TERMIS EU, Manchester 2023
Emily Atkinson, University College London
The Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine International Society (TERMIS) European Chapter Meeting 2023 was held in Manchester from the 28th to 31st of March 2023, with the theme ‘Broadening the Targets and Approaches for Regenerative Medicine’. The conference is an event that brings together clinicians, industry and researchers to discuss cutting-edge research in the field of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. This year there was a record-breaking 1120 registrants from 60 different countries, with 477 of these being young and early career researchers.
Most of the time, there were five sessions running in parallel. Therefore, there was always a session that fit with my own research interests and allowed me to expand my knowledge across other fields. There were many presentations on biomaterials in tissue engineering, which encouraged me to carefully consider the materials I use in my own research and learn from research in other fields. Furthermore, I found it particularly inspiring to hear clinicians speak about the importance of research into nerve repair and blood vessel restoration at the site of injury. I was further motivated by meeting a mentor, Professor Abhay Pandit, who provided valuable career guidance and friendly advice at the lunch arranged specifically for early career researchers.
I would like to show my appreciation to the Tissue and Cell Engineering Society (TCES) for providing me with a travel bursary that allowed me to present a poster on my most recent work, developing growth factor mimetics for the treatment of Parkinson’s Disease. Without the travel bursary, I would not have had the opportunity to travel to TERMIS EU and go on to win the TCES best poster prize.
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TERMIS 2023, Manchester (UK)
Marta Clerici
Manchester, UK, hosted the European Chapter Meeting of the Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine International Society (TERMIS) 2023 from March 28th to March 31st. The European conference provided numerous researchers from various countries with a fantastic opportunity to present their work, network, and learn about the most recent advancements in all areas of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. TERMIS is the most renowned organization in the field of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. “Broadening the Targets and Approaches for Regenerative Medicine” was the meeting’s topic this year. The conference featured a variety of keynote and plenary speakers from across this interdisciplinary area, parallel scientific sessions, poster presentations, interesting network activities, and a variety of workshops.
I’m a second-year PhD student and Marie Skodowska-Curie P4FIT Early Stage Researcher at Keele University (UK) and the University of Salerno (Italy), where I’m enrolled in a double degree program. “Tendon stem cell populations have different proliferative and secretome profiles – a key function for physiological oxygen” was the title of my poster presentation at this conference. I was able to discuss my research with a variety of individuals I might not have otherwise encountered and I was given a number of insightful and interesting questions about my work. Additionally, the conference gave me the chance to listen to presentations from other researchers in my area, which was very beneficial because it gave me knowledge of other research and analysis methods that I could use for my own work.
I am grateful to TCES for providing the travel grant so I could attend this meeting. It was a beneficial experience that allowed me to spread the word about my study, solicit feedback from experienced researchers and gain fresh insights.
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TERMIS EU 2023, Manchester
Dr Chloe Rodgers, University of Glasgow
I attended TERMIS 2023 in Manchester which featured a wide variety of talks around tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. At one time, there were four parallel sessions running which meant you could choose the most relevant sessions to suit your research interests. Everyday there was a plenary session where we heard research from leading TERM scientists.
There were multiple poster sessions where hundreds of researchers presented their work. On Thursday and Friday, I had my poster session where I presented my research. The title of my poster was ‘Development of an in vitro model of the bone marrow niche focussing on the mechanobiology of cancer stem cells’ and it showed the work I had been doing over the past year during my first postdoctoral position since graduating in 2022. It was great to chat to other researchers doing similar work and get a better understanding of the field.
There were a few social events during the conference. I enjoyed the SYIS sessions and the SYIS social event in the evening which was held at the Foundry. It was a good opportunity to meet other young investigators (PhD students and early career researchers) and chat about our work. On the Thursday evening I attended the conference dinner which was another opportunity to network with all the conference attendees. During lunch and coffee breaks I chatted to lots of the sponsors and exhibitors and, of course, got lots of freebies. I had signed up to a raffle that Tissue Labs were running where you could win a bioprinter and to my surprise, found out I had won it!
