About

The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) SPARK Program (Summer Program to Accelerate Regenerative Medicine Knowledge) is a statewide network of paid, mentored summer research internships that provide California high school students a gateway into stem cell biology. Funded by CIRM, the state’s stem cell agency, SPARK connects students with research labs at leading institutions such as Stanford, UCSF, UC Davis, City of Hope, and Cedars-Sinai.

Internships run for six to eight weeks during the summer. Participants are embedded in active laboratories, working under the supervision of faculty or graduate mentors on projects involving stem cell biology and translational regenerative medicine. Interns receive foundational training in lab skills and apply them to hypothesis-based projects. The curriculum includes seminars, professional development workshops, and patient engagement activities.

SPARK prioritizes students who reflect the diversity of California, particularly those from underrepresented or socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds. Each host institution manages its own application process and deadlines; for the 2026 cycle, some applications close as early as January, while others remain open through March. Applicants must generally be at least 16 years old by the program's start date.

The experience culminates in a statewide annual SPARK Conference held in August. Interns from across California gather to present their research findings through poster sessions and oral presentations. All participants receive a stipend for their work, with amounts typically ranging from $2,500 to $4,500 depending on the host site's specific program structure. SPARK functions as a robust career pipeline, offering authentic research immersion and professional networking within the regenerative medicine field.