Association of China–Spain Science and Technology Youth Science Program (Series 4) Successfully Held

Under the guidance of Professor De-Yi Wang, President of the Association of China-Spain Science and Technology (ACSST), the ACSST successfully held its fourth science outreach activity for youth members on June 26, 2026, at Francisco de Vitoria University. For this event, Dr. Raquel Sánchez Díaz from IMDEA Materials Institute was specially invited to deliver a popular science lecture entitled Your Body Doesn't Come with Spare Parts... Or Does It?

The lecture focused on tissue engineering, a cutting-edge interdisciplinary field. Dr. Raquel Sánchez Díaz introduced the basic concepts, development background, and future medical significance of tissue engineering to the young members in a vivid and engaging way. She began with a question closely related to everyday life: when a bone breaks, a tendon tears, or an organ fails, doctors can often repair and treat the damage, but truly “replacing” a human tissue or organ is far more complex than one might imagine. Around this theme, the lecture guided the audience to understand how scientists combine biology, materials science, and engineering technologies to build living tissues in the laboratory that can help the human body heal itself.

During the lecture, Dr. Raquel Sánchez Díaz highlighted the three key elements of tissue engineering: cells, biomaterials, and appropriate biological signals. Through clear and accessible explanations, she showed how researchers design scaffold materials that mimic the body’s natural architecture, enabling cells to attach, grow, organize, and gradually form functional tissues. The lecture also encouraged the young members to reflect on the boundary between “science fiction” and “scientific reality”: Which tissue engineering technologies can already be applied in clinical practice today? Which engineered tissues have successfully helped patients recover? And why does building a complete heart, kidney, or liver remain one of the greatest challenges in the fields of life sciences and medical engineering? The atmosphere during the lecture was lively and enthusiastic. The youth members and accompanying parents listened attentively and actively participated in the discussion, demonstrating strong scientific interest and a spirit of exploration.

At the end of the lecture, Dr. Xiaomei Yang, a member of the ACSST presented a certificate of appreciation to Dr. Raquel Sánchez Díaz on behalf of the Association, expressing sincere gratitude for her excellent lecture and strong support. Afterwards, all participating youth members took a group photo with Dr. Raquel Sánchez Díaz and Dr. Xiaomei Yang, capturing a memorable moment full of scientific inspiration, knowledge exchange, and youthful energy.

This event received strong support from the Higher Polytechnic School of Francisco de Vitoria University, to which we extend our heartfelt thanks. The activity was organized by Dr. Guang-Zhong Yin, Director of the Youth Committee of the ACSST, and hosted and coordinated by Dr. Xiaomei Yang. This lecture not only broadened the youth members’ understanding of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, but also further stimulated their interest in life sciences, materials science, and engineering technology. It provided a valuable opportunity for young people to engage with frontier science and to better understand the close relationship between scientific innovation and human health.