USC Stem Cell
USC Stem Cell is an academic research department and center within USC's Keck School of Medicine that conducts stem cell biology and regenerative medicine research across six clinical translation areas, trains undergraduate through postdoctoral students, and spins out startups such as AcuraStem and AO Technologies.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2006
- HeadquartersLos Angeles, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What USC Stem Cell does
USC Stem Cell is the umbrella designation for three interlinked entities at the University of Southern California: the Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine within the Keck School of Medicine, the Eli and Edythe Broad Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research (established in 2006 with a $20 million gift from Eli and Edythe Broad), and a university-wide initiative connecting over 100 research and clinical faculty across USC and Children's Hospital Los Angeles. The center runs six clinical translation programs covering heart regeneration, kidney building from stem cells, neurodegeneration and blindness treatment, cancer immunotherapy, bone/joint healing, and HIV gene therapy cure. Core technology platforms include embryonic and induced pluripotent stem cells, CRISPR-based gene editing, organoid engineering, synthetic cellular communication systems (synNotch), and the only known ES-cell-derived knockout rat models. Research is supported by core facilities for flow cytometry, optical imaging, and therapeutic screening serving approximately 100 laboratories.
The business model is that of an academic research department rather than a commercial entity. Revenue sources are competitive research grants (CIRM, NIH, ARPA-H, private foundations), philanthropic gifts, tuition from undergraduate, master's, PhD, and postdoctoral training programs, fee-for-service use of core research facilities, and technology licensing income. Notable spinouts include AcuraStem (ALS therapy licensed to Takeda), AO Technologies (ARPA-H-funded cochleoscope startup), and Carthronix (osteoarthritis cartilage regeneration). The center operates from the Eli and Edythe Broad Center at 1975 Zonal Ave., Los Angeles, and is led by Department Chair and Center Director Charles (Chuck) Murry, who succeeded founder Andrew McMahon.
USC Stem Cell firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- USC Stem Cell
- Legal name
- University of Southern California
- Website
- https://stemcell.keck.usc.edu
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2006
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- USC Stem Cell is an academic research department and center within USC's Keck School of Medicine that conducts stem cell biology and regenerative medicine research across six clinical translation areas, trains undergraduate through postdoctoral students, and spins out startups such as AcuraStem and AO Technologies.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
USC Stem Cell industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Academic Regenerative Medicine Research
- NAICS
- Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714), Scientific Research and Development Services (5417), Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (54171), Educational Support Services (61171)
- SIC
- Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Biological Products, (No Disgnostic Substances) (2836), Services-Health Services (8000)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Stem Cell Therapies (MSC/iPSC/HSC-derived) (HLAAABAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Stem Cell–Based Regenerative Therapies (HLAAAGAA), Cell Therapy Clinical Services & Treatment Centers (apheresis, administration, monitoring) (HLAAABAJ), Cell Therapy Enabling Technologies (gene editing, cell engineering, delivery methods) (HLAAABAL), Regenerative Immunology & Inflammation Modulation (pro-regenerative biologics) (HLAAAGAL), Transplantation & Advanced Therapies Pharmaceuticals (incl. Cell & Gene Therapies) (HLAIAAAO), Health & Biomedical Research Universities (Academic Medical Center–Affiliated) (EDAHABAC)
Keywords
Where USC Stem Cell is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Los Angeles
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
USC Stem Cell business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations
Revenue model
- Research Grants and Funding: As an academic research center, USC Stem Cell primarily operates through competitive research grants from government agencies and foundations including CIRM, NIH, and private foundations. Funding supports specific research programs and clinical translation initiatives.
- Technology Licensing: Licensing of developed technologies and therapies to pharmaceutical companies. Takeda licensed AcuraStem's PIKFYVE ASO technology for ALS treatment.
- Startup Formation: Formation of startups from research discoveries including AO Technologies (ARPA-H funded), AcuraStem, Carthronix for commercialization of therapeutic innovations.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Master's Program in Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine - one-year MS program |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
USC Stem Cell product offering
Product offeringCore offering
USC Stem Cell is the Eli and Edythe Broad Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research at USC, functioning as a department, research center, and university-wide initiative. It delivers multidisciplinary education programs (undergraduate minor, MS, PhD, postdoctoral), operates shared research facilities (flow cytometry, optical imaging, therapeutic screening), and conducts clinical translation research across cancer immunotherapy, synthetic kidney engineering, gene editing for HIV, neurodegeneration/blindness treatments, and musculoskeletal regeneration. The center also licenses developed technologies to pharmaceutical companies and runs the USC+CHLA Alpha Clinic for cell and gene therapy delivery.
