The Terasaki Institute for Biomedical Innovation and Caltech secured a $2.8 million Discovery Stage Research grant from CIRM to advance studies of early human embryo formation. The funded project will develop and validate stem‑cell derived models to probe implantation and early developmental processes, aiming to improve understanding of congenital anomalies and fertility disorders. The award supports efforts to create human embryo‑like structures under ethical oversight and to refine in vitro systems that recapitulate early morphogenesis. Researchers will combine engineering, single‑cell genomics, and imaging to map critical signaling events during pre‑implantation and peri‑implantation windows. CIRM’s funding reflects sustained interest in embryo model systems as tools for basic biology and translational reproductive medicine, with emphasis on rigorous ethical frameworks and translational endpoints.