Eunice Alvarado
Class of 2022
Education: BS in Bioengineering at UCLA; MS in Bioengineering at Cal Poly
Biography:
Eunice is interested in stem cell research and regenerative medicine because it has the potential to transform the medical field by providing permanent cures as opposed to temporary treatments. She is excited to explore this growing field through coursework and internship opportunities. She is especially interested in exploring how this field can help improve treatments for cancer and cardiovascular diseases. After completing her Master’s program, Eunice hopes to pursue a career in research and development in tissue engineering or stem cell therapeutics, where she can contribute to helping improve patients’ quality of life.
Internship:
Eunice is interning at Viacyte, a regenerative medicine company working towards a cure for Type I diabetes. Viacyte’s combination product consists of novel stem cell derived pancreatic progenitor cells encapsulated in a device that when implanted in patients can form insulin producing cells. Eunice works with Isobelle Espiritu (CIRM class of 2020) in the Cell Process Engineering group. As Viacyte prepares for Phase III trials and commercialization, they must establish ways to be able to mass produce their product. Eunice’s project aims to scale up hESC expansion and aggregation production by identifying scalable bioreactor systems that can help meet patient demand.