Geron Corporation (Nasdaq:GERN) today announced the appointment of Melanie I. Nallicheri as Senior Vice President, Corporate Development, Cell Therapies. In her role, Ms. Nallicheri is responsible for overall strategic planning, development of business plans, product/market competitive analyses and commercialization strategies, asset acquisition opportunities and pharmaceutical company alliances for Geron’s cell therapy programs. She reports to David L. Greenwood, Geron’s President and Chief Executive Officer.

“I am thrilled to be joining Geron’s cell therapy team,” said Ms. Nallicheri. “I recognize at Geron a talented and committed team driving an exciting technology platform with a pipeline of cell therapy products that not only has very broad therapeutic utility, but the potential to be game-changing to medicine.”

“We are very pleased to recruit Melanie to Geron. Her strategic level business-building experience complements and strengthens our existing team as we move products into and through clinical trials,” said Mr. Greenwood.

Ms. Nallicheri joins Geron from Booz & Company/Booz Allen Hamilton, where she was a Partner, advising clients across all sectors of the healthcare industry, including biopharmaceutical companies and large pharmaceutical clients. Her advisory assignments included corporate strategy, M&A, commercialization strategies, distribution & supply chain, payor/provider economics and performance improvement. Ms. Nallicheri has also been interim CEO of a mid-sized company in distress that she restructured successfully under chapter 11 proceedings.

Ms. Nallicheri holds a Master of Business Administration from Columbia Business School, and a Master of Science in Business and Economics from the WHU Otto Beisheim School in Germany.

About Geron

Geron is developing first-in-class biopharmaceuticals for the treatment of cancer and chronic degenerative diseases. The company is advancing anti-cancer therapies through multiple Phase 2 clinical trials in different cancers by targeting the enzyme telomerase and with a compound designed to penetrate the blood-brain barrier. The company is developing cell therapy products from differentiated human embryonic stem cells for multiple indications, including central nervous system (CNS) disorders, heart failure, diabetes and osteoarthritis, and has initiated a Phase 1 clinical trial in spinal cord injury. For more information, visit www.geron.com.

This news release may contain forward-looking statements made pursuant to the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Investors are cautioned that statements in this press release regarding potential applications of Geron’s human embryonic stem cell technologies constitute forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, including, without limitation, risks inherent in the development and commercialization of potential products, uncertainty of clinical trial results or regulatory approvals or clearances, need for future capital, dependence upon collaborators and protection of our intellectual property rights. Actual results may differ materially from the results anticipated in these forward-looking statements. Additional information on potential factors that could affect our results and other risks and uncertainties are detailed from time to time in Geron’s periodic reports, including the annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010.