Training Activities

The fellows will start their training program with a one to two week long boot camp to provide intense training in the basics of stem cell biology and stem cell research enabling technologies. 

• Two-day training workshop in pluripotent stem cell culture and maintenance: This two-day workshop offered by WNYSTEM covers the essentials of pluripotent stem cell culture and differentiation techniques (e.g., embryoid body formation). We teach how to passage hES cells using multiple techniques; select for undifferentiated cells; freeze and thaw hESCs for banking purposes and other related pluripotent stem cell topics. This workshop will be mandatory for all SCiRM fellows.               
• Stem Cell Primer: Lectures on stem cells will introduce fellows to stem cell biology and applications in iPSC and reprogramming, neural, cardiovascular and epidermal stem cells, MSC and applications of stem cells in tissue engineering and regeneration. During the primer, every participating mentor will give a lecture to introduce their stem cell research to all students of the program. As a result the students will obtain a global picture of the stem cell research taking place at UB and Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center. Fellows will learn more about the resources available to them as well as the potential for collaborations between laboratories.  
• Microscopy and Flow Cytometry Primer: Given the importance of fluorescence and confocal microscopy in the study of stem cells. A short course on Optical Microscopy in Biomedical Sciences will be presented, including imaging principles and optical sectioning techniques. Lectures will focus on various microscopy methods including wide-field and confocal microscopy. Lectures will be followed by hands-on demonstration of wide-field and confocal microscope systems and flow cytometry, respectively. This primer will ensure that all fellows are introduced to the basics of microscopy and cytometry and familiarize themselves with the UB state-of-the-art facility that they will use multiple times during their graduate career.
  

The Annual Stem Cell Symposium brings world leaders in the field to Buffalo to present their work. The fellows will be required to present a poster of their current research and attend each keynote presentation. There will be time allotted for students to meet with the seminar speakers. As a result, the fellows will not only become familiar with the state-of the-art in the field of stem research but will also have the opportunity to meet leading investigators thereby building a professional network that will be essential as they develop their careers. 

An annual retreat will be hosted for faculty mentors and fellows. The retreat will take place off-campus and will include presentations from fellows and discussion.