Standing by my poster at the BMES Annual Meeting in San Diego, where I presented my research on heparan sulfate supplementation on hMSCs for treatment of multiple sclerosis.

Author: Isani Patel | Major: Biology | Semester: Fall 2025

Over the last two semesters, I’ve worked on a project investigating whether adding a natural sugar molecule called heparan sulfate (HS) can boost the healing power of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs). hMSCs are a promising tool in regenerative medicine because they secrete proteins that support nerve growth and help regulate immune responses. In my experiments, I treated hMSCs with HS and then measured their ability to grow, remain healthy, and differentiate into other cell types. So far, my results have shown that HS-treated hMSCs have improved growth and differentiation potential, without an increase in cellular aging.

This October, I attended the Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES) 2025 Annual Meeting in San Diego, and it was one of the most exciting experiences of my academic journey so far. The conference itself was a perfect mix of professional development, exploration, and fun. I spent my mornings and afternoons attending presentations and discussion panels on topics like “rewiring” cancer cells, neural tissue engineering, and even a comedy show. It was interesting to hear about the research that is being pursued at other universities and some of the promising results that could change how we treat various diseases. In between listening to presentations, I also visited the exhibit hall, where other students presented their research findings in a poster. Learning about the different research areas happening simultaneously across the country and hearing about discoveries being made in other university labs made me curious about topics I previously knew nothing about.

I presented my findings during a poster session on the last day of the conference, and it was one of the most exciting experiences of my academic journey so far. Attendees and other university faculty approached my poster with thoughtful questions and feedback. Some asked about the types of stem cells I used and whether I had considered other sources, such as adipose or placenta-derived stem cells. We discussed the advantages, disadvantages, and ethics of each, and I learned that where a stem cell comes from could dramatically affect how it behaves in the body and how it could prove helpful in future therapies. I also had the chance to ask professors questions about their own work and discuss some of the challenges I’d faced in my project. These conversations helped me think about new directions for my project and how I could test the effects of HS on different stem cell lineages for future experiments.

In the evenings, I had the chance to unwind and explore San Diego with other students from the University of Arkansas who also attended the conference. We watched the sunset at La Jolla, walked around the San Diego Zoo, and ate our way through the historic Gaslamp District. Even though we left the conference for the day, I still found myself learning about others’ research and connecting with friends and fellow researchers in a new environment outside of the lab.

Presenting my work and participating in BMES gave me a clearer sense of how to communicate scientific ideas to different types of audiences. I had to adjust how I explained my project depending on whether I was talking to an undergraduate student, a faculty member, or someone unfamiliar with stem cell research. It also made me appreciate how open discussion with others makes science more straightforward and accessible. Translating complex ideas in an engaging, understandable way will be critical in my future in medicine.

Now that I’m back from San Diego, I’m excited to continue working on the next phase of my research, where I will measure myelin basic protein (MBP) in oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs) exposed to hMSCs ±HS. I hope to present the results of my experiments at future conferences or prepare them for publication.