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              <td nowrap width="100%" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">As filed with the Securities and
        Exchange Commission on June 4, 2010</font></font></td>
            </tr><tr valign="bottom">
              <td align="right" nowrap width="100%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 1.5pt solid"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">Registration No.
    333-</font></font></td>
            </tr></table>
      </div>
      <div>
      </div>
      <div>&#160;</div>
      <div align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><font style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">UNITED STATES <br></font></font><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><font style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION<br>WASHINGTON,
  D.C. 20549</font></font> <font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif"><br></font><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;<br></font><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><font style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">FORM
  S-8 <br></font></font><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><font style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">REGISTRATION STATEMENT <br>UNDER
  <br></font></font><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><font style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933<br></font></font><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;<br></font><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><font size="4" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">GERON CORPORATION</font></font> <font size="4" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif"><br></font><font size="1" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-STYLE: italic"><font size="2"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-STYLE: italic">(Exact Name of Registrant as
  Specified in Its Charter)</font></font></font></font></div>
      <div>
      </div>
      <div>&#160;</div>
      <div>
        <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="LINE-HEIGHT: 12pt; BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse; ">
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              <td nowrap width="50%" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">Delaware</font></font></td>
              <td nowrap width="49%" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">75-2287752</font></font></td>
            </tr><tr valign="bottom">
              <td nowrap width="50%" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-STYLE: italic"><font size="1" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif"><font size="2">(State or Other
        Jurisdiction of</font><br><font size="2">Incorporation or
        Organization)</font></font></font></td>
              <td nowrap width="49%" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-STYLE: italic"><font size="1" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif"><font size="2">(I.R.S.
        Employer</font><br><font size="2">Identification
      Number)</font></font></font></td>
            </tr></table>
      </div>
      <div align="center"><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;<br><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold">230 Constitution Drive<br>Menlo Park,
  California 94025<br></font></font><font size="1" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-STYLE: italic"><font size="2">(Addresses of Principal
  Executive Offices including Zip Code)</font></font> <br></font><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;<br></font><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><font style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">2002
  EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN&#160; <br></font></font><font size="1" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif"><font size="2">(<font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-STYLE: italic">Full
  Title of the Plan</font>)</font></font> <font size="1" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif"><br><font size="2">&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;&#8211;</font></font></div>
      <div>
      </div>
      <div>&#160;</div>
      <div>
        <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="LINE-HEIGHT: 12pt; BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse; ">
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              <td nowrap width="50%" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">Thomas B. Okarma</font></font></td>
              <td nowrap width="49%" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">Copy to:</font></font></td>
            </tr><tr valign="bottom">
              <td nowrap width="50%" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">President and Chief Executive
        Officer</font></font></td>
              <td nowrap width="49%" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">Alan C. Mendelson,
    Esq.</font></font></td>
            </tr><tr valign="bottom">
              <td nowrap width="50%" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">Geron Corporation</font></font></td>
              <td nowrap width="49%" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">Mark V. Roeder, Esq.</font></font></td>
            </tr><tr valign="bottom">
              <td nowrap width="50%" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">230 Constitution Drive</font></font></td>
              <td nowrap width="49%" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">Latham &amp; Watkins
    LLP</font></font></td>
            </tr><tr valign="bottom">
              <td nowrap width="50%" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">Menlo Park, California
        94025</font></font></td>
              <td nowrap width="49%" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">140 Scott Drive</font></font></td>
            </tr><tr valign="bottom">
              <td nowrap width="50%" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">(650) 473-7700</font></font></td>
              <td nowrap width="49%" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><font size="2">Menlo Park,
        California 94025</font></font></td>
            </tr><tr>
              <td nowrap width="50%" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center">
              </td>
              <td nowrap width="49%" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><font size="2">(650)
        328-4600</font></font></td>
            </tr><tr>
              <td colspan="2" nowrap width="99%">
                <div align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-STYLE: italic"><font size="1" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif"><font size="2">(Name and Address,
        Including Zip Code, and Telephone Number,</font> <br><font size="2">Including Area Code, of Agent for
        Service)</font></font></font></div>
              </td>
            </tr></table>
      </div>
      <div>&#160;</div>
      <div align="left"><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">Indicate by check mark
  whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a
  non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of
  &#8220;large accelerated filer,&#8221; &#8220;accelerated filer&#8221; and &#8220;smaller reporting company&#8221;
  in Rule 12b2 of the Exchange Act.</font></div>
      <div>&#160;</div>
      <div align="center">
        <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="95%" style="LINE-HEIGHT: 14pt; BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse; ">
  <tr valign="bottom">
              <td nowrap width="1%"><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: wingdings">o</font></td>
              <td align="left" nowrap width="54%"><font size="1" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif"><font size="2">&#160;Large accelerated filer</font></font></td>
              <td nowrap width="1%"><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: wingdings">x</font></td>
              <td align="left" nowrap width="44%"><font size="1" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif"><font size="2">&#160;Accelerated filer</font></font></td>
            </tr><tr valign="bottom">
              <td nowrap width="1%"><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: wingdings">o</font></td>
              <td align="left" nowrap width="54%"><font size="1" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif"><font size="2">&#160;Non-accelerated filer (Do not check if a smaller
        reporting company)&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;
      </font></font></td>
              <td nowrap width="1%"><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: wingdings">o</font></td>
              <td align="left" nowrap width="44%"><font size="1" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif"><font size="2">&#160;Smaller reporting
    company</font></font></td>
            </tr></table>
      </div><br>
      <div>
        <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="LINE-HEIGHT: 10pt; BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse; ">
  <tr valign="bottom">
              <td colspan="9" nowrap width="100%" style="BORDER-TOP: #000000 1pt solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 1pt solid; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; LINE-HEIGHT: 12pt">CALCULATION
        OF REGISTRATION FEE</font></font></td>
            </tr><tr valign="bottom" style="PADDING-RIGHT: 5pt; PADDING-LEFT: 5pt;">
              <td nowrap width="43%" style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1pt solid"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><font size="1">&#160;</font></font></td>
              <td colspan="2" nowrap width="16%" style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1pt solid; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><font size="1">Amount</font></font></td>
              <td nowrap width="13%" style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1pt solid; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><font size="1">Proposed Maximum</font></font></td>
              <td nowrap width="13%" style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1pt solid; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><font size="1" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">Proposed</font></font></td>
              <td colspan="4" nowrap width="14%" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><font size="1">Amount
        of</font></font></td>
            </tr><tr valign="bottom" style="PADDING-RIGHT: 5pt; PADDING-LEFT: 5pt;">
              <td nowrap width="43%" style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1pt solid; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><font size="1">&#160;</font></font></td>
              <td colspan="2" nowrap width="16%" style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1pt solid; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><font size="1" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">to be</font></font></td>
              <td nowrap width="13%" style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1pt solid; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><font size="1" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Offering Price</font></font></td>
