USC/CHLA Cell Therapy Program

Training & Education

Are you a Patient?

Cell Therapy staff teaching

Educational Course

CTP offers a new course, “Cell and Gene Therapy Development – From Research to Clinic” (SCRM 516), at the Keck School of Medicine of USC, offered during the spring semester, providing both theoretical and hands-on training in the cGMP laboratory.

This course is intended to give students the basic information necessary to understand the process of drug development and translating basic science research discoveries into clinical applications, specifically in the field of cell and gene therapies (see specific topics covered below). For course registration, please follow these instructions.

Includes solving case studies on research methods and early studies of cell and gene therapies, as well as CAR-T cell therapy.

  • Describes an overview of regulations, standards, and guidances for advanced therapies that developers must be compliant with throughout product development.

  • Introduces the various research methods that can be used to discover novel ideas and mechanisms for cell and gene therapies.

  • Explores the different designs of preclinical studies and the need for Good Laboratory Practices (GLPs) to ensure safety of the product.

  • Navigates the process development of product manufacturing and testing to translate them from research to clinical use.

  • Focuses on the requirements of Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) when producing a cell and gene therapy for clinical use.

  • Describes the necessity of a Quality Management System and proper documentation that oversees a product’s life cycle and ensures a quality product is produced.

  • Introduces industry’s view on cell and gene therapy development, as well as the transfer of knowledge and processes acquired from academia.

Monthly Seminars

CTP invites experts in the field to discuss latest breakthroughs and current trends on the scientific community in interactive monthly seminars.

To receive information about the seminars and other CTP events, please join the CTP email list by contacting us at gmp@usc.edu.