I would like to thank TCES again for their kind travel award that helped to cover the conference costs. It was a very interesting conference, a great opportunity to share my research and I left feeling inspired.
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Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine Society (TERMIS) 2023 EU-Chapter, Manchester, UK.
Syed Mohammad Daniel Syed Mohamed
The conference was Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine Society (TERMIS) 2023, held in Manchester, United Kingdom, from the 28th of March to the 31st of March 2023. This was a European Chapter annual meeting that gathered researchers and experts mainly from academia from all over the world, not limited to Europe. It was a prestigious platform to share works, exchange ideas among experts, keep updated regarding the latest tissue engineering and regenerative medicine area advancements and progress, and discuss challenges to move forward. I am honoured to be selected as an oral presenter, sharing my work entitled “Development of a bioartificial glomerulus filtration barrier using a medium chain length Polyhydroxyalkanoate, a sustainable and highly biocompatible polymer”.
My research is related to kidney tissue engineering, focusing on developing a glomerular filtration barrier to allow haemofiltration. I managed to find several works on the kidney, especially a poster by Federica Collino from Italy that tries to develop a 3D glomerular milifluidic model to study idiopathic nephrotic syndrome. Naomi Westra from the Netherlands, on the other hand, works on kidney-in-chip to study acute kidney injuries through ischemia and reperfusion. Another kidney model poster was presented by Marta Alves Da Silva from Portugal developed organoids to study polycystic kidney disease. Meanwhile, a delegate from the UK, Lucia Marinas Del Rey, had a poster on developing a kidney extracellular matrix to study renal fibrosis. These studies at least give me an idea of current kidney modelling endeavours, which mainly focus on developing disease in vitro as a robust diagnostic tool.
Furthermore, my research theme also covers using sustainable materials in tissue engineering. I had the chance to share the novel material that we are producing in the laboratory, a bacteria-derived polymer called polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) and its biocompatibility with almost every human cell. My supervisor, Professor Ipsita Roy, also presented as a keynote speaker, pointed out the benefits of this relatively new family of polymers in their production, processability and sustainability.
Overall, it was a great experience to be given a chance to attend this world-renowned meeting. The benefits are always two ways; I got to share my work for useful feedback and learn a lot from other researchers. I am very grateful to TCES for awarding me the Travel Bursary Award; I certainly gained a lot from this!
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Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine Society (TERMIS) 2023 EU-Chapter, Manchester, UK.
Eonan Pringle
I had the privilege of attending the European chapter of the tissue engineering and regenerative medicine international society (TERMIS) conference in Manchester, UK from 28th-31st March 2023. The conference brought together researchers from across Europe to discuss cutting-edge research and developments in the field of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.
As a first-time conference attendee, I was thrilled to have an abstract accepted for oral presentation. My work, entitled ‘Harnessing Stem Cell Response to Viscoelasticity’, focuses on the role of mesenchymal stem cells in responding to changes in the mechanical properties of their environment. I was excited to share my findings and insights with fellow researchers in the field of mechanobiology, and to receive valuable feedback and suggestions from the audience.
Throughout the conference, I had the opportunity to attend numerous oral talks and poster presentations on a wide range of topics, including bioprinting, cancer mechanobiology, and bone regeneration. It was fascinating to see the multidisciplinary approaches being taken to address the challenges of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, and I was particularly impressed by the innovative technologies and techniques being developed.
Overall, attending the TERMIS conference was an invaluable experience for my academic and professional development. Not only did I gain new insights and perspectives on the latest research in the field, but I also made valuable connections that will help me to advance my career. I am grateful to the Tissue and Cell Engineering Society for awarding me a travel bursary that made attending the conference possible.
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CED/NOF IADR Oral Health Research Congress 2023
Krit Rattanawonsakul, University of Sheffield
The CED/NOF IADR Oral Health Research Congress was hosted in the beautiful city of Rhodes, Greece, from the 21st to 23rd September 2023. The conference stood as a centre for intellectual exchange, packed with informative talks and workshops. These sessions offered insights into an array of topics in oral health including dental materials, periodontal and pulp regeneration, digital dentistry, orofacial pain, oral surgery and medicine.
