Rosa Canet-Avilés, Ph.D., is the Chief Scientific Officer at the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM), where she leads the agency’s scientific strategy and portfolio to accelerate transformative cell and gene therapies. She oversees CIRM’s discovery, preclinical, and clinical investments, as well as its infrastructure and education programs, ensuring alignment with California’s mission to bring treatments to patients in need.

As CSO, Rosa has implemented CIRM’s Strategic Allocation Framework, integrating science, clinical development, and patient access to maximize impact. She leads initiatives to build technology platforms, expand clinical networks, and strengthen equitable access, positioning California as a global leader in regenerative medicine. Rosa brings nearly two decades of experience across biopharma, government, and nonprofit sectors.

Before rejoining CIRM, she served as Director of Strategic Alliances at Eisai’s Center for Genetics Guided Dementia Discovery (G2D2) and previously led Neuroscience Research Partnerships at the Foundation for the NIH, overseeing landmark collaborations such as the Accelerating Medicines Partnership (AMP) and the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI3).

She holds a Ph.D. in neuroscience from the University of Leeds and a B.S. in organic chemistry from the Central University of Barcelona.