              <td nowrap width="13%" style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1pt solid; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><font size="1" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Maximum
      Aggregate</font></font></td>
              <td colspan="4" nowrap width="14%" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><font size="1">Registration</font></font></td>
            </tr><tr valign="bottom" style="PADDING-RIGHT: 5pt; PADDING-LEFT: 5pt;">
              <td nowrap width="43%" style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1pt solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 1pt solid; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><font size="1"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Title of Securities to be
        Registered</font></font></td>
              <td colspan="2" nowrap width="16%" style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1pt solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 1pt solid; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><font size="1">Registered
        (1)(2)</font></font></td>
              <td nowrap width="13%" style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1pt solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 1pt solid; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><font size="1" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Per Share (3)</font></font></td>
              <td nowrap width="13%" style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1pt solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 1pt solid; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><font size="1" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Offering Price
      (3)</font></font></td>
              <td colspan="4" nowrap width="14%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 1pt solid; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><font size="1">Fee</font></font></td>
            </tr><tr>
              <td align="left" nowrap width="43%" style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1pt solid"><font size="1">Common Stock, $0.001 par value per share,
        issuable under</font></td>
              <td align="right" nowrap width="10%">&#160;</td>
              <td nowrap width="6%" style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1pt solid">&#160;</td>
              <td nowrap width="13%" style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1pt solid">&#160;</td>
              <td nowrap width="13%" style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1pt solid">&#160;</td>
              <td colspan="4" nowrap width="14%">&#160;</td>
            </tr><tr>
              <td align="left" nowrap width="43%" style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1pt solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 1pt solid"><font size="1" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; the 2002 Equity Incentive Plan
        (4)</font></td>
              <td align="right" nowrap width="10%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 1pt solid"><font size="1">7,000,000</font></td>
              <td nowrap width="6%" style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1pt solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 1pt solid">&#160;</td>
              <td nowrap width="13%" style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1pt solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 1pt solid; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><font size="1">$5.46</font></td>
              <td nowrap width="13%" style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1pt solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 1pt solid; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><font size="1">$&#160;&#160;&#160; 38,220,000</font></td>
              <td nowrap width="5%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 1pt solid"><font size="3">&#160;</font></td>
              <td align="left" nowrap width="1%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 1pt solid"><font size="1">$&#160;&#160;&#160; </font></td>
              <td align="right" nowrap width="3%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 1pt solid"><font size="1">2,725.09</font></td>
              <td nowrap width="5%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 1pt solid">&#160;</td>
            </tr><tr>
              <td align="left" nowrap width="43%" style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1pt solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 1pt solid"><font size="1">Total</font></td>
              <td align="right" nowrap width="10%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 1pt solid"><font size="1">7,000,000</font></td>
              <td nowrap width="6%" style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1pt solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 1pt solid">&#160;</td>
              <td nowrap width="13%" style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1pt solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 1pt solid; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><font size="1">$5.46</font></td>
              <td nowrap width="13%" style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1pt solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 1pt solid; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><font size="1">$&#160;&#160;&#160; 38,220,000</font></td>
              <td nowrap width="5%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 1pt solid">&#160;</td>
              <td align="left" nowrap width="1%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 1pt solid"><font size="1">$</font></td>
              <td align="right" nowrap width="3%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 1pt solid"><font size="1">2,725.09</font></td>
              <td nowrap width="5%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 1pt solid">&#160;</td>
            </tr></table>
      </div><br>
      <div>
        <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="LINE-HEIGHT: 10pt; BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse; ">
  <tr>
              <td valign="top"><font size="1">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;</font></td>
              <td valign="top"><font size="1" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">(1)</font></td>
              <td valign="top"><font size="1">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;</font></td>
              <td valign="top" width="100%"><font size="1" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">The
        2002 Equity Incentive Plan (the &#8220;Plan&#8221;) authorizes the issuance of
        24,579,603 shares of Common Stock of the Company, of which 7,000,000
        shares are being registered hereunder.</font></td>
            </tr><tr>
              <td valign="top">
              </td>
              <td colspan="3" valign="top" width="100%">&#160;</td>
            </tr><tr>
              <td valign="top">
              </td>
              <td valign="top"><font size="1" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">(2)</font></td>
              <td valign="top">
              </td>
              <td valign="top" width="100%"><font size="1" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">Pursuant to Rule 416(a), this registration statement (the
        &#8220;Registration Statement&#8221;) shall also cover any additional shares of Common
        Stock which become issuable under the Plan by reason of any stock
        dividend, stock split, recapitalization or any other similar transaction
        effected without the receipt of consideration which results in an increase
        in the number of the outstanding shares of the Company&#8217;s Common
        Stock.</font></td>
            </tr><tr>
              <td valign="top">
              </td>
              <td colspan="3" valign="top" width="100%">&#160;</td>
            </tr><tr>
              <td valign="top">
              </td>
              <td valign="top"><font size="1" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">(3)</font></td>
              <td valign="top">
              </td>
              <td valign="top" width="100%"><font size="1" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">Estimated solely for the purposes of calculating the registration
        fee pursuant to Rule 457(h) and (c) under the Securities Act of 1933, as
        amended (the &#8220;Securities Act&#8221;), and is based on the average ($5.46) of the
        high ($5.60) and low ($5.31) sales prices of the Common Stock, as reported
        on the Nasdaq Global Market on June 1, 2010.</font></td>
            </tr><tr>
              <td valign="top">
              </td>
              <td colspan="3" valign="top" width="100%">&#160;</td>
            </tr><tr>
              <td valign="top">
              </td>
              <td valign="top"><font size="1" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">(4)</font></td>
              <td valign="top">
              </td>
              <td valign="top" width="100%"><font size="1" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">Each
        share of Common Stock being registered hereunder, if issued prior to the
        termination by the Company of its Rights Agreement dated as of July 20,
        2001, will include one preferred share purchase right. Prior to the
        occurrence of certain events, the preferred share purchase rights will not
        be exercisable or evidenced separately from the Common
    Stock.</font></td>
            </tr></table>
      </div>
      <div>
        <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="LINE-HEIGHT: 14pt; BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse; ">
  <tr>
              <td width="100%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 1.5pt solid"><font size="1">&#160; </font></td>
            </tr><tr>
              <td width="100%">
                <div align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">This Registration Statement will become
        effective upon filing in accordance with Rule 462 under the Securities
        Act.&#160;</font></font></div>
              </td>
            </tr></table>
      </div>
      <div>&#160;</div>
      <div align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">Proposed sale to take place as soon after the
  effective date of the Registration Statement as options granted<br>under the
  Plan are exercised.</font></font></div>
      <div>&#160;</div>
      <div align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">Total Pages 21<br>Exhibit Index on Page
  7</font></font></div>
      <div>&#160;</div>
      <hr align="center" noshade size="2" width="100%">
      <div id="PN" style="PAGE-BREAK-BEFORE: always">
      </div><br>
      <div align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">REGISTRATION OF ADDITIONAL SECURITIES
  </font></font></div>
      <div>&#160;</div>
      <div align="left">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;<font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">On July 3, 2002, Geron Corporation, a Delaware corporation (&#8220;Geron&#8221; or
  the &#8220;Company&#8221;) filed a Registration Statement on Form S-8, Registration No.
