Overview
San Francisco occupies a singular position in American medicine. The city is home to one of the world’s leading academic medical centers in UC San Francisco, a dense concentration of biotechnology firms along the South of Market corridor, and a longstanding culture of integrative and functional medicine that predates the current regenerative medicine wave. This combination means that patients seeking stem cell therapy in San Francisco have access to physicians who are not simply offering a commercial procedure but are, in several cases, researchers and clinicians who have shaped how the field is understood. The institutional density of the Bay Area — from Stanford’s proximity to the south to UCSF’s Mission Bay campus — creates a referral and peer-review culture that raises the floor for clinical practice in the region.
Patients pursue stem cell therapy and related regenerative treatments for a wide range of reasons. The most common presentations arriving at Bay Area clinics involve chronic musculoskeletal conditions — osteoarthritis of the knee and hip, rotator cuff tendinopathy, plantar fasciitis, and degenerative disc disease — where conventional options have been exhausted or where patients wish to avoid or delay surgery. A second population seeks treatment for autoimmune and inflammatory conditions, seeking an adjunct or alternative to long-term immunosuppressive medication. A third, smaller group pursues anti-aging and wellness-oriented protocols that combine regenerative injections with functional medicine workups. Across all three groups, the common thread is the desire for a treatment that works with the body’s own repair mechanisms rather than masking symptoms or replacing structure.
Regenerative medicine clinics in San Francisco fall broadly into two categories. The first is the orthopedic and sports medicine practice, where a fellowship-trained physician uses ultrasound or fluoroscopic guidance to deliver platelet-rich plasma (PRP), bone marrow aspirate concentrate (BMAC), or adipose-derived stromal vascular fraction (SVF) to specific musculoskeletal targets. The second is the integrative medicine clinic, where regenerative injections are one component of a broader protocol that may include functional medicine testing, nutritional optimization, hormone assessment, and lifestyle medicine. Both models have legitimate clinical rationale; the right fit depends on whether the patient’s primary complaint is a discrete structural lesion or a systemic condition requiring a more comprehensive workup.
Evaluating a stem cell clinic requires scrutiny of several distinct factors. Physician credentials are the starting point: the treating physician should hold an MD or DO degree, be board-certified in a relevant specialty, and ideally have fellowship training in sports medicine, orthopedic surgery, physical medicine, or a related field. The method of cell sourcing matters: autologous procedures using the patient’s own blood, bone marrow, or adipose tissue carry a different regulatory and safety profile than allogeneic products derived from donor umbilical cord or amniotic tissue. Imaging guidance — ultrasound or fluoroscopy — is a marker of procedural precision and should be standard for any joint or spinal injection. Finally, any clinic making curative claims for conditions not supported by peer-reviewed evidence should be approached with caution. The clinics listed below were selected because their physicians, addresses, and websites could be independently verified as of the date of publication.
Top Stem Cell Therapy Clinics in San Francisco
1. San Francisco Stem Cell Treatment Center (Anatara Medicine)
Address: 1700 California Street, Suite 520, San Francisco, CA 94109
Phone: (415) 345-0099
Website: https://www.anataramedicine.com
About: The San Francisco Stem Cell Treatment Center was founded in 2014 by Dr. Ahvie Herskowitz with the stated goal of building one of the leading integrative stem cell centers in the United States. The clinic operates within Anatara Medicine, a multidisciplinary integrative center that Dr. Herskowitz established in 2010 at the same California Street address. The center is an affiliate of the Cell Surgical Network (CSN), a consortium of clinics across the United States that uses a standardized protocol for adipose-derived stromal vascular fraction (SVF) procedures — a method by which stem cells and regenerative growth factors are extracted from the patient’s own fat tissue through a minimally invasive lipoaspirate procedure. The clinic’s approach is distinguished by its emphasis on pre-treatment optimization: before any regenerative procedure, patients undergo functional medicine assessment designed to maximize the quality and viability of their own stem cell populations. Dr. Herskowitz has described this framework as “Convergence Medicine,” a systematic approach to combining precision functional medicine with regenerative procedures. Patient reviews accessible through public platforms describe a thorough informed-consent process and a clinic environment that patients characterize as attentive and unhurried.
