Alex Umanzor

Optimization of an Immunocompetent Skin Model through Cellular Functional Assays: Research Experience under the supervision of Sergio Moreno Nombela.

This summer I applied to the UCEAP Engineering Program at the University of Carlos III of Madrid. I chose to work on Sergio Moreno’s research project, which focused on optimizing dendritic cell viability and immune activation in a 3D skin model. Working with my partners Gisselle Avina and Isaac Mendoza, I learned several new, valuable skills vital to tissue engineering, such as isolating dendritic cells from blood donors, performing passages, creating plasma and collagen gels, operating a flow cytometer, and conducting an Alamar Blue experiment.

To optimize dendritic cells for use in an immunocompetent skin model, dendritic cells must be in low cellular activation based on culture conditions. Isolated dendritic cells from blood donors were utilized in plasma and collagen gels set with four different conditions: fibroblasts-dendritic cells coculture, fibroblasts-dendritic cells coculture with LPS, dendritic cells with HC and LPS, and dendritic cells with VitD3 and LPS. After preparing the gels and transferring them into their corresponding vials, I ran them through flow cytometry to identify the ideal conditions. After receiving and analyzing the results, I concluded that the best conditions for dendritic cells are under HC and LPS because it demonstrated the lowest activation.

To better optimize dendritic cells for an immunocompetent skin model, dendritic cells must be in high viability based on matrix conditions. After isolation, dendritic cells are added to separate plasma and collagen gels to test the effectiveness of each gel type. After going through the Alamar Blue process and measuring the fluorescence of both gels, I examined which conditions showcased the highest metabolic rate. In conclusion, the highest metabolic rate for dendritic cells was in collagen gels, inferring that collagen gels provided the best conditions for higher viability.

Abroad Experience: Exploring Spain and Europe

As a first-generation college student with a Hispanic background, I found studying abroad in Spain and visiting other European countries meaningful and treasured. When deciding on a study abroad opportunity, I instantly sought to apply to bioengineering research programs in Spain because my mother always loved Spanish culture and the importance of learning beyond my Mexican roots. Having experience speaking Spanish in my household and past jobs, I felt confident in my ability to communicate effectively and navigate in Spain.

My experience living in Madrid, Spain, was a pleasure to explore the heart of Spain while being close to other marvelous cities. While tasting Spanish cuisine, I had paella, Spanish tortillas, horchata, jamon iberico, and various tapas. As the World Cup winner, Spain had massive festivals and celebrations, which I was fortunate enough to witness and honor. Traveling in Spain, I visited Toledo, Valencia, Barcelona, and Majorca.

Having free time on weekends, I visited various countries in Europe with fellow Globe Discovery Scholarship recipients: Portugal, Italy, France, Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Out of all the countries we visited, my favorite place to visit was Porto, Portugal, because of the tight-knit community present at large social gatherings. As a popular daily event, people in Porto gather at the Jardim do Morro, where people sit, dance, and party while watching the sun set. Additionally, Portugal has the best cuisine, specifically the pastel de nata.

Written By: James Castillo

UC Berkeley Undergraduate Bioengineering

Panithan Lertsuntivit’s Summer 2025 Internship at NTHU, Hsinchu, Taiwan

Hello! My name is Panithan Lertsuntivit, a Mechanical Engineering student at UC Berkeley. This summer (2025), I received the GLOBE Discovery Scholarship for my research internship through the 2025 Summer Research Program at National Tsing Hua University (NTHU) in Hsinchu.

I heard about good experiences with going abroad for research, and Taiwan was always a place I wanted to explore. Thus, it was a simple decision when I found out about NTHU’s summer research program through a GLOBE email. Through the program, I was matched with Dr. Patricia Yang and her Yang Lab for Biomechanics, and was able to meet a lot of people around the world.