  333-91916 (the &#8220;First EIP Registration Statement&#8221;), with the Securities and
  Exchange Commission (the <font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">&#8220;</font>Commission<font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">&#8221;</font>) relating to an
  aggregate of 7,000,000 shares of Common Stock to be offered and sold under the
  2002 Equity Incentive Plan (the &#8220;Plan&#8221;). On October 7, 2004, the Company filed a
  Registration Statement on Form S-8, Registration No. 333-119601 (the &#8220;Second EIP
  Registration Statement&#8221;), with the Commission relating to an additional 579,603
  shares of Common Stock issuable under the Plan. On August 5, 2005, the Company
  filed a Registration on Statement on Form S-8, Registration No. 333-127255 (the
  &#8220;Third EIP Registration Statement&#8221;), with the Commission relating to an
  additional 2,000,000 shares of Common Stock issuable under the Plan. On August
  4, 2006, the Company filed a Registration Statement on Form S-8, Registration
  No. 333-136330 (the &#8220;Fourth EIP Registration Statement&#8221;), with the Commission
  relating to an additional 2,000,000 shares of Common Stock issuable under the
  Plan. On August 1, 2007, the Company filed a Registration Statement on Form S-8,
  Registration No. 333-145042 (the &#8220;Fifth EIP Registration Statement&#8221;), with the
  Commission relating to an additional 2,000,000 shares of Common Stock issuable
  under the Plan. On August 1, 2008, the Company filed a Registration Statement on
  Form S-8, Registration No. 333-152725 (the &#8220;Sixth EIP Registration Statement&#8221;),
  with the Commission relating to an additional 2,000,000 shares of Common Stock
  issuable under the Plan. On August 4, 2009, the Company filed a Registration
  Statement on Form S-8, Registration No. 333-161035 (the &#8220;Seventh EIP
  Registration Statement&#8221;), with the Commission relating to an additional
  2,000,000 shares of Common Stock issuable under the Plan. The Plan authorizes
  the issuance of 24,579,603 shares of Common Stock. The Company is hereby
  registering an additional 7,000,000 shares of Common Stock issuable under the
  Plan, none of which has been issued as of the date of this Registration
  Statement.</font></div>
      <div>&#160;</div>
      <div align="left">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;<font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">Pursuant to Instruction E of Form S-8, the contents of the First EIP
  Registration Statement, Second EIP Registration Statement, Third EIP
  Registration Statement, Fourth EIP Registration Statement, Fifth EIP
  Registration Statement, Sixth EIP Registration Statement and Seventh EIP
  Registration Statement are incorporated by reference in this Registration
  Statement on Form S-8.</font></div>
      <div>&#160;</div>
      <div align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">PART I </font></font></div>
      <div>&#160;</div>
      <div align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(a)
  PROSPECTUS</font></font><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif"> </font></div>
      <div>&#160;</div>
      <div align="left">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;<font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">The information called for in Part I of the Form S-8 is not being filed
  with or included in this Form S-8 (by incorporation by reference or otherwise)
  in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Commission. </font></div>
      <div>&#160;</div>
      <div align="center"><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">2 </font></div>
      <div>&#160;</div>
      <hr align="center" noshade size="2" width="100%">
      <div id="PN" style="PAGE-BREAK-BEFORE: always">
      </div><br>
      <div align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">PART II </font></font></div>
      <div>&#160;</div>
      <div align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION
  STATEMENT </font></font></div>
      <div>&#160;</div>
      <div align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">Item 3. Incorporation of Documents by
  Reference. </font></font></div>
      <div>&#160;</div>
      <div align="left">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;<font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">The following documents filed with the Commission by Geron are
  incorporated as of their respective dates in this Registration Statement by
  reference: </font></div>
      <ul>
        <li><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">Geron&#8217;s Annual Report on Form 10-K
    for the year ended December 31, 2009, filed with the Commission on February
    26, 2010;<br>&#160;</font>
          </li>
        <li><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">Geron&#8217;s Definitive Proxy Statement
    filed with the Commission on March 29, 2010; <br>&#160;</font>
          </li>
        <li><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">Geron&#8217;s Current Reports on Form
    8-K filed with the Commission on January 15, 2010, March 19, 2010, March 26,
    2010, May 20, 2010 and May 21, 2010; <br>&#160;</font>
          </li>
        <li><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">Geron&#8217;s Quarterly Report on Form
    10-Q for the three months ended March 31, 2010, filed with the Commission on
    April 30, 2010; <br>&#160;</font>
          </li>
        <li><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">the description of Geron preferred
    share purchase rights, contained in Geron&#8217;s Current Report on Form 8-K dated
    as of July 20, 2001, filed with the Commission on July 23, 2001, and any
    amendment or report filed with the Commission for purposes of updating the
    description; and <br>&#160;</font>
          </li>
        <li><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">The description of our common
    stock set forth in our registration statement on Form 8-A, filed with the
    Commission on June 13, 1996 (File No. 0-20859)</font><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">. </font></li>
      </ul>
      <div align="left">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;<font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">All documents filed by Geron pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 and
  15(d) of the Exchange Act, prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment
  which indicates that all securities offered have been sold or which deregisters
  all securities then remaining unsold are incorporated by reference in this
  Registration Statement and are a part hereof from the date of filing such
  documents. Any statement contained in a document incorporated or deemed to be
  incorporated by reference herein shall be deemed to be modified or superseded
  for purposes of this Registration Statement to the extent that a statement
  contained herein or in any other subsequently filed document which also is or is
  deemed to be incorporated by reference herein modifies or supersedes such
  statement. Any such statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed,
  except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this Registration
  Statement. </font></div>
      <div>&#160;</div>
      <div align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">Item 4. Description of Securities.
  </font></font></div>
      <div>&#160;</div>
      <div align="left"><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif"><font size="3">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;</font>Not applicable. </font></div>
      <div>&#160;</div>
      <div align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">Item 5. Interests of Named Experts and
  Counsel. </font></font></div>
      <div>&#160;</div>
      <div align="left"><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif"><font size="3">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;</font>Not applicable. </font></div>
      <div>&#160;</div>
      <div align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">Item 6. Indemnification of Directors and
  Officers. </font></font></div>
      <div>&#160;</div>
      <div align="left">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;<font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">Section 145(a) of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware
  (the &#8220;DGCL&#8221;) provides that a Delaware corporation may indemnify any person who
  was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending
  or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative
  or investigative (other than an action by or in the right of the corporation) by
  reason of the fact that such person is or was a director, officer, employee or
  agent of the corporation or is or was serving at the request of the corporation
  as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation or enterprise,
  against expenses, judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and
  reasonably incurred by such person in connection with such action, suit or
  proceeding if he or she acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably
  believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, and,
  with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no cause to believe his
  or her conduct was unlawful.</font></div>
      <div>&#160;</div>
      <div align="center"><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">3</font><font size="1" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif"> </font></div>
      <div>&#160;</div>
      <hr align="center" noshade size="2" width="100%">
      <div id="PN" style="PAGE-BREAK-BEFORE: always">
      </div><br>
      <div align="left">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;<font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">Section 145(b) of the DGCL provides that a Delaware corporation may
  indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party
  to any threatened, pending or completed action or suit by or in the right of
  corporation to procure a judgment in its favor by reason of the fact that such
  person acted in any of the capacities set forth above, against expenses actually
  and reasonably incurred by such person in connection with the defense or
  settlement of such action or suit if he or she acted under similar standards to
  those set forth above, except that no indemnification may be made in respect to
  any claim, issue or matter as to which such person shall have been adjudged to
  be liable to the corporation unless and only to the extent that the court in
  which such action or suit was brought shall determine that despite the
  adjudication of liability, but in view of all the circumstances of the case,
  such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to be indemnified for such
  expenses which the court shall deem proper. </font></div>
      <div>&#160;</div>
      <div align="left">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;<font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">Section 145 of the DGCL further provides that to the extent a director or
  officer of a corporation has been successful in the defense of any action, suit
  or proceeding referred to in subsection (a) and (b) or in the defense of any
  claim, issue or matter therein, he or she shall be indemnified against expenses
  actually and reasonably incurred by him or her in connection therewith; that
  indemnification provided for by Section 145 shall not be deemed exclusive of any
  other rights to which the indemnified party may be entitled; and that the
  corporation may purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of a director or
  officer of the corporation against any liability asserted against such officer
  or director and incurred by him or her in any such capacity or arising out of
  his or her status as such, whether or not the corporation would have the power
  to indemnify him or her against such liabilities under Section 145.</font></div>
      <div>&#160;</div>
      <div align="left">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;<font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">As permitted by Section 102(b)(7) of the DGCL, our Certificate of
  Incorporation provides that a director shall not be liable to us or our
  stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director.
