ICE-T Congress Reflection

As an undergraduate student still new to the wide scope of medicine, attending the ICE-T 2025 Congress was an incredibly meaningful experience. Led by Dr. Nausheen Ahmed, Dr. Al-Ola Abdallah, and Dr. Zahra Mahmoudjafari, this congress brought together clinicians, researchers, nurses, program leaders, and industry experts to advance immune effector cell therapies, improve care delivery, and expand access to cutting-edge treatments.

Before this conference, I had a very limited understanding of CAR-T therapy. I briefly learned about it in class, only enough to know it involved modifying immune cells to target cancer. But admittedly, it felt abstract, like something happening far away in advanced hospitals or research labs. However, this conference allowed me to see the science I learned in lectures directly connected to the intensive work of physicians, clinicians, and researchers, shifting my perspective from a faraway innovation into viewing the direct impact of CAR-T therapy in saving the lives of patients.

What stood out most was learning that CAR-T therapy isn’t simply a physician-led treatment like I was taught, but rather it is a team effort at every level. This conference highlighted that researchers, nurses, pharmacists, physicians, and industry partners all play essential roles in building and supporting these therapies. For example, the panel by Drs. Al-Rajabi, Chao H. Huang, Kimberly Liang, and Kelly Liang, about advancing therapies and patient care across oncology and autoimmune diseases, demonstrated the collaboration in advancing therapies across various fields of medicine. Witnessing the collaboration of different groups at this conference reminded me that medicine isn’t strictly one solution by one person but rather built on collective knowledge, coordination, and a shared mission. 

​​As an undergraduate, listening to the panels and workshop sessions further gave me a visual representation of the work being done to increase the effectiveness and reach of various therapies.  Instead of rote rehearsal about therapies in a textbook, I was given the opportunity to hear how healthcare leaders problem-solve and shape the future of cancer care. Listening to professionals describe their research and drive to make cellular therapy more accessible gave me a clearer understanding of the field and made the learning feel more tangible while exemplifying the passion and knowledge held by the leaders presenting.

Overall, ICE-T Congress 2025 expanded my understanding beyond baseline information. It reminded me that what we learn in classes is only the tip of the iceberg; conferences like ICE-T Congress allow for the collaboration of science, teamwork, and passion to create incredible treatments for patients. This experience strengthened my passion for pursuing medicine and my desire to one day collaborate with like-minded individuals in creating lasting change.