The University of Georgia’s regenerative bioscience major is drawing some of the nation’s top students, including Foundation Fellows who receive UGA’s highest academic scholarship. The program, launched in 2021 and offered through the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences’ department of animal and dairy science, is the first undergraduate degree of its kind in the United States.
Second-year Honors student and Stamps Scholar Diya Garrepally recalled her introduction to the field: “I have never felt more excited for a class,” she said. “In that very first lecture, I was finally learning the definitions of these buzzwords I’d always heard — stem cells, tissue engineering, neurodegenerative diseases — and therapies for conditions that had no solutions before.”
Since enrolling its first class in 2022 with 31 students, the program has grown rapidly. Enrollment increased by 248% to reach 108 students for the 2024-2025 academic year. This fall, there are 148 undergraduates enrolled in what is known on campus as RBIO.
Five percent of current regenerative bioscience majors are Foundation Fellows, which highlights the program’s appeal among highly motivated scholars at UGA. Tricia Jonas Hackleman, director of the Foundation Fellowship in Morehead Honors College, commented: “Regenerative bioscience opens doors for students who want to go beyond the conventional path. Seeing them matched with researchers like Steven Stice and watching them thrive in the lab is incredibly rewarding.”
The field combines stem cell biology, neuroscience and engineering to address brain injury, stroke and degenerative disease. Students are trained to translate laboratory discoveries into clinical treatments—a skill set sought after by biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies.
UGA established this undergraduate program as an extension of its Regenerative Bioscience Center (RBC), connecting education directly with research projects led by faculty in areas such as stem cell therapies and neurorepair.
Garrepally is currently conducting research on plant-derived nanovesicles with assistant professor Yao Yao as a potential treatment for Lou Gehrig’s disease. She credits her graduate mentor Yaochao Zheng for supporting her growth as a researcher: “As a freshman, I never thought I’d be running three-hour protocols by myself,” Garrepally said. “Now I’m heading into the lab for a five-hour block, and it feels normal. Looking back, I’ve grown so much faster than I ever expected.”
Small class sizes contribute to personalized instruction within the program. Aerica Worrell, a third-year Foundation Fellow studying public health and regenerative bioscience from Alpharetta shared: “In big lecture halls, there are 300 people, but in regenerative bioscience, I know everyone’s name,” Worrell said. “I can ask questions, stay engaged, and sometimes I can’t believe class is over already.” Worrell will begin working in RBC Gomillion Lab on breast cancer research this spring.
Steven Stice—RBC director—emphasized practical experience: “The regenerative bioscience program doesn’t just teach science; it immerses students in it,” he said. “As demand grows in biotechnology and the health sciences, the program is designed to fill a critical gap and gives graduates the skills needed to address the next wave of health challenges.”
Coursework focuses on current research rather than solely textbook concepts according to second-year Foundation Fellow Pablo Ashi from Waxhaw, North Carolina.
Harshil Joshi—a third-year Foundation Fellow—echoed these sentiments about innovative coursework: “A lot of majors focus on the current state of science… What really stood out to me about regenerative bioscience is that… we also take classes that focus on newest discoveries, emerging therapies and innovative methods.” Joshi works with Pouria Fattahi at RBC.
Students also interact directly with industry leaders during their studies. Joshi noted his interest spans both science innovation and business: “Dr. Stice showed me what’s possible. He went from animal science to leading in regenerative bioscience and running a company moving toward clinical trials.”
Worrell reflected on medicine’s broader responsibilities: “A lot of these issues didn’t just appear,” she said. “They’re longstanding… deeply tied to how different groups view medicine.”
Each year UGA’s Regenerative Bioscience Center hosts an open house where local high schoolers meet current students and faculty involved with RBIO coursework or research projects.
“UGA isn’t just a school,” Worrell told attendees last year.“It’s a place to stay curious make connectionsand grow every day.”