  However, this provision does not eliminate or limit the liability of a director
  for acts or omissions not in good faith or for breaching his or her duty of
  loyalty, engaging in intentional misconduct or knowingly violating the law,
  paying a dividend or approving a stock repurchase which was illegal, or
  obtaining an improper personal benefit. A provision of this type has no effect
  on the availability of equitable remedies, such as injunction or rescission, for
  breach of fiduciary duty. Our Certificate of Incorporation requires that
  directors and officers be indemnified to the maximum extent permitted by
  Delaware law.</font></div>
      <div>&#160;</div>
      <div align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">Item 7. Exemption from Registration Claimed.
  </font></font></div>
      <div>&#160;</div>
      <div align="left"><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif"><font size="3">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;</font>Not applicable. </font></div>
      <div>&#160;</div>
      <div align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">Item 8. Exhibits. </font></font></div>
      <div>&#160;</div>
      <div align="left">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;<font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">A list of exhibits filed with this Registration Statement is set forth in
  the Exhibit Index on page 7 and is incorporated herein by reference.
  </font></div>
      <div>&#160;</div>
      <div align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">Item 9. Undertakings. </font></font></div>
      <div>&#160;</div>
      <div align="left"><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif"><font size="3">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;</font>(a) The undersigned registrant
  hereby undertakes: </font></div>
      <div>&#160;</div>
      <div align="left">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;<font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">(1) To file, during any period in which offers
  or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this Registration
  Statement: </font></div>
      <div>&#160;</div>
      <div align="left"><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif"><font size="3">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;</font>(i) To
  include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act;
  </font></div>
      <div>&#160;</div>
      <div align="center"><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">4</font><font size="1" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif"> </font></div>
      <div>&#160;</div>
      <hr align="center" noshade size="2" width="100%">
      <div id="PN" style="PAGE-BREAK-BEFORE: always">
      </div><br>
      <div style="PADDING-LEFT: 15pt" align="left">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;<font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">(ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or
  events arising after the effective date of this Registration Statement (or the
  most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the
  aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in this
  Registration Statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease
  in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered
  would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or
  high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of
  prospectus filed with the SEC pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the
  changes in volume and price represent no more than 20 percent change in the
  maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the &#8220;Calculation of Registration
  Fee&#8221; table in the effective Registration Statement; and </font></div>
      <div>&#160;</div>
      <div style="PADDING-LEFT: 15pt" align="left">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;<font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">(iii) To include any material information with
  respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in this
  Registration Statement or any material change to such information in this
  Registration Statement; </font></div>
      <div>&#160;</div>
      <div align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-STYLE: italic"><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">provided, however</font></font><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) do
  not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective
  amendment by those paragraphs is contained in periodic reports filed with or
  furnished to the Commission by the registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section
  15(d) of the Exchange Act that are incorporated by reference in this
  Registration Statement. </font></div>
      <div>&#160;</div>
      <div align="left">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;<font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">(2) That, for the purpose of determining any
  liability under the Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be
  deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered
  therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be
  the initial </font><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-STYLE: italic"><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">bona fide </font></font><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">offering thereof. </font></div>
      <div>&#160;</div>
      <div align="left">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;<font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">(3) To remove from registration by means of a
  post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain
  unsold at the termination of the offering. </font></div>
      <div>&#160;</div>
      <div align="left">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;<font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">(b) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of
  determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the
  registrant&#8217;s annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the
  Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan&#8217;s
  annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is
  incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement shall be deemed to be a
  new Registration Statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the
  offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial
  </font><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-STYLE: italic"><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">bona fide</font></font><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif"> offering thereof. </font></div>
      <div>&#160;</div>
      <div align="left">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;<font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">(c) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the
  Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons
  of the registrant pursuant to existing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant
  has been advised that in the opinion of the Commission such indemnification is
  against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore,
  unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such
  liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or
  paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the
  successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such
  director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being
  registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter
  has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate
  jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public
  policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final
  adjudication of such issue. </font></div>
      <div>&#160;</div>
      <div align="center"><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">5</font><font size="1" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif"> </font></div>
      <div>&#160;</div>
      <hr align="center" noshade size="2" width="100%">
      <div id="PN" style="PAGE-BREAK-BEFORE: always">
      </div><br>
      <div align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">SIGNATURES</font></font><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif"> </font></div>
      <div>&#160;</div>
      <div align="left">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;<font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, the registrant
  certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the
  requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration
  Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
  authorized, in the City of Menlo Park, State of California, on June 4,
  2010.</font></div>
      <div align="center">
      </div>
      <div>&#160;</div>
      <div>
        <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="LINE-HEIGHT: 14pt; BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse; ">
  <tr valign="bottom">
              <td align="left" nowrap width="50%">
              </td>
              <td align="left" colspan="3" nowrap width="50%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">GERON CORPORATION</font></font></td>
            </tr><tr>
              <td width="50%">
              </td>
              <td colspan="3" width="50%">&#160;</td>
            </tr><tr valign="bottom">
              <td align="left" nowrap width="50%">
              </td>
              <td align="left" nowrap width="1%"><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">By:&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; &#160;</font></td>
              <td align="left" nowrap width="25%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 1pt solid"><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">/s/ David L.
        Greenwood</font></td>
              <td align="left" nowrap width="24%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 1pt solid">&#160;</td>
            </tr><tr>
              <td align="left" nowrap width="50%">&#160;</td>
              <td align="left" nowrap width="1%">
              </td>
              <td align="left" colspan="2" nowrap width="49%"><font size="2">David L.
        Greenwood</font></td>
            </tr><tr>
              <td align="left" nowrap width="50%">
              </td>
              <td align="left" nowrap width="1%">
              </td>
              <td align="left" colspan="2" nowrap width="49%"><font size="2">Executive Vice
        President and</font></td>
            </tr><tr valign="bottom">
              <td align="left" nowrap width="50%">
              </td>
              <td align="left" nowrap width="1%">
              </td>
              <td align="left" colspan="2" nowrap width="49%"><font size="2">Chief Financial
        Officer</font></td>
            </tr></table>
      </div>
      <div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><br><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">POWER OF ATTORNEY</font></font></div>
      <div>&#160;</div>
      <div align="left">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;<font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENT, that each person whose signature appears
  below constitutes and appoints Thomas B. Okarma and David L. Greenwood, and each
  of them, his or her true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, each with full
  power of substitution and resubstitution, for him or her and in his or her name,
  place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments
  (including post-effective amendments) to this Registration Statement, and to
  file the same, with all exhibits thereto and other documents in connection
  therewith, with the Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents,
  and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act
  and thing requisite and necessary to be done in order to effectuate the same as
  fully, to all intents and purposes, as he or she might or could do in person,
  hereby ratifying and confirming all that each of said attorneys-in-fact and
  agents, or any of them, or their or his substitutes or substitute may lawfully
  do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.</font></div>
      <div>&#160;</div>
      <div align="left">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;<font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, this Registration
  Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the
  date indicated.</font></div>
      <div align="center">
      </div>
      <div>&#160;</div>
      <div>
        <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="LINE-HEIGHT: 14pt; BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse; ">
  <tr valign="bottom">
              <td align="left" nowrap width="34%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; TEXT-DECORATION: underline"><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">Signature</font></font></font></td>
              <td align="left" nowrap width="1%">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;</td>
              <td align="left" nowrap width="35%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; TEXT-DECORATION: underline"><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">Title</font></font></font></td>
              <td nowrap width="29%" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; TEXT-DECORATION: underline"><font size="2">Date</font></font></font></td>
            </tr><tr valign="bottom">
              <td align="left" nowrap width="34%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 1pt solid"><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">/s/ Thomas B.
