Just like humans, as stem cells age, their functions deteriorate. They are not able to differentiate from non-committed cells into specialized cell lines (fat cells, bone cells, cartilage cells, etc.), and they are unable to replicate as effectively as young cells, which presents an obstacle in culturing large quantities of functional cells for use in therapies and drives up costs for manufacturers and patients alike. My research is concerned with slowing down this aging process so that these cells are healthy and potent for longer periods.

On Friday, the 25th of October, I presented a poster on my research at the Biomedical Engineering Society in Baltimore, Maryland. BMES was an exciting experience as it was my first presentation at a professional conference. Biomedical engineers from around the country were at this conference, presenting their research on topics from biomaterials and gene editing to engineering education. I was able to attend some fascinating talks by a fellow student and multiple of my professors. Seeing the ground-breaking research others had conducted was educational and interesting. I also explored the exposition hall and interacted with students and professionals from different institutions and businesses. Biomedical engineering is an astonishingly diverse field, and I enjoyed seeing what others were investigating, looking for any applicable take-aways for my research.

During my presentation, I shared my findings with many people, students, and a lady in the biomedical industry. The lady in industry was, perhaps, the most rewarding person with whom I talked because of her depth of knowledge regarding stem cells and cell culture. Most of the students I presented my research to were in other fields, so they did not ask me too many challenging questions, but this was not the case for this lady. After the end of almost every sentence I said, she asked me if I had considered this and that and how I had addressed various constraints and variables in my methodology. Overall, she kept me honest and on my toes. It was mentally engaging to defend the merits and protocols that I had used and answer stimulating and challenging questions. I learned that there are various technologies for protocols in our laboratory that we do not employ that could help with standardization.

This trip was also enriching as I built and strengthened connections with students and faculty from the University of Arkansas. I had not talked deeply with many of my fellow students or faculty, and this trip provided opportunities to get to know my fellow BMEGs on a closer level. In the upcoming semester, I plan to conduct more research following the recommendations of Dr. Samsonraj and present it at the Honors College Symposium in the Spring. Unfortunately, this may be one of my final biomedical conferences as I plan to attend medical school next year. However, in my future career, I hope to interact and build connections with the innovators in this field and keep up with developments in medical technology to serve my patients more effectively.

As I reflect on this scenario and think about what advice I would give other students attending a conference, I come away with a few thoughts. First, thoroughly browse the conference itinerary and pick out sessions beforehand. The number of sessions was overwhelming, and it would have been beneficial to do this. Secondly, reach out to other students attending the conference and make plans. The conference became even more enjoyable when I connected with other students. Thirdly, know your research well because you can never be sure who will approach you. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, keep an open mind and be willing to attend conferences over unfamiliar topics, and do things you didn’t plan to do with people you didn’t plan to do them with.

The BMES conference was an enriching experience for me academically, professionally, and personally, and I believe my attendance has benefitted me. I am very grateful to the Honors College for funding my attendance at this conference.