Lehigh BioE at the Annual BMES Conference, 2024

Article written by Juliana M., Bioengineering undergraduate student and student office worker in the Department of Bioengineering

On October 23-26 2024, the National Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES) hosted their annual meeting in Baltimore Maryland, ho

sting over 5,000 biomedical engineers to advocate for their passions and innovations. This yearly event includes speakers and poster sessions, many of which are research and innovations accomplished by Lehigh faculty and students! The studies conducted show the extent to which Bioengineering at Lehigh contributes to scientific advancements nationwide!

For the students who attended, the BMES conference was an opportunity to present their research, engage with peers, and build connections that could shape their academic and professional futures. Here's a look at the experiences of some of the Lehigh students who attended.

Krishna Jayaram was thrilled to present her research on recapitulating the effects of the osteoarthritis inflammatory environment on mesenchymal stem cell chondrogenesis. Overall, she found the experience very rewarding not only from presenting the research that she has been working hard on but also through participating in several talks and presentations that resonated with her research, giving her the opportunity to learn even more about topics she is passionate about.

In addition, Jayaram appreciated the networking opportunities that the conference offered “We were able to connect with several institutions to gain insight into post-graduation plans and the different programs they offer.” (Below photo from left to right: Kara Herdelin, Rachel Dorney, Krishna Jayaram, and Cynthia Serrano Marquez)

Ali Mutah, a graduate student at Lehigh, presented his research on the Biodistribution of Stem Cell Derived Extracellular Vesicles Delivered in a Rat Abdominal Aortic Aneurysmal (AAA) Model. Mutah reflected on his experience attending the conference, noting it as a significant milestone in his academic journey. “BMES was my first conference since beginning my graduate studies at Lehigh,” he said. Mutah took full advantage of the conference’s diverse offerings, attending plenary sessions, platform presentations, and poster sessions to deepen his understanding of current research trends in biomedical engineering. As a volunteer, he also gained behind-the-scenes insight into the operations of a large academic conference.

Mutah presented two posters on his research, which allowed him to engage with faculty, postdocs, and students from institutions across the United States. "It was a chance to present my work and also to learn from others in the field," he explained, emphasizing the value of sharing knowledge and engaging with experts from various research areas. (Below photo: Ali Mutah)

Maggie Campbell, a fellow Lehigh student, echoed similar sentiments about the conference being an enriching community experience. “I genuinely had a great experience at BMES. Not only was it exciting to present my own work, but I loved attending as many presentations by other Lehigh students as well,” she said. Maggie emphasized the importance of being surrounded by like-minded individuals with a passion for advancing biomedical engineering. Her research investigated the Effects of pH and Salt on Protein Coacervation Systems and Polymer Complexes.

For Campbell, engaging with her peers in the Lehigh BioE/ChE community strengthened her passion for research in her field. “Being able to spend time with the Lehigh community made me realize this is the kind of work I want to continue doing,” she shared. The collaborative, supportive atmosphere was a significant takeaway for her and many other students from Lehigh. (Below photo: Maggie Campbell)

Simiao Sun, who attended the conference for the first time, shared that she was “truly amazed to see so many posters and talks happening simultaneously.” Initially, Sun had viewed herself as uniquely exceptional in her field, but the breadth of talent and groundbreaking work at the conference made her realize how much there is to learn from others.

This realization, however, was not discouraging; rather, it became a driving force. “I’m motivated to work even harder, and I hope to improve and have my own talk session next year,” she said, expressing her desire to continue growing as a researcher. Sun’s experience at BMES shows how such conferences can foster personal growth and inspire students to push their limits. (Below photo: Simiao Sun)

As the 2024 BMES conference wrapped up, it left a lasting impression on the Lehigh students who attended. From presenting research and volunteering to networking and learning from peers, the conference provided growth and professional development opportunities. Many students, like Krishna, Ali, Maggie, and Simiao, came away from the event not only with a broader perspective on biomedical engineering but also with the motivation to continue advancing in their academic and research fields.

During this same week our department was represented at two other research related conferences! The first was the Global Humanitarian Technology Conference (GHTC), where three Lehigh global social impact fellowship projects were awarded first, second, and third place during the opening poster souk! The third place team (SicklED) presented their research on A Low-Cost Point-of-Care Sickle Cell Screening Device for use in Low-to-Middle Income Countries, and their team included bioengineering students: Nancy Carcamo Paiz, Jake Feurstein, Owen Holst, Amelie Fry, and Addy Ogden. (Below photo: Owen Holst and Addy Ogden)

The second conference was LatinX in BME (Biomedical Engineering) where MS student Christie Ortega and PhD student Gerry Ortega Oviedo won first and second place respectively in their poster presentation. Christie Ortega was awarded first place for her poster Functionalizing Chitosan/Polycaprolactone Membranes for Artificial Replacement. Gerry Ortega Ovideo won second place for his poster Designing End-Functionalized Polymer Conjugates to Control the Spatiotemporal Presentation of Growth Factor-Mimetic Peptides.