ISSCR 2026: Undergraduate Student Science Correspondent

Each year, the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) brings together scientists to share, explore, and celebrate some of the most exciting and cutting-edge science in the field. This year, I attended ISSCR 2026! Here's how it went.

Music (in order of appearance)
Rooftop Cats by Louie Zong: https://louiezong.bandcamp.com/track/rooftop-cats
Spring Cleaning by Louie Zong: https://louiezong.bandcamp.com/track/spring-cleaning
We Start on Monday by Mandelbro: https://mandelbro.bandcamp.com/track/we-start-on-monday
The Rise of a Band by Mandelbro: https://mandelbro.bandcamp.com/track/the-rise-of-a-band
Day of The Concert by Mandelbro: https://mandelbro.bandcamp.com/track/day-of-the-concert
Jar of Pickles by Louie Zong: https://louiezong.bandcamp.com/track/jar-of-pickles
Strasbourg St. Denis by Louie Zong
Stay the Same – Instrumental by Mandelbro: https://mandelbro.bandcamp.com/track/stay-the-same-instrumental
Rain On The Way by Louie Zong: https://louiezong.bandcamp.com/track/rain-on-the-way
Cassettes Theme V by Mandelbro: https://mandelbro.bandcamp.com/track/cassettes-theme-v
bodega on the corner by Louie Zong: https://louiezong.bandcamp.com/track/bodega-on-the-corner
Song For Carlos by Louie Zong: https://louiezong.bandcamp.com/track/song-for-carlos

Sound Effects
Tonal Sound Effects by the Multiply Sound Team
Paper Sound Effect by Makigai_MaiMai: https://pixabay.com/sound-effects/film-special-effects-paper-245786/

Note: As part of my work with the ISSCR, I was given the opportunity to attend ISSCR 2026.

Canada is a stem cell powerhouse.

It began with Till and McCulloch’s seminal discovery of stem cells in the 1960s and has continued on with the discovery of trophoblast stem cells and cancer stem cells.
So it’s time for the biggest stem cell meeting of the year to return to Canada, with ISSCR 2026 coming to Montréal on July 8 to 11!

Help showcase the excellent science coming out of Canada by submitting an abstract by February 25! https://www.isscr2026.org/abstracts

Music Credit
Louie Zong - The Atom - The Universe At Our Fingertips

Video Credits:
https://www.pexels.com/video/people-spending-their-time-in-a-walking-street-4835657/
https://archive.org/details/youtube-dK0jq92WJDc
https://pixabay.com/users/wheelerc-29690326/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=video&utm_content=130090
https://pixabay.com/users/u_ovis16jy7r-38797119/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=video&utm_content=228782

Note: As part of my work with the ISSCR, I have been given the opportunity to attend ISSCR 2026.

What's the first thing you think of when you hear "stem cells"? Here's what scientists at #ISSCR2026 said... To me, these interviews were a perfect encapsulation of what made the meeting so fun: People excited about the future of stem cell research coming together to share their work and excitement. It was also great to hear how everyone's responses were shaped by their own research and work. And hey, the Montreal bagels were pretty good too. A huge thank-you to everyone who chatted with me and the International Society for Stem Cell Research for the opportunity to take on the role of Undergraduate Science Correspondent. P.S. Stay tuned for a longer video on my ISSCR 2026 experience coming soon!

I sat down with several scientists at ISSCR 2026 to hear about their experience at the meeting!

Music: Nor'easter Blues by Louie Zong (https://louiezong.bandcamp.com/track/noreaster-blues)

Note: As part of my work with the ISSCR, I was given the opportunity to attend ISSCR 2026.

Canada is a stem cell powerhouse. It began with Till and McCulloch’s seminal discovery of stem cells in the 1960s. It’s continued with Janet Rossant and colleagues’ discovery of trophoblast stem cells and John Dick and colleagues’ discovery of cancer stem cells, alongside so many others. So, it’s time for the biggest stem cell meeting of the year to return to Canada, with #ISSCR2026 coming to Montréal! Join us on July 8 to 11 to present your work, network, learn, and celebrate some of the top research in the field. And help showcase the excellent science coming out of Canada by submitting an abstract by February 25: https://lnkd.in/gvWJG3SK 💡Fun fact: The International Society for Stem Cell Research’s annual meeting has previously been held twice in Toronto and once in Vancouver but this is its first time in Montréal!

ISSCR 2026, the biggest stem cell meeting of the year, is coming up in just a few months.

I had the pleasure of sitting down with Fiona Doetsch, co-chair of the meeting, to discuss:
👥 Ways attendees can get involved (including poster presentations, organizing science spotlight sessions, and networking opportunities)
🏆 Awards and supports
💬 Words of advice to make the most of your time at the International Society for Stem Cell Research's flagship annual event

❗️If you plan to submit an abstract, don't wait! Submissions are open and close on February 25: https://lnkd.in/gvWJG3SK

See you in Montréal for ISSCR 2026 from July 8 to 11!

Music and Sound Effect Credits:
Cassettes Theme I by Mandelbro (https://mandelbro.bandcamp.com/track/cassettes-theme-i)
Four Tracks by Mandelbro (https://mandelbro.bandcamp.com/track/four-track)
The Rise of a Band by Mandelbro (https://mandelbro.bandcamp.com/track/the-rise-of-a-band)
Popping sound effect: https://youtu.be/3hPVv6boahw

Note: As part of my work with the ISSCR, I have been given the opportunity to attend ISSCR 2026.

When presenting at ISSCR 2026, you’ll be exposed to “senior researchers, sometimes super famous big shots, who’ll come to your talk or poster,” says Nozomu Yachie, co-chair of #ISSCR2026. This is just one of the reasons to attend the International Society for Stem Cell Research’s flagship annual event that brings together leaders, early career researchers, and trainees in stem cell research and regenerative medicine. During our interview, we also discussed: 👾 New additions to this year's programming 👥 The value of networking at the Annual Meeting 💬 Why you should attend a variety of sessions outside of your usual field Register for the meeting here: https://lnkd.in/eJcZnkC8 See you in Montréal from July 8 to 11!

How do you design a poster or keep your nerves in check when presenting at a large scientific conference?

I had the chance to speak to Sakurako Wong, a poster award winner at a previous ISSCR Annual Meeting, about just that. Hear about her research (on interneuron migration 🧠), design tips (keep it super visual 🖼️), and how to approach different audiences (keep it general) below!

Abstracts are due Feb. 25 for ISSCR 2026, the International Society for Stem Cell Research's flagship event and the biggest stem cell meeting of the year!
https://www.isscr2026.org/abstracts

Note: As part of my work with the ISSCR, I have been given the opportunity to attend ISSCR 2026.