Travis Suttle

Class of 2015

Education: BS and MS in Biological Sciences at Cal Poly

 

Biography

Travis developed a strong interest in stem cells and their astonishing potential to treat and model debilitating diseases.  His interest in regenerative medicine was initially sparked while studying cellular biology during his undergraduate coursework and it has escalated ever since.  Initially, he was fascinated by the use of stem cells to model and treat neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease; he had also been investigating broader applications of stem cell research and tissue engineering.  After completing the CIRM program, he planned to obtain a position in the regenerative medicine or biomedical industry before considering higher education.  His ultimate goal was to directly use the skills and knowledge acquired from this program to make an impact on society and improve the quality of life of people in need.

His internship was in the Process Development Lab at Capricor Therapeutics with Dr. Michelle Kreke. His projects focused on optimizing the manufacturing system and determining the feasibility of scale-up cell culture for clinical use. His primary role in the process development lab included processing donor hearts for cell banking and incorporating devices or techniques for scale-up manufacturing of the CAP-1002 drug product, though he also developed assays with the research department.

After graduating, Travis obtained a position at Capricor Therapeutics as a research and development associate.