Gladstone Institutes
Explore The Roddenberry Foundation’s collaboration with Gladstone Institutes through the Roddenberry Stem Cell Center, advancing stem cell research and the future of human health.
A collaboration built for the future of human health
The boundaries of medicine are continually being redrawn. Advances in stem cell science and regenerative medicine are transforming our understanding of human biology and opening new pathways for treating and preventing disease.
Since 2011, The Roddenberry Foundation has supported this exploration at Gladstone Institutes through its Roddenberry Stem Cell Center.
Bold ideas in stem cell research
Based at Gladstone Institutes, an independent biomedical research institute in San Francisco, the Roddenberry Stem Cell Center explores scientific frontiers that could lead to tomorrow’s promising new therapies.
Nobel laureate and Senior Gladstone Investigator Dr. Shinya Yamanaka helped transform the possibilities of modern medicine with his discovery of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS cells). His breakthrough demonstrated that ordinary adult cells can be reprogrammed into a stem cell-like state, enabling them to develop into nearly any cell type in the human body.
Building on this spirit of discovery, Gladstone biologists, chemists, engineers, and data scientists collaborate deeply across disciplines to better understand how the human body works in these specialty areas: cardiovascular health, genomic immunology, infectious and neurological diseases, and data science and biotechnology.
Extraordinary people advancing regenerative medicine
Deepak Srivastava, MD, is president of Gladstone Institutes and director of the Roddenberry Stem Cell Center.
Supported by a team of talented researchers, the center is regenerating damaged heart cells after heart attacks.
“Science moves forward when we dare to explore the frontier of what’s possible. For 15 years, the Roddenberry Foundation has backed our boldest work to harness the potential of stem cell biology to overcome disease. Thanks to their sustained support, therapies that once sounded like science fiction are on the way to becoming life-saving realities for patients around the world.” — Deepak Srivastava, MD, President of Gladstone Institutes and Director of the Roddenberry Stem Cell Center
Scientists from around the world come to Gladstone and the Roddenberry Stem Cell Center to help create a future free from disease including Alzheimer’s disease, type 1 diabetes, and many more.
“What drew us to Gladstone is what still guides us: finding people pushing frontiers, assembling the resources for them to go further, and having the patience to let discovery lead somewhere we can't yet see.”
– Rod Roddenberry
Investing in scientific discovery
Gladstone breakthroughs supported by The Roddenberry Foundation:
- Misfolded DNA Blueprint: A New Origin for Genetic Disease, July 23, 2026