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Hämeenlinna welcomed me with cold temperatures, a cloudy sky, and rain (occasionally turning into light snow), but the warm atmosphere of the conference quickly made up for the weather. Gathered in the elegant and rather curious-looking hall of the Vanajanlinna mansion, all participants — myself included — exchanged greetings with enthusiasm, listened to a captivating talk on the history of biomaterials in Finland (who would have thought it could be so engaging? All credit to Professor Minna Kellomäki!), and shared a wonderful dinner.

The next two days were intense - both from a scientific and social point of view. Keynote speakers from the University of Cambridge, ETH Zürich, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, the University of Twente, and Tampere University set the tone for each session. The talks collectively covered the full spectrum of biomaterials research: from chemical, physical, and structural design aspects, to in vitro and in vivo evaluations, and finally to diverse clinical and engineering applications.

I should mention that this wasn’t my first ScSB conference, and it’s never a bad choice. The small-scale format, with no parallel sessions, allows for a truly multidisciplinary overview of the biomaterials field - and offers an excellent opportunity to step outside your “research bubble”. Another highlight was the strong emphasis on opportunities for young scientists: from travel grants to a friendly but competitive atmosphere surrounding the poster, rapid-fire, and oral presentation sessions.

The social activities on the first day catered to both body and soul. We enjoyed museum tours during the day, and in the evening, we were treated to a traditional Finnish sauna experience - complete with a dip in a cold lake. It was a true dive (literally) into the lifestyle of our Finnish hosts!

Science-free time on the second day offered social events for all levels of energy: we could continue exercising our brains in a fun quest in the mansion, enjoy the beautiful surroundings during a guided walk or fatbiking, and challenge our aim and focus in an archery lesson. Once again, the intimate size of the conference and the thoughtful planning fostered meaningful interactions - creating space for new friendships and future collaborations.

Ksenia Menshikh, PhD

Università del Piemonte Orientale

Novara, Italy ksenia.menshikh@uniupo.it

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ksenia-menshikh/