New Chief Scientific Officer Named at California's $12 Billion Stem Cell and Gene Therapy Agency

Part of management reorganization aimed at implement sweeping changes in priorities

The leadership of the $12 billion California stem cell and gene therapy agency has undergone a reshuffling that is aimed at maximizing the program’s impact, boosting its changing priorities and breaking down internal silos.

Key directors of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM), as the agency is officially known, praised the moves by CIRM President Jonathan Thomas. 

“It's a very good reorganization and will make things more efficient and also break down silos, any potential silos. I think it's really going to work for the overall pipeline from discovery into the clinic and beyond,” said Linda Malkas, a CIRM board member and an executive at the City of Hope. 

Thomas named Rosa Canet-Avilés, formerly vice president of scientific programs and education, as chief scientific officer. The move effectively makes her the No. 2 executive in the tiny organization, which is budgeted for only 66 employees this year. 

The position of chief scientific officer has been vacant for a number of years.  During that time, it was not always clear