        Okarma</font></td>
              <td align="left" nowrap width="1%">
              </td>
              <td align="left" nowrap width="35%"><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">President, Chief Executive Officer and</font></td>
              <td nowrap width="29%" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">June 4, 2010</font></td>
            </tr><tr valign="bottom">
              <td align="left" nowrap width="34%"><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">Thomas B. Okarma</font></td>
              <td align="left" nowrap width="1%">
              </td>
              <td align="left" nowrap width="35%"><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">Director (Principal Executive Officer)</font></td>
              <td align="left" nowrap width="29%">&#160;</td>
            </tr><tr>
              <td colspan="4" width="99%">&#160;</td>
            </tr><tr valign="bottom">
              <td align="left" nowrap width="34%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 1pt solid"><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">/s/ David L.
        Greenwood</font></td>
              <td align="left" nowrap width="1%">
              </td>
              <td align="left" nowrap width="35%"><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">Executive Vice President and Chief Financial</font></td>
              <td nowrap width="29%" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">June 4, 2010</font></td>
            </tr><tr valign="bottom">
              <td align="left" nowrap width="34%"><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">David L. Greenwood</font></td>
              <td align="left" nowrap width="1%">
              </td>
              <td align="left" nowrap width="35%"><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">Officer (Principal Financial and Accounting</font></td>
              <td align="left" nowrap width="29%">
              </td>
            </tr><tr valign="bottom">
              <td align="left" nowrap width="34%">
              </td>
              <td align="left" nowrap width="1%">
              </td>
              <td align="left" nowrap width="35%"><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">Officer)</font></td>
              <td align="left" nowrap width="29%">
              </td>
            </tr><tr>
              <td colspan="4" width="99%">&#160;</td>
            </tr><tr valign="bottom">
              <td align="left" nowrap width="34%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 1pt solid"><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">/s/ Alexander E.
        Barkas</font></td>
              <td align="left" nowrap width="1%">
              </td>
              <td align="left" nowrap width="35%"><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">Director</font></td>
              <td nowrap width="29%" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">June 4, 2010</font></td>
            </tr><tr valign="bottom">
              <td align="left" nowrap width="34%"><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">Alexander E. Barkas</font></td>
              <td align="left" nowrap width="1%">
              </td>
              <td align="left" nowrap width="35%">
              </td>
              <td align="left" nowrap width="29%">
              </td>
            </tr><tr>
              <td colspan="4" width="99%">&#160;</td>
            </tr><tr valign="bottom">
              <td align="left" nowrap width="34%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 1pt solid"><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">/s/ Karin
        Eastham</font></td>
              <td align="left" nowrap width="1%">
              </td>
              <td align="left" nowrap width="35%"><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">Director</font></td>
              <td nowrap width="29%" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">June 4, 2010</font></td>
            </tr><tr valign="bottom">
              <td align="left" nowrap width="34%"><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">Karin Eastham</font></td>
              <td align="left" nowrap width="1%">
              </td>
              <td align="left" nowrap width="35%">
              </td>
              <td align="left" nowrap width="29%">
              </td>
            </tr><tr>
              <td colspan="4" width="99%" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center">&#160;</td>
            </tr><tr valign="bottom">
              <td align="left" nowrap width="34%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 1pt solid"><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">/s/ Edward V.
        Fritzky</font></td>
              <td align="left" nowrap width="1%">
              </td>
              <td align="left" nowrap width="35%"><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">Director</font></td>
              <td nowrap width="29%" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">June 4, 2010</font></td>
            </tr><tr valign="bottom">
              <td align="left" nowrap width="34%"><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">Edward V. Fritzky</font></td>
              <td align="left" nowrap width="1%">
              </td>
              <td align="left" nowrap width="35%">
              </td>
              <td align="left" nowrap width="29%">
              </td>
            </tr><tr>
              <td colspan="4" width="99%">&#160;</td>
            </tr><tr>
              <td width="34%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 1pt solid"><font size="2">/s/
        Thomas Hofstaetter</font></td>
              <td width="1%">&#160;</td>
              <td width="35%"><font size="2">Director</font></td>
              <td width="29%" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><font size="2">June 4,
      2010</font></td>
            </tr><tr>
              <td colspan="4" width="99%"><font size="2">Thomas Hofstaetter</font></td>
            </tr><tr>
              <td colspan="4" width="99%">&#160;</td>
            </tr><tr valign="bottom">
              <td align="left" nowrap width="34%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 1pt solid"><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">/s/ Charles J.
        Homcy</font></td>
              <td align="left" nowrap width="1%">
              </td>
              <td align="left" nowrap width="35%"><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">Director</font></td>
              <td nowrap width="29%" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">June 4, 2010</font></td>
            </tr><tr valign="bottom">
              <td align="left" nowrap width="34%"><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">Charles J. Homcy</font></td>
              <td align="left" nowrap width="1%">
              </td>
              <td align="left" nowrap width="35%">
              </td>
              <td align="left" nowrap width="29%">
              </td>
            </tr><tr>
              <td colspan="4" width="99%">&#160;</td>
            </tr><tr valign="bottom">
              <td align="left" nowrap width="34%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 1pt solid"><font size="2">/s/ Hoyoung Huh</font></td>
              <td align="left" nowrap width="1%">
              </td>
              <td align="left" nowrap width="35%"><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">Director</font></td>
              <td nowrap width="29%" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><font size="2">June 4,
        2010</font></td>
            </tr><tr valign="bottom">
              <td align="left" nowrap width="34%"><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">Hoyoung Huh</font></td>
              <td align="left" nowrap width="1%">
              </td>
              <td align="left" nowrap width="35%">
              </td>
              <td align="left" nowrap width="29%">
              </td>
            </tr><tr>
              <td colspan="4" width="99%">&#160;</td>
            </tr><tr>
              <td align="left" nowrap width="34%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 1pt solid"><font size="2">/s/ Thomas D. Kiley</font></td>
              <td align="left" nowrap width="1%">
              </td>
              <td align="left" nowrap width="35%"><font size="2">Director</font></td>
              <td nowrap width="29%" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><font size="2">June 4,
        2010</font></td>
            </tr><tr>
              <td align="left" nowrap width="34%"><font size="2">Thomas D. Kiley</font></td>
              <td align="left" nowrap width="1%">
              </td>
              <td align="left" nowrap width="35%">
              </td>
              <td nowrap width="29%">
              </td>
            </tr><tr>
              <td align="left" nowrap width="34%">&#160;</td>
              <td align="left" nowrap width="1%">
              </td>
              <td align="left" nowrap width="35%">
              </td>
              <td nowrap width="29%">
              </td>
            </tr><tr valign="bottom">
              <td align="left" nowrap width="34%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 1pt solid"><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">/s/ Robert J.