Physicians:
- Dr. Ahvie Herskowitz, MD — Board-certified cardiologist and immunologist. Medical degree from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Einstein and Internal Medicine at Yale and affiliates. Fellowship training in Cardiology at The Johns Hopkins Medical Center (1983-1986). Former Associate Professor of Medicine and Immunology and Molecular Microbiology at Johns Hopkins Hospital. Former Clinical Professor of Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco. Author of more than 115 peer-reviewed scholarly articles and book chapters. President of the American College for Advancement in Medicine (ACAM). Founder, Anatara Medicine (2010) and the San Francisco Stem Cell Treatment Center (2014).
Services:
- Adipose-Derived Stromal Vascular Fraction (SVF) Procedures: Minimally invasive lipoaspirate procedure extracts the patient’s own fat tissue, which is then processed to concentrate the stromal vascular fraction containing stem cells and growth factors. The material is reintroduced intravenously or via targeted injection.
- Pre-Treatment Optimization: Functional medicine workup assessing immune function, energy metabolism, and cellular health prior to stem cell procedures, designed to maximize the regenerative potential of harvested cells.
- Integrative Cancer Care Support: Adjunctive regenerative and nutritional protocols offered alongside conventional oncology treatment, not as replacement therapy.
- Anti-Aging and Longevity Medicine: Comprehensive protocols combining regenerative injections with hormone assessment, nutritional optimization, and metabolic testing.
Conditions Treated:
- Degenerative joint conditions (osteoarthritis of knee, hip, shoulder)
- Cardiopulmonary and ischemic diseases
- Autoimmune and inflammatory conditions
- Neurological and chronic degenerative disorders
- Cancer care support
- Age-related metabolic and regenerative decline
Technology and Equipment: Procedures follow the Cell Surgical Network standardized protocol for adipose-derived SVF processing. The clinic uses a closed-system processing method to maintain sterility and cell viability throughout the extraction and reintroduction process.
Patient Experience: Patient accounts from public review platforms describe a clinic environment oriented toward detailed consultation and patient education. Multiple reviewers noted the thoroughness of the pre-procedure explanation and the relatively low invasiveness of the fat extraction compared to bone marrow harvest. Average visit duration for a stem cell procedure is reported at approximately four hours.
2. San Francisco Institute for Integrative and Regenerative Medicine (SFIIRM)
Address: 450 Sutter Street, Suite 1341, San Francisco, CA 94109
Phone: (415) 606-0309
Website: https://sfiirm.com
About: The San Francisco Institute for Integrative and Regenerative Medicine, known by the acronym SFIIRM, is a single-physician integrative practice founded and directed by Dr. Jake Wardwell, D.O. The clinic occupies suite space within the 450 Sutter Street medical building, a well-established multi-specialty medical address in San Francisco’s downtown Tenderloin-adjacent corridor. SFIIRM’s model is explicitly integrative: regenerative injection procedures are offered alongside osteopathic manipulative medicine, functional medicine evaluation, acupuncture, musculoskeletal ultrasonography, and lifestyle interventions. Dr. Wardwell’s background is unusual in that he brought formal training in Eastern philosophy, Jungian psychology, and yoga meditation into his medical training at Michigan State University’s College of Osteopathic Medicine, producing a clinical philosophy that emphasizes the root-cause structural and systemic drivers of musculoskeletal pain rather than isolated procedural treatment. The clinic performs ultrasound-guided injections and uses the Emcyte system for platelet-rich plasma and bone marrow stem cell procedures. The practice holds research relationships with IRB-approved protocols for adipose-derived stem cell procedures. SFIIRM is affiliated with Saint Francis Memorial Hospital.
Physicians:
- Dr. Jake Wardwell, D.O. — Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine, Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine (graduated 2010). Internship at Maine-Dartmouth Family Medicine Residency. Residency at Westchester General Hospital. Board Certified in Family Medicine and Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine (American College of Osteopathic Family Medicine). Board Certified, American Board of Integrative and Holistic Medicine (ABOIM). Registered Musculoskeletal Sonographer, American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonography (RMSK). Interventional Regenerative Orthopedic Medicine Certified (IROM-C). Fellow, American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians (FACOFP). Ultrasound-guided injection training through the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Mayo Clinic, and the American Osteopathic College of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.
Services:
- Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP): Autologous PRP prepared using the Emcyte system; delivered under ultrasound guidance to target joints, tendons, and ligaments with limited intrinsic blood supply.