Product overview
USC Stem Cell is an academic department and research center offering multidisciplinary educational programs and cutting-edge stem cell research. It encompasses the Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, the Eli and Edythe Broad Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, and a university-wide initiative connecting over 100 research faculty. The organization provides undergraduate, master's, PhD, and postdoctoral training programs, operates core research facilities (Flow Cytometry, Optical Imaging, Therapeutic Screening), and conducts clinical translation research across multiple therapeutic areas including cancer immunotherapy, synthetic kidney development, gene editing, neurodegeneration/blindness treatment, and musculoskeletal regeneration. Key programs include the USC+CHLA Alpha Clinic for cell therapy delivery and the USC Center for Stem Cell Engineering for disease mechanism research.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine Education Programs
- Core Research Facilities (Flow Cytometry, Optical Imaging, Therapeutic Screening)
- Cancer Immunotherapy Research Program Research program developing renewable sources of immune cells (macrophages and granulocytes) engineered to attack cancer and infections.
- Synthetic Kidney Building Program Research program working to build synthetic kidneys grown from human stem cells, including assembloid technology combining kidney filtering and urine-concentrating components.
- Gene Editing for HIV and Disease Treatment Gene editing technology research including CRISPR-based approaches for curing HIV/AIDS and developing treatments for diseases ranging from diabetes to cancer.
- Neurodegeneration and Blindness Treatment Research Clinical translation research including stem cell-based treatments for macular degeneration and ALS, including retina-supporting cell patches and antisense oligonucleotide therapies.
- Musculoskeletal Regeneration Program Research program developing cartilage regeneration therapies for osteoarthritis, sports injuries using stem cell-based cartilage implants (Plurocart), and 3D scaffold approaches for craniosynostosis treatment.
- USC+CHLA Alpha Clinic A collaborative cell and gene therapy clinic between USC and Children's Hospital Los Angeles for accelerating the delivery of these therapies to patients.
- USC Center for Stem Cell Engineering A collaboration between the Keck School of Medicine of USC and the USC Viterbi School of Engineering focused on using stem cell engineering to uncover disease mechanisms and advance new therapies.
Quantifiable outcome
- First embryonic stem cell-based knockout rats created for disease modeling
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use USC Stem Cell
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments7 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
USC Stem Cell technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature7 records
USC Stem Cell partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- Children's Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA)coreUSC Stem Cell initiative connects over 100 research and clinical faculty across USC and Children's Hospital Los Angeles. Multiple joint programs including USC+CHLA Alpha Clinic for cell therapies, shared faculty appointments, and collaborative research across pediatric and adult medicine.
- City of HopemajorCity of Hope conducted clinical trial for HIV/AIDS patients based on USC researcher Paula Cannon's discoveries. Also partnered with Mark Humayun's team for macular degeneration clinical trials using stem cell-based retina implants.
- Takeda Pharmaceutical CompanymajorLicensed AcuraStem's PIKFYVE inhibiting antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) technology for ALS treatment. Takeda is moving the spinal injection therapy into clinical trials after AcuraStem (founded by Justin Ichida) developed the treatment.
- Regenerative Patch TechnologiesmajorCollaborative partner with USC, UC Santa Barbara, City of Hope, and Caltech on stem cell-based clinical trials for macular degeneration using retina-supporting cells on surgical implant patches.
- UC Santa Barbara (UCSB)majorCollaborative partner in Mark Humayun's macular degeneration stem cell therapy team, contributing to the interdisciplinary approach combining medicine, engineering, and biology.
- CaltechmajorAcademic partner in stem cell-based macular degeneration treatment research alongside USC, UCSB, City of Hope, and Regenerative Patch Technologies.
- Charité University BerlinminorInternational collaboration with Toshio Miki's team for extracorporeal liver support system development, with additional support from Germany's Federal Ministry for Education and Research (BMBF).
