Sue and Bill Gross Stem Cell Research Center

What Sue and Bill Gross Stem Cell Research Center does

The Sue and Bill Gross Stem Cell Research Center is an organized research unit within the University of California, Irvine, focused on stem cell biology and translational neuroscience. Founded in 2005 and based in Irvine, California, the center investigates intrinsic and extrinsic factors that define neural stem cell behavior both in vitro and after transplantation into the spinal cord, with the goal of developing new clinical strategies for spinal cord injury and central nervous system diseases. Its research portfolio spans neural stem cell transplantation, biomaterial scaffolds for axonal regeneration, and the role of innate immune molecules in neural stem cell survival, proliferation, quiescence, fate, and migration.

The center's most notable translational outputs include contributing to an FDA-approved Phase I clinical trial of human neural stem cells in Pelizaeus-Merzbacher disease (PMD) and an FDA-approved Phase I/II clinical trial for thoracic spinal cord injury. These programs represent rare regulatory clearances for cell-based neurologic therapies. The center operates as part of UCI's research infrastructure under the governance of the University of California system, with funding derived from grants, sponsored projects, and institutional support rather than commercial pricing or product revenue.

The center does not operate as a commercial enterprise and has no pricing model, paying customers, or product distribution channels. Its leadership has been anchored by Dr. Aileen Anderson, who served as director from 2017 to 2025 after an earlier stint as associate/interim director from 2013, and who transitioned in 2025 to the role of Vice Chancellor for Research at UCI. Research dissemination occurs through academic publications, conference presentations, and clinical trial participation.

Name

Sue and Bill Gross Stem Cell Research Center

Legal name

Sue and Bill Gross Stem Cell Research Center

Website

https://research.uci.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The Sue and Bill Gross Stem Cell Research Center is a UC Irvine research unit conducting translational neuroscience and stem cell biology, developing neural stem cell therapies and biomaterial scaffolds for spinal cord injury and central nervous system diseases, funded through grants and institutional support.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Stem Cell Research

NAICS

Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714), Scientific Research and Development Services (5417)

SIC

Biological Products, (No Disgnostic Substances) (2836), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Neural & Spinal Cord Regeneration (HLAAAGAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Stem Cell Therapies (MSC/iPSC/HSC-derived) (HLAAABAE), Neurology/CNS Gene Therapies (HLAAACAH)

Keywords

• Stem cell research
• Neural stem cells
• Spinal cord injury
• Regenerative medicine
• Translational neuroscience

Headquarters

HQ city

Irvine

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure

Core offering

The Sue and Bill Gross Stem Cell Research Center is a university-based research unit at UC Irvine that conducts discovery biology and translational neuroscience research focused on stem cell science and regenerative medicine. It investigates intrinsic and extrinsic factors defining neural stem cell behavior in vitro and after transplantation into the spinal cord, develops biomaterial scaffold therapies for axonal regeneration, and identifies novel roles of innate immune molecules in neural stem cell function. The center's pre-clinical work has enabled FDA-approved phase I clinical trials of human neural stem cells for Pelizaeus-Merzbacher disease and phase I/II trials for thoracic spinal cord injury.

Product overview

The Sue and Bill Gross Stem Cell Research Center is a research center at UC Irvine focused on stem cell biology and translational neuroscience research. The center conducts discovery biology and identifies translational strategies for spinal cord injury and central nervous system diseases. Key research areas include neural stem cell behavior studies both in vitro and after spinal cord transplantation, innate immune molecules' roles in neural stem cell function, biomaterial scaffolds for axonal regeneration, and cell therapy development for neurological diseases and injuries. The center has enabled FDA-approved clinical trials including a phase I trial for human neural stem cells in Pelizaeus-Merzbacher disease and a phase I/II clinical trial for thoracic spinal cord injury. This is a research institution, not a commercial product company.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• FDA-approved phase I trial of human neural stem cells in Pelizaeus-Merzbacher disease (PMD)
• +1 more outcomes

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Emerging players

• Athersys: Clinical-stage cell therapy company (MultiStem platform) with prior programs in neurological injury, a relevant peer for cell therapy approaches to CNS trauma despite different cell type.
• Notch Therapeutics: Early-stage company developing iPSC-derived immune and stem cell therapies; overlapping cell engineering and regenerative medicine platform relevant to the center's translational work.
• Sana Biotechnology: Cell therapy company developing stem cell-derived treatments including for CNS indications; partial overlap with the center's neural stem cell and regenerative medicine focus.

Direct peers

• Aspen Neuroscience: Clinical-stage company developing autologous neuron replacement cell therapies for CNS disorders, with overlapping scientific approach to neural cell transplantation and disease modification.
• Lineage Cell Therapeutics: Clinical-stage cell therapy company developing allogeneic cell transplant therapies for CNS indications including spinal cord injury, directly comparable to the center's neural stem cell and spinal cord injury translational programs.
• Lexeo Therapeutics: Clinical-stage gene and cell therapy company that acquired Neuralstem's neural stem cell platform, directly comparable to the center's CNS-directed cell therapy pipeline.
• BlueRock Therapeutics: Bayer-owned cell therapy company focused on iPSC-derived neural cell therapies for neurodegenerative disease and CNS injury; overlaps directly with the center's neural stem cell transplantation work.
• BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics: Cell therapy company developing autologous bone marrow-derived MSC therapies for neurodegenerative diseases, a directly comparable autologous cell therapy approach for CNS indications.

Broad incumbents

• Vertex Pharmaceuticals: Large biotech with an approved cell/gene therapy (Casgevy) and an active pipeline in cell-based medicines; comparable as a broad incumbent commercializing cell therapy approaches the center is researching pre-clinically.

Others

• Cedars-Sinai Regenerative Medicine Institute: Academic regenerative medicine and stem cell research institute with overlapping CNS and spinal cord injury research programs; comparable as a peer research unit operating in the same scientific space.

Market position

Strengths3 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights4 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/university-of-california-irvine

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Sue and Bill Gross Stem Cell Research Center