I am profoundly grateful to the TCES for awarding me the travel bursary, making my attendance possible. It provided me with a platform to share my research at an international conference with highly relevant audience for the first time. I was honoured to deliver an oral presentation on the topic of investigating the in vitro effects of platelet-rich fibrin as a potential treatment for soft tissue repair in medicines-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ). The feedback and engaging questions I received were invaluable, offering the perspectives that will enhance my future work.
The three-day event provided a golden opportunity to connect with clinical professionals. The conference was an excellent platform for networking and learning from peers globally. In addition, a social event of the conference presented an informal setting for discussing research, create new friendships and initiate potential collaborations which will be useful for the progression of my academic career.
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British Orthopaedic Research Society (BORS) 2023, Cambridge
Vinothini Prabhakaran, University of Edinburgh
The British Orthopaedic Research Society (BORS) conference took place in Cambridge on the 25th and 26th of September 2023. The conference theme, “Basic Science Underpinning Clinical Advances,” reflects the society’s mission to serve as a forum for fundamental scientific research with direct clinical applications, aimed at enhancing the well-being of patients. This annual BORS gathering united professionals from diverse fields, including clinicians, engineers, scientists, and allied health experts, all of whom have relevance to orthopedic and trauma field. The event encouraged interdisciplinary collaboration among these diverse backgrounds.
Researchers from different institutes in UK presented their latest findings and studies, showcasing innovative techniques, therapies, and technologies. The presentations encompassed a wide spectrum of topics, spanning from innovative tissue engineering strategies to clinical trial advancements. Eminent keynote speakers from different fields shared their insights and experiences. Their talks provided valuable insights into the future of orthopaedic research and the potential for translational breakthroughs. I had the chance to establish professional networks with both peers and experts.
My poster presentation was on customized bio-assembly approach in the production of scaled-up 3D in-vitro models of the enthesis. Participating in this conference offered an invaluable opportunity to gather insights on advancing my work in order to create models that hold clinical relevance. BORS also hosted an online educational day which highlighted the multidisciplinary nature of BORS members by featuring a biologist, an engineer, and a clinician. Their presentations were engaged in addressing the challenges related to collaboration within the field of orthopedic research. With the knowledge and insights acquired from this conference, I am poised to make a more substantial contribution to the research community.
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Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine Society (TERMIS) 2023 EU-Chapter, Manchester, UK.
Yanghee Kim, University of Southampton
The European Chapter Meeting of the Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine International Society (TERMIS) 2023 took place in Manchester, UK from March 28th to 31st. The event drew numerous researchers, clinicians, and industry professionals, making it the most prominent society gathering in the field of tissue regeneration and regenerative medicine. The overarching theme of TERMIS-EU 2023 was “Broadening the Targets and Approaches for Regenerative Medicine”.
My abstract, titled “Understanding the Effect of Macrophage-Mediated Phagocytosis of Nanoclay Particles on Macrophage Phenotype and Inflammatory Functions”, was selected for an oral presentation. I was honoured to share my work with researchers at the forefront of the field. This experience allowed me to engage in meaningful discussions with peers interested in modulating inflammation for tissue regeneration and expand my research network, encompassing both academia and industry.
In addition to presenting, I had the privilege of co-chairing a symposium titled ‘The Macrophage as a Target in Biomaterial-Based Tissue Regeneration Strategies’ as a young investigator. This involvement provided valuable insights into organising and arranging symposia, enriching my professional development.
The conference featured a wide range of sessions covering various technologies and approaches for tissue regeneration. I thoroughly enjoyed the diverse keynote and oral presentations, and I found the poster presentations particularly interesting and informative. These interactions are sure to enhance my research approach and techniques significantly.
Overall, the TERMIS-EU 2023 meeting proved to be an excellent opportunity to expand my knowledge and share my research findings with fellow European researchers. It facilitated the establishment of new industrial and academic collaborations at an international level, aligning with my career development goals. None of this would have been achievable without the support of the travel bursary, for which I am deeply grateful to TCES for its invaluable contribution in facilitating my attendance.