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
USC Stem Cell competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Allen Institute for Cell Science: Philanthropically funded research division focused on cell biology and iPSC-based disease modeling. Comparable in its use of stem cell-derived models and technology platforms, but with a narrower focus on cell science rather than therapeutic translation.
Direct peers
- Stanford Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine: Stanford's flagship academic stem cell research institute within the School of Medicine. Directly comparable in mission, structure, and translational scope (basic to clinical) and serves as one of the main competitors for talent and grant funding.
- Cincinnati Children's Center for Stem Cell Biology: Pediatric hospital-affiliated stem cell research center with strengths in developmental biology and cell therapy. Comparable in clinical translation focus, particularly through the affiliated Alpha Clinic model.
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute: Harvard University-wide stem cell research initiative connecting faculty across multiple schools and hospitals. Mirrors USC Stem Cell's university-wide collaborative model and competes for the same faculty, trainees, and federal funding.
- Salk Institute for Biological Studies: La Jolla-based independent research institute with a long history in stem cell and regenerative biology. Comparable in scale of research faculty and emphasis on discovery science feeding into translational pipelines.
- New York Stem Cell Foundation Research Institute: Independent stem cell research institute operating its own laboratories and disease-focused programs. Comparable in dedicated stem cell mission and translational pipeline, though operationally structured as a private research institute rather than a university department.
- Gladstone Institutes: San Francisco-based independent biomedical research institute with substantial stem cell, iPSC, and regenerative medicine programs. Closely comparable as a Bay Area academic-adjacent research enterprise with strong translation focus.
- UCSF Broad Center for Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research: UCSF's regenerative medicine center running a similar portfolio of iPSC, organoid, and clinical translation programs. Shares the Eli and Edythe Broad-named naming convention and is a leading direct comparator on scientific output.
Others
- Regenerative Patch Technologies: Startup-stage clinical-stage company developing stem cell-based retinal implants for macular degeneration. Directly comparable as a commercialization vehicle for USC's stem cell-derived retina patch technology and a clinical-stage partner.
Regional players
- Cedars-Sinai Regenerative Medicine Institute: Los Angeles-based affiliated medical center with a regenerative medicine institute that is a joint recipient of the LA Claude D. Pepper Older Americans Independence Center with USC. Highly comparable in regional research collaboration and translational orientation.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
USC Stem Cell social profiles
Digital presenceUSC Stem Cell financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
USC Stem Cell leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
USC Stem Cell funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
USC Stem Cell M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about USC Stem Cell
What does USC Stem Cell do?
USC Stem Cell is the Eli and Edythe Broad Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research at USC, functioning as a department, research center, and university-wide initiative. It delivers multidisciplinary education programs (undergraduate minor, MS, PhD, postdoctoral), operates shared research facilities (flow cytometry, optical imaging, therapeutic screening), and conducts clinical translation research across cancer immunotherapy, synthetic kidney engineering, gene editing for HIV, neurodegeneration/blindness treatments, and musculoskeletal regeneration. The center also licenses developed technologies to pharmaceutical companies and runs the USC+CHLA Alpha Clinic for cell and gene therapy delivery.
Is USC Stem Cell a public or private company?
USC Stem Cell is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was USC Stem Cell founded?
USC Stem Cell was founded in 2006. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is USC Stem Cell based?
USC Stem Cell is headquartered in Los Angeles, United States, in the North America region.
How does USC Stem Cell make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Research Grants and Funding is the primary driver. The others are technology Licensing and startup Formation.
Who are USC Stem Cell's main competitors?
Allen Institute for Cell Science is listed as an emerging player. Direct peers are Stanford Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Cincinnati Children's Center for Stem Cell Biology, Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, New York Stem Cell Foundation Research Institute, Gladstone Institutes and UCSF Broad Center for Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research. Regenerative Patch Technologies is listed as an others. Cedars-Sinai Regenerative Medicine Institute is listed as a regional player.
Does USC Stem Cell have an API?
No public API is recorded for USC Stem Cell.
What industry is USC Stem Cell in?
USC Stem Cell's product category is Academic Regenerative Medicine Research. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAAABAE, Stem Cell Therapies (MSC/iPSC/HSC-derived), with a secondary code of HLAAAGAA, Stem Cell–Based Regenerative Therapies. Its NAICS code is 541714 and its SIC code is 8731.