        Spiegel</font></td>
              <td align="left" nowrap width="1%">
              </td>
              <td align="left" nowrap width="35%"><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">Director</font></td>
              <td nowrap width="29%" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">June 4, 2010</font></td>
            </tr><tr valign="bottom">
              <td align="left" nowrap width="34%"><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">Robert J. Spiegel</font></td>
              <td align="left" nowrap width="1%">
              </td>
              <td align="left" nowrap width="35%">
              </td>
              <td align="left" nowrap width="29%">&#160; </td>
            </tr></table>
      </div>
      <div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><br><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">6</font></div>
      <div><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">&#160;</font></div>
      <div>
        <hr align="center" noshade size="2" width="100%">
      </div>
      <div id="PN" style="PAGE-BREAK-BEFORE: always">
      </div><br>
      <div align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">EXHIBIT INDEX</font></font></div>
      <div>&#160;</div>
      <div>
        <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="LINE-HEIGHT: 14pt; BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse; ">
  <tr valign="bottom">
              <td colspan="2" nowrap width="2%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">EXHIBIT</font></font></td>
              <td nowrap width="2%">
              </td>
              <td align="left" nowrap width="92%">&#160;</td>
              <td align="left" nowrap width="2%">
              </td>
              <td align="left" nowrap width="2%">&#160;</td>
            </tr><tr valign="bottom">
              <td colspan="2" nowrap width="2%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><font size="2" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 1pt solid; FONT-FAMILY: serif">NUMBER</font></font></td>
              <td nowrap width="2%">&#160;&#160; &#160;&#160;</td>
              <td nowrap width="92%" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><font size="2" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 1pt solid; FONT-FAMILY: serif">DESCRIPTION</font></font></td>
              <td nowrap width="2%">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;</td>
              <td nowrap width="2%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><font size="2" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 1pt solid; FONT-FAMILY: serif">PAGE</font></font></td>
            </tr><tr valign="bottom">
              <td align="right" nowrap width="1%" bgcolor="#c0c0c0"><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">4.1</font></td>
              <td align="left" nowrap width="1%" bgcolor="#c0c0c0">&#160;</td>
              <td align="left" nowrap width="2%" bgcolor="#c0c0c0">
              </td>
              <td align="left" nowrap width="92%" bgcolor="#c0c0c0"><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">2002 Equity Incentive Plan, as
        amended</font></td>
              <td nowrap width="2%" bgcolor="#c0c0c0">
              </td>
              <td nowrap width="2%" bgcolor="#c0c0c0" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">8</font></td>
            </tr><tr valign="bottom">
              <td align="right" nowrap width="1%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">4.2</font></td>
              <td align="left" nowrap width="1%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><font size="2">+</font></td>
              <td align="left" nowrap width="2%" bgcolor="#ffffff">
              </td>
              <td align="left" nowrap width="92%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">Rights Agreement dated as of July 20,
        2001, between Geron Corporation</font></td>
              <td nowrap width="2%" bgcolor="#ffffff">
              </td>
              <td nowrap width="2%" bgcolor="#ffffff" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><font size="2">N/A</font></td>
            </tr><tr valign="bottom">
              <td align="left" nowrap width="1%" bgcolor="#ffffff">
              </td>
              <td align="left" nowrap width="1%" bgcolor="#ffffff">&#160;</td>
              <td align="left" nowrap width="2%" bgcolor="#ffffff">
              </td>
              <td align="left" nowrap width="92%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif"><font size="3"><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; and
        U.S. Stock Transfer Corporation, as Rights Agent</font></font></font></td>
              <td nowrap width="2%" bgcolor="#ffffff">
              </td>
              <td nowrap width="2%" bgcolor="#ffffff">&#160;</td>
            </tr><tr valign="bottom">
              <td align="right" nowrap width="1%" bgcolor="#c0c0c0"><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">5.1</font></td>
              <td align="left" nowrap width="1%" bgcolor="#c0c0c0">&#160;</td>
              <td align="left" nowrap width="2%" bgcolor="#c0c0c0">
              </td>
              <td align="left" nowrap width="92%" bgcolor="#c0c0c0"><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">Opinion of Latham &amp; Watkins
        LLP</font></td>
              <td nowrap width="2%" bgcolor="#c0c0c0">
              </td>
              <td nowrap width="2%" bgcolor="#c0c0c0" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">20</font></td>
            </tr><tr>
              <td align="right" nowrap width="1%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><font size="2">23.1</font></td>
              <td align="left" nowrap width="1%" bgcolor="#ffffff">&#160;</td>
              <td align="left" nowrap width="2%" bgcolor="#ffffff">
              </td>
              <td align="left" nowrap width="92%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><font size="2">Consent of
        Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm</font></td>
              <td nowrap width="2%" bgcolor="#ffffff">
              </td>
              <td nowrap width="2%" bgcolor="#ffffff" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><font size="2">21</font></td>
            </tr><tr>
              <td align="right" nowrap width="1%" bgcolor="#c0c0c0"><font size="2">23.2</font></td>
              <td align="left" nowrap width="1%" bgcolor="#c0c0c0">
              </td>
              <td align="left" nowrap width="2%" bgcolor="#c0c0c0">
              </td>
              <td align="left" nowrap width="92%" bgcolor="#c0c0c0"><font size="2">Consent of
        Latham &amp; Watkins LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1)</font></td>
              <td nowrap width="2%" bgcolor="#c0c0c0">
              </td>
              <td nowrap width="2%" bgcolor="#c0c0c0" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><font size="2">20</font></td>
            </tr><tr valign="bottom">
              <td align="right" nowrap width="1%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">&#160;&#160;&#160; 24.1</font></td>
              <td align="left" nowrap width="1%" bgcolor="#ffffff">&#160;</td>
              <td align="left" nowrap width="2%" bgcolor="#ffffff">
              </td>
              <td align="left" nowrap width="92%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">Power of Attorney (included on the
        signature page to this Registration Statement)</font></td>
              <td nowrap width="2%" bgcolor="#ffffff">
              </td>
              <td nowrap width="2%" bgcolor="#ffffff" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><font size="2">6</font></td>
            </tr></table>
      </div>____________________ <br>&#160;
  <br>
      <div>
        <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="">
  <tr>
              <td nowrap valign="top"><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">(+)</font></td>
              <td nowrap valign="top">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;</td>
              <td width="100%"><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">Incorporated by
        reference to Exhibit 4.1 to the Company&#8217;s Current Report on Form 8-K filed
        on July 23, 2001.</font></td>
            </tr></table>
      </div>
      <div>&#160;</div>
      <div align="center"><font size="2" style="FONT-FAMILY: serif">7</font></div>
      <div>&#160;</div>
      <hr align="center" noshade size="2" width="100%">
    </body>
  </html>
metadata_documents: [{"type": "S-8", "sequence": "1", "filename": "geron_s8.htm", "description": "INITIAL REGISTRATION STATEMENT FOR SECURITIES TO BE OFFERED TO EMPLOYEES", "secsgml_size_bytes": 65127}]
metadata_filer: {"company-data": {"conformed-name": "GERON CORP", "cik": "0000886744", "assigned-sic": "2834", "irs-number": "752287752", "state-of-incorporation": "DE", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "S-8", "act": "33", "file-number": "333-167349", "film-number": "10879775"}, "business-address": {"street1": "230 CONSTITUTION DRIVE", "city": "MENLO PARK", "state": "CA", "zip": "94025", "phone": "6504737700"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "200 CONSTITUTION DRIVE", "city": "MENLO PARK", "state": "CA", "zip": "94025"}, "former-company": {"former-conformed-name": "GERON CORPORATION", "date-changed": "19960521"}}
text: geron_s8.htm
  As filed with the Securities and
        Exchange Commission on June 4, 2010
  Registration No.
    333-
  UNITED STATES
  SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
  WASHINGTON,
  D.C. 20549
  ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
  FORM
  S-8
  REGISTRATION STATEMENT
  UNDER
  THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
  ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
  GERON CORPORATION
  (Exact Name of Registrant as
  Specified in Its Charter)
  Delaware
  75-2287752
  (State or Other
        Jurisdiction of
  Incorporation or
        Organization)
  (I.R.S.
