Cindy Malone

Cindy Malone is a Professor in the Department of Biology at California State University, Northridge (CSUN), where she serves as Director of the $6.1M CSUN-UCLA Bridges to Stem Cell Research Training Program and the $2.9M CSUN CIRM NCOMPASS Training Program funded by the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine.

Her educational background includes:

• B.S. in Biology from Illinois State University (1991)
• Ph.D. in Microbiology and Immunology from the University of California, Los Angeles (1997)

She completed post-doctoral work at UCLA in Molecular Genetics. Dr. Malone's research focuses on genetic mechanisms of gene regulation, particularly in immune system function and blood cancers like lymphoma and leukemia, spanning Molecular Genetics, Immunology, and Cancer Biology. Her work integrates stem cell research through leadership in major training initiatives.

She directs two CIRM-funded programs providing extensive student training in stem cell research methodologies and career development. These grants represent significant institutional investments in regenerative medicine education.

Dr. Malone teaches BIOL 100 (Introductory Biology for majors/non-majors), BIOL 476 (Topics in Stem Cell Biology), and BIOL 495C (Directed Undergraduate Research in Microbiology). Her teaching philosophy emphasizes accessible science education informed by her own undergraduate experiences with financial constraints, prioritizing student engagement through curiosity-driven learning.