Class of 2027

Mary Bass is a second-year J.D. candidate and Allen and Erika Lo Endowed Tech Scholar. Her work focuses on how law and policy shape emerging technologies across the life sciences and adjacent fields, including gene and cell therapy, regenerative medicine, and the responsible use of artificial intelligence in scientific innovation.

With 12 years of professional experience, Ms. Bass has led initiatives in stem cell research, industry partnerships, and public policy. Most recently, she served as Chief Strategy Officer at the UC San Diego Sanford Stem Cell Institute, where she directed institute priorities and built collaborations with pharmaceutical and commercial spaceflight companies to study cancer stem cells in microgravity on the International Space Station.

Previously, Ms. Bass led faculty engagement at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, supporting researchers with federal funding opportunities and access to industry and venture capital resources.

Earlier in her career, as Executive Director of the Americans for Cures Foundation, Ms. Bass co-led the successful campaign for California’s Proposition 14, which authorized $5.5 billion in funding for stem cell research and therapy development.

Ms. Bass’ work is published in the Georgetown Tech Law Review, including “Stem Cells in Space” (Vol. 9, Fall 2025) and “Genomic Engineering in Medicine: Gene and Cell Therapy” (Vol. 9, Spring 2025).

Ms. Bass is a graduate of Stanford University, where she was editor of the Stanford Journal of Public Health. A native of northwestern Montana, she enjoys snowboarding, stand-up comedy, and French Brittany spaniels.