About the IRM

The Institute for Regenerative Medicine is a community of experts working to create a future where diseases are cured with cellular solutions

Right now, most diseases are treated with drugs or surgeries—if they can be treated at all. The researchers of the Institute for Regenerative Medicine (IRM) at the University of Pennsylvania are charting a different course. We are exploring ways to use cells and tissues to repair, rebuild, and replace organs and body systems afflicted by disease.

Our Mission

Our mission is to understand how cells and tissues are formed and to apply that knowledge to next generation diagnostics and therapies

Turning cells into new diagnostic tools and therapies requires a range of skills. The IRM is a hub for scientists and clinicians from across Penn to share insights into how cells naturally form tissues; sophisticated models of development and disease, such as organoids; and methods for engineering tissues and other complex body structures. We are proud to have members from 5 Penn schools, the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and the Wistar Institute. We also collaborate with other Penn research units, including the Penn-CHOP Lung Biology Institute and the Penn Epigenetics Institute. Our combination of deep expertise in cell biology and breadth of experimental approaches sets us apart.

At the IRM, we take pride in building a community around regenerative medicine—on and off campus. We host meetings and conferences to give faculty and trainee scientists opportunities to learn from each other, and we provide grants and other resources to spark innovative research. The IRM is also committed to sharing our science. Our researchers and staff partner with schools and community groups throughout the Philadelphia area to develop future leaders in stem cell biology and regenerative medicine.

The IRM is a proud member of the International Society for Stem Cell Research’s (ISSCR) Circle of Stem Cell Institute and Center Directors. That means our researchers follow accepted guidelines for scientific and ethical integrity. For more information about our research or volunteer work, please contact us.

View our most recent annual report.

Experimenting with stem cells at the bench

“The Institute for Regenerative Medicine has a fantastic community of scientists, clinicians, and outreach specialists. Our researchers are incredibly creative, and I am so proud of the vibrant, collaborative environment we have built. It is a thrill to see how our discoveries are shaping the future of medicine. I invite you to take part!”

– Ken Zaret, Ph.D., IRM Director