- Bone Marrow Aspirate Stem Cell Procedures: Bone marrow-derived stem cell concentrate harvested and processed using the Emcyte platform, delivered to targeted musculoskeletal structures under image guidance.
- Adipose-Derived Stem Cell Procedures: Offered under IRB-approved protocols; fat-derived stromal vascular fraction procedures for musculoskeletal and other indications.
- Prolotherapy: Regenerative injection of dextrose or other proliferative agents to stimulate connective tissue repair; delivered with ultrasound guidance.
- Musculoskeletal Ultrasonography: Diagnostic ultrasound for evaluation of tendons, ligaments, joints, and nerves; also used for real-time procedural guidance on all injections.
- Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine (OMM): Manual therapy addressing fascial, joint, and neuromuscular strain patterns that may underlie or perpetuate musculoskeletal complaints.
- Functional Medicine: Systems-based evaluation of metabolic, hormonal, inflammatory, and nutritional contributors to chronic conditions.
- Bio-Identical Hormone Therapy, Acupuncture, IV Therapy, Yoga Therapy
Conditions Treated:
- Osteoarthritis (knee, hip, shoulder, spine)
- Tendinopathy and tendon tears
- Ligament injuries and instability
- Musculoskeletal pain syndromes
- Hair regrowth
- Facial rejuvenation
- Scar and wound healing
- Erectile dysfunction
- Fatigue and fibromyalgia-related conditions
Technology and Equipment: Emcyte PurePRP and bone marrow processing system. Real-time musculoskeletal ultrasound for both diagnosis and procedural guidance. Digital scheduling through the drchrono platform.
3. Sampson Sports Medicine at California Pacific Orthopaedics
Address: 3838 California Street, San Francisco, CA 94118
Phone: (415) 668-8010
Website: https://sfsportsdoc.com
About: Sampson Sports Medicine is the private sports medicine and orthobiologics practice of Dr. Joshua Sampson, M.D., operating within the California Pacific Orthopaedics group at their Laurel Heights location on California Street. The practice is explicitly non-surgical: Dr. Sampson’s stated clinical goal is to keep patients active and avoid operative intervention wherever possible, using orthobiologic treatments as a bridge between conservative physical therapy and surgical referral. All biologic procedures at the practice are performed under ultrasound guidance, which Dr. Sampson uses for both diagnostic evaluation and procedural accuracy. The clinic offers same-day procedures performed under local anesthesia, typically completed without general anesthesia or sedation, enabling rapid recovery and same-day discharge. Dr. Sampson’s sports medicine training included coverage of the Utah Jazz (NBA), University of Utah Division I football, and professional cycling events, giving the practice a background in high-performance athlete care that translates to efficient musculoskeletal evaluation. The clinic is also affiliated with California Pacific Medical Center-Davies Campus and Saint Francis Memorial Hospital. Parking is available in a pay lot beneath the building.
Physicians:
- Dr. Joshua Sampson, MD — Board-certified family physician. Medical degree from Georgetown University School of Medicine. Undergraduate degree, University of California, Davis. Internship in general and trauma surgery, Detroit Medical Center / Wayne State University. Sports medicine research fellowship, Stanford University School of Medicine. Family medicine residency, St. Joseph Family Medicine, Ann Arbor, Michigan. Sports medicine fellowship, University of Utah. Fellow-level coverage of the Utah Jazz (NBA), Division I college athletics, professional cycling, and Olympic-level events. Over 10 years of clinical experience.
Services:
- Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP): Autologous PRP derived from the patient’s own blood; concentrated platelets and growth factors delivered under real-time ultrasound guidance to target joints, tendons, and soft tissue structures with limited healing capacity.
- Bone Marrow Aspirate Concentrate (BMAC): Bone marrow harvested from the patient, concentrated, and injected into target structures; used for osteoarthritis and tendon pathology.
- Adipose-Derived Stem Cells (ADSC): Fat-derived progenitor cell harvest and targeted reinjection for joint and soft tissue conditions.
- Wharton’s Jelly and Amniotic Fluid Biologics: Allogeneic donor-sourced products offered as alternatives to autologous harvest where clinically appropriate.
- Musculoskeletal Ultrasound: Diagnostic and procedural ultrasound for all peripheral joints, nerves, and soft tissue structures; also used for lumbar spine injection guidance.
