From conference presenter to symposium co-chair: supporting a new research community in cell-surface engineering.

My name is Amaziah, a new postdoctoral researcher between the University of Birmingham and Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok (MSCA-SHIFT mobility grant). In April 2026, I had the privilege of attending TERMIS-EU 2026 in Palma de Mallorca, enabled by the TCES travel bursary. This year, the experience looked quite different from my first TERMIS conference in Freiburg.

This time, I attended not only as an oral presenter but as a co-chair and organiser of a dedicated symposium: “Cell Surface Engineering for Next-Generation Cell Therapies.” Having the opportunity to help curate and lead a session at an international conference at this stage in my academic career is something I am genuinely grateful for. It was an honour to co-chair alongside Prof Alicia El Haj, whose guidance throughout the process made the experience both enriching and enjoyable.

The symposium drew an engaged audience and facilitated meaningful discussion around cell surface engineering, bioorthogonal chemistries, and polymer-based cell surface modification — areas we hope will continue to gain momentum within the wider tissue engineering and regenerative medicine community.

Beyond our symposium, the broader conference programme offered much to take in. I attended sessions spanning engineered living materials, clinical translation of cell therapies, and organ-on-chip technologies, all areas with direct relevance to my own work. The poster sessions, as ever, were a highlight. The breadth of work on display, from organoid models to biofabrication platforms, was a reminder of just how wide and dynamic the field is. Networking remained one of the most valuable aspects of the week, leaving me with several threads I’m keen to follow up on.

I’m sincerely grateful to TCES and the Biochemical Society for the travel bursaries that supported my attendance. This kind of support is genuinely transformative for ECRs like myself, and I hope to pay it forward in the years ahead.

First-person report supplied by the named recipient and edited only lightly for web presentation.

An international oral presentation on using microbubbles and ultrasound for localised drug delivery in a model of bone repair.

I would like to thank the Tissue and Cell Engineering Society for awarding me a travel bursary to attend the TERMIS-EU 2026 Conference, held in Palma de Mallorca from 21–24 April 2026. This support enabled me not only to present my research, but also to network with researchers, clinicians and industry professionals, receive valuable feedback on my work, and gain insight into the latest developments in the field.

The theme of this year’s conference, “Accelerating multidisciplinary innovation to close the gap in clinical translation”, reflects current priorities within the field and highlights the importance of translational medicine. Attending offered me first-hand insight into state-of-the-art technologies and translational strategies. This aspect is particularly important to me personally, as clinical translation is essential in enabling research to have a meaningful impact on patients’ lives, a major motivation behind my work.

As one of the leading conferences in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine in Europe, TERMIS-EU 2026 was an excellent networking opportunity. The conference provided an engaging environment for exchanging ideas and learning about innovative topics, projects and methodologies. In addition to the scientific sessions, there were mentoring and business-focused events, offering valuable insight into future career pathways in academia and industry.

Attending TERMIS-EU 2026 was particularly significant to me as it was my first opportunity to deliver an oral presentation at an international conference. During the session “Light and Sound Based Biofabrication for Tissue Engineering”, I presented “Ultrasound-Triggered Localised Drug Release Using Microbubbles in an Organotypic Model of Embryonic Chicken Femur.” Our research demonstrated that microbubbles can be used to deliver cargo to a fracture site ex vivo and that conjugation of BMP-2 to microbubbles can be used to locally promote bone healing and regeneration. The presentation sparked interest among attendees and led to valuable discussions and new academic connections.

TERMIS-EU 2026 was an inspiring opportunity to gain insight into ongoing research and development in this multidisciplinary field. I am very thankful to TCES for the travel bursary that helped cover the costs of attendance and will positively affect my current work and future.

First-person report supplied by the named recipient and edited only lightly for web presentation.

A first conference-chairing opportunity alongside two scientific presentations and valuable community connections.

This year, the TERMIS EU chapter meeting was held in Palma, Majorca, in April 2026. The conference theme was “Accelerating multidisciplinary innovation to close the gap in clinical translation” and drew researchers from across the world.

I participated in the SEMIT satellite meeting, held on the Monday before TERMIS officially started. I presented my work during the “Biomaterials and Biointerfaces” session. I then presented my work again at TERMIS on Tuesday afternoon during “Advancing tissue engineering with microfluidic-assisted 3D biofabrication approaches for modelling and regeneration.” I had some interesting questions and attendees came up to ask more about my research afterwards. Presenting at both sessions was a great opportunity to share our research with the wider bioengineering community.

On the Wednesday I also had the opportunity to chair the session titled “Managing and Growing an Academic Research Team in TERM”. This was my first time chairing a conference session and a good chance to connect with speakers. It was a useful session as I learned of different perspectives on academic careers.

On Thursday evening there was a conference dinner hosted at the Pueblo Español, a stunning venue. This was a good chance to catch up with researchers I had not seen in a long time.

TERMIS-EU 2026 was a useful conference covering a broad spectrum of topics including biomaterials, bioprinting, biomechanics and tissue engineering. I would like to thank TCES again for the travel award that helped cover the conference costs. It was a very interesting conference, a great opportunity to share my research, and I left feeling inspired.

First-person report supplied by the named recipient and edited only lightly for web presentation.

Presenting an mRNA-based strategy for peripheral nerve repair and learning techniques directly from specialists in the field.

I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the TCES Committee for awarding me a travel bursary to attend the 2026 International Symposium on Peripheral Nerve Regeneration (ISPNR), held at the University of Granada, Spain. The symposium is organised every two years by the European Society for Peripheral Nerve Regeneration (ESPNR).

I was honoured to give an oral presentation on my PhD research, titled “Local Delivery of a Neurotrophic Factor mRNA Formulation to Improve Peripheral Nerve Regeneration.” Presenting to a community so closely aligned with my research was an extremely valuable experience. The symposium brought together researchers developing new therapies for peripheral nerve repair and clinicians offering important patient-centred perspectives.

The questions, comments and suggestions I received encouraged me to consider my findings from different perspectives and have been particularly helpful during my thesis writing. I also attended oral and poster sessions, where I connected with experts in the field and took part in discussions that broadened my perspective and inspired ideas for my future research.

In addition, I participated in practical workshops covering histomorphometric analysis, quantitative evaluation of histological and immunohistochemical parameters, and animal models of nerve repair. These workshops introduced useful approaches that I hope to apply in my future work.

Overall, ISPNR 2026 was a highly valuable and motivating experience. I would once again like to thank the TCES Committee for making my attendance possible through the generous support of the travel bursary.

First-person report supplied by the named recipient and edited only lightly for web presentation.