The Stem Cell and Developmental Biology Retreat was a total body experience — covering organ systems ranging from the brain to the skeleton, from the kidney to the heart. Held on May 20 in USC’s Galen Center, the retreat showcased presentations and research posters by dozens of postdoctoral scholars and PhD students.

Ismael Fernández-Hernández, a USC-CONACYT Provost Fellow in the laboratory of Michael Bonaguidi, won the award for best presentation. He introduced his work with fruit flies, which he is using to find and test drug-like compounds to help the brain regenerate from disease, aging or injury.