maifeld said. “It’s all very fascinating.”

迈菲尔德希望利用自己的知识攻读博士学位，并可能在不断发展的干细胞研究和再生医学领域找到一份工作。 米兰达·查韦斯（Miranda Chavez）也认为自己将继续研究。

“Until I got here, I didn’t know I would have such a fascination with bone biology,” Maifeld said. “But bone loss is something that happens to everyone over time, and stem cells hold so much therapeutic potential. That’s really exciting.”