In the Yang Lab for Biomechanics, I worked with Master’s student Yu-Ting Lin on her ongoing research about cuttlefish ink flow patterns. At first, I had limited knowledge about the lab’s research in biomechanics, but everyone in the lab was accommodating and got me up to speed with their research. Some interesting information is that cuttlefish can produce different patterns by varying the ink composition and jettison velocity.

My main contribution to the lab was building a framework to systematically conduct ink flow experiments for continued research on ink flow patterns. It first started with preliminary proof of concept testing to validate Yu-Ting’s hypothesis on specific fluid mechanics. For these tests to see if pattern geometries could be replicated, I developed parts with the geometries needed and sourced parts from local hardware vendors.

After validating the hypothesis, most of my remaining time was spent researching different components and modeling mechanisms needed for an ink flow test rig. Unfortunately, there wasn’t enough time in the program to fully build the test rig, but I helped transition the work to another lab member so that the research could continue.

Beyond research, I regularly spent time hanging out with the members in the Yang Lab, whether it was to get food or hang out after the day ended. They helped teach me some Taiwanese norms and a bit of Chinese as well. Because of them, I was able to get a glimpse of what life was like for the average Taiwanese university student. We frequently ate out for lunch and dinner, and I often found myself enjoying local restaurants more than the on-campus cafeteria.

A popular pastime among several lab members was playing the Pokémon MEZASTAR arcade game. I was initially introduced to the Pokémon arcade game by one of the lab members, and soon found myself joining them each week for dinner and then going to one of the arcade locations.

There were also weekly events that the summer research program organizers scheduled, ranging from events on NTHU campus (like touring research facilities, visiting their competition teams, and movie nights) to day trips around Taiwan for Taiwanese cultural immersion. On one trip, we got to visit Taiwan’s Northern National Palace Museum, Dalongdong Baoan Temple, and Jiufen Old Street.

Another trip was to the Hsinchu Science Park, Taiwan’s Silicon Valley equivalent, where companies like TSMC, Qualcomm, and MediaTek have a large presence. We were able to visit TSMC’s Museum of Innovation and Taiwan’s Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) locations in the Science Park. It was interesting to learn more about the mechanisms and innovations that each company has developed.

On the weekends, I would usually go outside of Hsinchu to see other parts of Taiwan. Initially, I primarily traveled to Taipei or New Taipei City, since it was convenient to take a bus from the front of NTHU to the Taipei bus station. From there, I was able to use the Taipei MRT to get around the city. Later in the program, I would often travel with other program members to places like Keelung, Tamsui, and Taichung.

One memorable trip was going to Sun Moon Lake with fellow program members Roy, Ariana, and Kelly. It was a long day trip where we visited the HOHOCHA teahouse and later rented bikes to ride around and see parts of the lake’s scenery.

For the last weekend of the program, we had another trip to Tainan and Kaohsiung in Southern Taiwan. On this trip, we visited many historical sites and tried many foods exclusive to Southern Taiwan.

Overall, this summer research program was a great opportunity to experience research abroad and immerse myself in a Taiwanese lifestyle. I would like to thank the groups and individuals who have made this opportunity. First, thank you, Ms. Yu-Ju Hung and NTHU’s College of Engineering administration, for making this summer research program possible. Secondly, thank you, Dr. Patricia Yang, for accepting me into the Yang Lab for Biomechanics and allowing me to conduct research in Taiwan. Finally, thank you to the Berkeley GLOBE Center for the Globe Discovery Scholarship, which helped me cover travel and living expenses in Taiwan. I had an amazing experience with everyone from the research program and the Yang Lab for Biomechanics. I was able to get research experience abroad and learn more about Taiwan’s culture. I look forward to visiting Taiwan again.

I had an amazing experience with everyone from the research program and the Yang Lab for Biomechanics. I was able to get research experience abroad and learn more about Taiwan’s culture. I look forward to visiting Taiwan again in the future

Written By: Panithan Lersuntivit

UC Berkeley Undergraduate Mechanical Engineering