        Employer
  Identification
      Number)
  ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
  230 Constitution Drive
  Menlo Park,
  California 94025
  (Addresses of Principal
  Executive Offices including Zip Code)
  ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
  2002
  EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN
  (
  Full
  Title of the Plan
  )
  ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
  Thomas B. Okarma
  Copy to:
  President and Chief Executive
        Officer
  Alan C. Mendelson,
    Esq.
  Geron Corporation
  Mark V. Roeder, Esq.
  230 Constitution Drive
  Latham & Watkins
    LLP
  Menlo Park, California
        94025
  140 Scott Drive
  (650) 473-7700
  Menlo Park,
        California 94025
  (650)
        328-4600
  (Name and Address,
        Including Zip Code, and Telephone Number,
  Including Area Code, of Agent for
        Service)
  Indicate by check mark
  whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a
  non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of
  "large accelerated filer," "accelerated filer" and "smaller reporting company"
  in Rule 12b2 of the Exchange Act.
  o
  Large accelerated filer
  x
  Accelerated filer
  o
  Non-accelerated filer (Do not check if a smaller
        reporting company)
  o
  Smaller reporting
    company
  CALCULATION
        OF REGISTRATION FEE
  Amount
  Proposed Maximum
  Proposed
  Amount
        of
  to be
  Offering Price
  Maximum
      Aggregate
  Registration
  Title of Securities to be
        Registered
  Registered
        (1)(2)
  Per Share (3)
  Offering Price
      (3)
  Fee
  Common Stock, $0.001 par value per share,
        issuable under
  the 2002 Equity Incentive Plan
        (4)
  7,000,000
  $5.46
  $    38,220,000
  $
  2,725.09
  Total
  7,000,000
  $5.46
  $    38,220,000
  $
  2,725.09
  (1)
  The
        2002 Equity Incentive Plan (the "Plan") authorizes the issuance of
        24,579,603 shares of Common Stock of the Company, of which 7,000,000
        shares are being registered hereunder.
  (2)
  Pursuant to Rule 416(a), this registration statement (the
        "Registration Statement") shall also cover any additional shares of Common
        Stock which become issuable under the Plan by reason of any stock
        dividend, stock split, recapitalization or any other similar transaction
        effected without the receipt of consideration which results in an increase
        in the number of the outstanding shares of the Company's Common
        Stock.
  (3)
  Estimated solely for the purposes of calculating the registration
        fee pursuant to Rule 457(h) and (c) under the Securities Act of 1933, as
        amended (the "Securities Act"), and is based on the average ($5.46) of the
        high ($5.60) and low ($5.31) sales prices of the Common Stock, as reported
        on the Nasdaq Global Market on June 1, 2010.
  (4)
  Each
        share of Common Stock being registered hereunder, if issued prior to the
        termination by the Company of its Rights Agreement dated as of July 20,
        2001, will include one preferred share purchase right. Prior to the
        occurrence of certain events, the preferred share purchase rights will not
        be exercisable or evidenced separately from the Common
    Stock.
  This Registration Statement will become
        effective upon filing in accordance with Rule 462 under the Securities
        Act.
  Proposed sale to take place as soon after the
  effective date of the Registration Statement as options granted
  under the
  Plan are exercised.
  Total Pages 21
  Exhibit Index on Page
  7
  REGISTRATION OF ADDITIONAL SECURITIES
  On July 3, 2002, Geron Corporation, a Delaware corporation ("Geron" or
  the "Company") filed a Registration Statement on Form S-8, Registration No.
  333-91916 (the "First EIP Registration Statement"), with the Securities and
  Exchange Commission (the
  "
  Commission
  "
  ) relating to an
  aggregate of 7,000,000 shares of Common Stock to be offered and sold under the
  2002 Equity Incentive Plan (the "Plan"). On October 7, 2004, the Company filed a
  Registration Statement on Form S-8, Registration No. 333-119601 (the "Second EIP
  Registration Statement"), with the Commission relating to an additional 579,603
  shares of Common Stock issuable under the Plan. On August 5, 2005, the Company
  filed a Registration on Statement on Form S-8, Registration No. 333-127255 (the
  "Third EIP Registration Statement"), with the Commission relating to an
  additional 2,000,000 shares of Common Stock issuable under the Plan. On August
  4, 2006, the Company filed a Registration Statement on Form S-8, Registration
  No. 333-136330 (the "Fourth EIP Registration Statement"), with the Commission
  relating to an additional 2,000,000 shares of Common Stock issuable under the
  Plan. On August 1, 2007, the Company filed a Registration Statement on Form S-8,
  Registration No. 333-145042 (the "Fifth EIP Registration Statement"), with the
  Commission relating to an additional 2,000,000 shares of Common Stock issuable
  under the Plan. On August 1, 2008, the Company filed a Registration Statement on
  Form S-8, Registration No. 333-152725 (the "Sixth EIP Registration Statement"),
  with the Commission relating to an additional 2,000,000 shares of Common Stock
  issuable under the Plan. On August 4, 2009, the Company filed a Registration
  Statement on Form S-8, Registration No. 333-161035 (the "Seventh EIP
  Registration Statement"), with the Commission relating to an additional
  2,000,000 shares of Common Stock issuable under the Plan. The Plan authorizes
  the issuance of 24,579,603 shares of Common Stock. The Company is hereby
  registering an additional 7,000,000 shares of Common Stock issuable under the
  Plan, none of which has been issued as of the date of this Registration
  Statement.
  Pursuant to Instruction E of Form S-8, the contents of the First EIP
  Registration Statement, Second EIP Registration Statement, Third EIP
  Registration Statement, Fourth EIP Registration Statement, Fifth EIP
  Registration Statement, Sixth EIP Registration Statement and Seventh EIP
  Registration Statement are incorporated by reference in this Registration
  Statement on Form S-8.
  PART I
  INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(a)
  PROSPECTUS
  The information called for in Part I of the Form S-8 is not being filed
  with or included in this Form S-8 (by incorporation by reference or otherwise)
  in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Commission.
  2
  PART II
  INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION
  STATEMENT
  Item 3. Incorporation of Documents by
  Reference.
  The following documents filed with the Commission by Geron are
  incorporated as of their respective dates in this Registration Statement by
  reference:
  Geron's Annual Report on Form 10-K
    for the year ended December 31, 2009, filed with the Commission on February
    26, 2010;
  Geron's Definitive Proxy Statement
    filed with the Commission on March 29, 2010;
  Geron's Current Reports on Form
    8-K filed with the Commission on January 15, 2010, March 19, 2010, March 26,
    2010, May 20, 2010 and May 21, 2010;
  Geron's Quarterly Report on Form
    10-Q for the three months ended March 31, 2010, filed with the Commission on
    April 30, 2010;
  the description of Geron preferred
    share purchase rights, contained in Geron's Current Report on Form 8-K dated
    as of July 20, 2001, filed with the Commission on July 23, 2001, and any
    amendment or report filed with the Commission for purposes of updating the
    description; and
  The description of our common
    stock set forth in our registration statement on Form 8-A, filed with the
    Commission on June 13, 1996 (File No. 0-20859)
  .
  All documents filed by Geron pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 and
  15(d) of the Exchange Act, prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment
  which indicates that all securities offered have been sold or which deregisters
  all securities then remaining unsold are incorporated by reference in this
  Registration Statement and are a part hereof from the date of filing such
  documents. Any statement contained in a document incorporated or deemed to be
  incorporated by reference herein shall be deemed to be modified or superseded
  for purposes of this Registration Statement to the extent that a statement
  contained herein or in any other subsequently filed document which also is or is
  deemed to be incorporated by reference herein modifies or supersedes such
  statement. Any such statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed,
  except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this Registration
  Statement.
  Item 4. Description of Securities.
  Not applicable.