- Fluoroscopic (X-ray) Guided Spinal Injections: Fluoroscopy-guided procedures for targeted lower back and spinal pain conditions.
- Comprehensive Musculoskeletal Evaluation: Non-operative assessment of hand, wrist, elbow, shoulder, hip, knee, ankle, foot, and lumbar spine.
Conditions Treated:
- Osteoarthritis (knee, hip, shoulder, ankle)
- Tendinopathy (rotator cuff, Achilles, patellar, elbow)
- Plantar fasciitis
- Muscle injuries
- Ligament sprains and partial tears
- Chronic joint pain
- Lower back pain and spinal conditions
Technology and Equipment: Real-time musculoskeletal ultrasound for all peripheral injections. Fluoroscopy for spinal and deep structure guidance. All biologic procedures performed under local anesthesia in an outpatient setting with same-day discharge.
Insurance and Pricing: Orthobiologic treatments including PRP and stem cell procedures are not covered by insurance at this practice. Patients are advised to confirm current pricing directly with the clinic.
What to Know Before Choosing a Stem Cell Clinic in San Francisco
Before committing to any stem cell or regenerative medicine procedure, patients should ask each prospective clinic a set of specific questions that distinguish evidence-based practice from promotional claims. First: who performs the procedure and what are their specific credentials? The treating physician should be an MD or DO with board certification in a relevant specialty — sports medicine, family medicine with fellowship training, orthopedic surgery, or physical medicine and rehabilitation. Fellowship training in sports medicine or orthopedics is a meaningful signal of procedural depth. Second: is the procedure autologous or allogeneic? Autologous procedures use the patient’s own cells, which carry a different risk and regulatory profile than allogeneic donor-sourced products. Allogeneic products such as umbilical cord-derived Wharton’s Jelly or amniotic fluid are regulated differently by the FDA, and claims about their “live stem cell” content should be scrutinized carefully, as processing and storage typically reduces or eliminates viable cell populations. Third: does the clinic participate in any IRB-approved research protocols or registries? Participation in a formal outcomes registry does not guarantee efficacy, but it signals that the clinic is tracking results in a structured way rather than operating purely on anecdote. Fourth: what is the clinic’s policy on repeat procedures, and what outcomes benchmarks do they use to determine whether a procedure has worked?
Imaging guidance is a non-negotiable quality marker for musculoskeletal regenerative injections. Injections delivered without ultrasound or fluoroscopic guidance into joints, tendons, or spinal structures rely on anatomical landmarks alone, which introduces variability in placement accuracy that directly affects clinical outcomes. All three clinics listed in this directory use imaging guidance as a standard procedural element. When evaluating any clinic not listed here, patients should ask directly whether the physician will use real-time ultrasound or fluoroscopy during the injection itself — not merely for pre-procedure imaging — and should be skeptical of any practice that describes guidance as optional or an upcharge.
Laboratory processing methodology matters for the quality of the biologic product delivered. For PRP, the platelet concentration, the presence or absence of leukocytes (white blood cells), and the activation method all affect the growth factor profile of the final product. Systems like Emcyte, used at SFIIRM, are third-party validated platforms with published concentration data. For bone marrow concentrate, the nucleated cell count and viability of the final product depend on the processing system and the skill of the operator performing the harvest. Patients who want to understand the quality of what they are receiving should ask the clinic which processing system they use and whether that system has published data on output consistency. Clinics that cannot or will not answer this question are operating at a lower standard of procedural transparency than the clinics profiled here.
Physician credential verification in San Francisco can be performed through several publicly accessible channels. The Medical Board of California maintains an online license lookup at breeze.ca.gov where patients can verify that a physician’s license is current and in good standing and review any disciplinary history. Board certification can be confirmed through the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) at certificationmatters.org. For osteopathic physicians, the American Osteopathic Association Board Certification verification tool provides similar functionality. UCSF’s campus in San Francisco also operates a patient referral and second-opinion service that can help patients evaluate whether a proposed regenerative treatment is appropriate for their specific condition, offering a valuable independent check before committing to an elective procedure.
Disclaimer: This directory is for informational purposes only. Inclusion does not constitute endorsement. Verify credentials and consult a licensed physician before pursuing any treatment.