  Item 5. Interests of Named Experts and
  Counsel.
  Not applicable.
  Item 6. Indemnification of Directors and
  Officers.
  Section 145(a) of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware
  (the "DGCL") provides that a Delaware corporation may indemnify any person who
  was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending
  or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative
  or investigative (other than an action by or in the right of the corporation) by
  reason of the fact that such person is or was a director, officer, employee or
  agent of the corporation or is or was serving at the request of the corporation
  as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation or enterprise,
  against expenses, judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and
  reasonably incurred by such person in connection with such action, suit or
  proceeding if he or she acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably
  believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, and,
  with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no cause to believe his
  or her conduct was unlawful.
  3
  Section 145(b) of the DGCL provides that a Delaware corporation may
  indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party
  to any threatened, pending or completed action or suit by or in the right of
  corporation to procure a judgment in its favor by reason of the fact that such
  person acted in any of the capacities set forth above, against expenses actually
  and reasonably incurred by such person in connection with the defense or
  settlement of such action or suit if he or she acted under similar standards to
  those set forth above, except that no indemnification may be made in respect to
  any claim, issue or matter as to which such person shall have been adjudged to
  be liable to the corporation unless and only to the extent that the court in
  which such action or suit was brought shall determine that despite the
  adjudication of liability, but in view of all the circumstances of the case,
  such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to be indemnified for such
  expenses which the court shall deem proper.
  Section 145 of the DGCL further provides that to the extent a director or
  officer of a corporation has been successful in the defense of any action, suit
  or proceeding referred to in subsection (a) and (b) or in the defense of any
  claim, issue or matter therein, he or she shall be indemnified against expenses
  actually and reasonably incurred by him or her in connection therewith; that
  indemnification provided for by Section 145 shall not be deemed exclusive of any
  other rights to which the indemnified party may be entitled; and that the
  corporation may purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of a director or
  officer of the corporation against any liability asserted against such officer
  or director and incurred by him or her in any such capacity or arising out of
  his or her status as such, whether or not the corporation would have the power
  to indemnify him or her against such liabilities under Section 145.
  As permitted by Section 102(b)(7) of the DGCL, our Certificate of
  Incorporation provides that a director shall not be liable to us or our
  stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director.
  However, this provision does not eliminate or limit the liability of a director
  for acts or omissions not in good faith or for breaching his or her duty of
  loyalty, engaging in intentional misconduct or knowingly violating the law,
  paying a dividend or approving a stock repurchase which was illegal, or
  obtaining an improper personal benefit. A provision of this type has no effect
  on the availability of equitable remedies, such as injunction or rescission, for
  breach of fiduciary duty. Our Certificate of Incorporation requires that
  directors and officers be indemnified to the maximum extent permitted by
  Delaware law.
  Item 7. Exemption from Registration Claimed.
  Not applicable.
  Item 8. Exhibits.
  A list of exhibits filed with this Registration Statement is set forth in
  the Exhibit Index on page 7 and is incorporated herein by reference.
  Item 9. Undertakings.
  (a) The undersigned registrant
  hereby undertakes:
  (1) To file, during any period in which offers
  or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this Registration
  Statement:
  (i) To
  include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act;
  4
  (ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or
  events arising after the effective date of this Registration Statement (or the
  most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the
  aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in this
  Registration Statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease
  in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered
  would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or
  high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of
  prospectus filed with the SEC pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the
  changes in volume and price represent no more than 20 percent change in the
  maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the "Calculation of Registration
  Fee" table in the effective Registration Statement; and
  (iii) To include any material information with
  respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in this
  Registration Statement or any material change to such information in this
  Registration Statement;
  provided, however
  , that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) do
  not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective
  amendment by those paragraphs is contained in periodic reports filed with or
  furnished to the Commission by the registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section
  15(d) of the Exchange Act that are incorporated by reference in this
  Registration Statement.
  (2) That, for the purpose of determining any
  liability under the Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be
  deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered
  therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be
  the initial
  bona fide
  offering thereof.
  (3) To remove from registration by means of a
  post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain
  unsold at the termination of the offering.
  (b) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of
  determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the
  registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the
  Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan's
  annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is
  incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement shall be deemed to be a
  new Registration Statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the
  offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial
  bona fide
  offering thereof.
  (c) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the
  Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons
  of the registrant pursuant to existing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant
  has been advised that in the opinion of the Commission such indemnification is
  against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore,
  unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such
  liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or
  paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the
  successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such
  director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being
  registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter
  has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate
  jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public
  policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final
  adjudication of such issue.
  5
  SIGNATURES
  Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, the registrant
  certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the
  requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration
  Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
  authorized, in the City of Menlo Park, State of California, on June 4,
  2010.
  GERON CORPORATION
  By:
  /s/ David L.
        Greenwood
  David L.
        Greenwood
  Executive Vice
        President and
  Chief Financial
        Officer
  POWER OF ATTORNEY
  KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENT, that each person whose signature appears
  below constitutes and appoints Thomas B. Okarma and David L. Greenwood, and each
  of them, his or her true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, each with full
  power of substitution and resubstitution, for him or her and in his or her name,
  place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments
  (including post-effective amendments) to this Registration Statement, and to
  file the same, with all exhibits thereto and other documents in connection
  therewith, with the Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents,
  and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act
  and thing requisite and necessary to be done in order to effectuate the same as
  fully, to all intents and purposes, as he or she might or could do in person,
  hereby ratifying and confirming all that each of said attorneys-in-fact and
  agents, or any of them, or their or his substitutes or substitute may lawfully
  do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.
  Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, this Registration
  Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the
  date indicated.
  Signature
  Title
  Date
  /s/ Thomas B.
        Okarma
  President, Chief Executive Officer and
  June 4, 2010
  Thomas B. Okarma
  Director (Principal Executive Officer)
  /s/ David L.
        Greenwood
  Executive Vice President and Chief Financial
  June 4, 2010
  David L. Greenwood
  Officer (Principal Financial and Accounting
  Officer)
  /s/ Alexander E.
        Barkas
  Director
  June 4, 2010
  Alexander E. Barkas
  /s/ Karin
        Eastham
  Director
  June 4, 2010
  Karin Eastham
  /s/ Edward V.
        Fritzky
  Director
  June 4, 2010
  Edward V. Fritzky
  /s/
        Thomas Hofstaetter
  Director
  June 4,
      2010
  Thomas Hofstaetter
  /s/ Charles J.
        Homcy
  Director
  June 4, 2010
  Charles J. Homcy
  /s/ Hoyoung Huh
  Director
  June 4,
        2010
  Hoyoung Huh
  /s/ Thomas D. Kiley
  Director
  June 4,
        2010
  Thomas D. Kiley
  /s/ Robert J.
        Spiegel
  Director
  June 4, 2010
  Robert J. Spiegel
  6
  EXHIBIT INDEX
  EXHIBIT
  NUMBER
  DESCRIPTION
  PAGE
  4.1
  2002 Equity Incentive Plan, as
        amended
  8
  4.2
  +
  Rights Agreement dated as of July 20,
        2001, between Geron Corporation
  N/A
  and
        U.S. Stock Transfer Corporation, as Rights Agent
  5.1
  Opinion of Latham & Watkins
        LLP
  20
  23.1
  Consent of
        Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
  21
  23.2
  Consent of
        Latham & Watkins LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1)
  20
  24.1
  Power of Attorney (included on the
        signature page to this Registration Statement)
  6
  ____________________
  (+)
  Incorporated by
        reference to Exhibit 4.1 to the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K filed
        on July 23, 2001.
  7