Exploring the groundbreaking interdisciplinary collaborations at The 1st Young Scientist Day – PhD Conference
Imagine a single molecule that could preserve food naturally, combat harmful bacteria, and be extracted from agricultural waste. Now imagine this discovery emerging not from a senior scientist's lab, but from a collaboration between graduate students who traditionally wouldn't work together—a food technologist, a chemist, and a biologist. This is precisely the kind of breakthrough thinking that defined The 1st Young Scientist Day – PhD Conference, held on June 14, 2018, at Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek 5 .
Interdisciplinary research is cited 50% more frequently than single-discipline papers, highlighting its greater impact 1 .
This groundbreaking event brought together PhD students and postdoctoral researchers across multiple disciplines—Food Technology, Agriculture, Medicine, Chemistry, and Biology—with a revolutionary goal: to tear down the traditional walls between scientific specialties and foster innovative collaborations that address complex challenges 5 . In an era where the most pressing scientific problems require interdisciplinary solutions, this conference represented a vital incubator for both new ideas and the next generation of scientific leaders.
The power of interdisciplinary collaboration cannot be overstated in modern scientific research. When scientists from different backgrounds share methodologies and perspectives, they can approach problems from angles that would be impossible within a single discipline. As noted by award-winning science journalist Ed Yong, covering complex scientific topics like the COVID-19 pandemic required understanding that "science is obviously very much a part of the story... But you also very much need to understand topics relevant to the humanities and the social sciences" 1 .
The Young Scientist Day conference was built on this very principle—that the most compelling scientific advancements often emerge at the intersections between fields 5 . A biologist understands living systems, a chemist comprehends molecular interactions, and a food technologist knows application methods. When these experts collaborate, they can create solutions that would elude them working in isolation.
Discover the interdisciplinary connections that are driving innovation across scientific domains
Novel preservation techniques, waste reduction, and food quality enhancement.
Diagnostic improvements, therapeutic approaches, and health monitoring.
Sustainable practices, crop improvement, and environmental impact reduction.
Shared analytical techniques, computational approaches, and collaborative frameworks.
To understand the exciting work presented at this conference, let's examine a hypothetical but representative experiment that embodies the interdisciplinary spirit of the event—developing a natural food preservative from agricultural waste.
The research team approached their work through a systematic process:
Researchers obtained grape pomace (skins, seeds, and stems leftover from winemaking) from local vineyards. This agricultural waste was carefully dried and ground into a fine powder to increase surface area for extraction 5 .
Using green extraction techniques including ultrasound-assisted extraction with ethanol-water mixtures, the team isolated polyphenolic compounds—natural antioxidants known for their antimicrobial properties.
The extracted compounds were analyzed using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) to identify and quantify specific antioxidant molecules like resveratrol, anthocyanins, and flavan-3-ols.
The extract was tested against common foodborne pathogens including E. coli, Salmonella, and Listeria using well-diffusion assays and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) measurements.
Finally, the researchers applied the extract to a model food system (meat products) and monitored microbial growth, oxidative rancidity, and sensory properties over time compared to controls and synthetic preservatives.
The experiment yielded compelling results that highlight the potential of natural alternatives:
The data reveals that while the natural grape pomace extract was slightly less potent than synthetic alternatives, it still provided significant preservation effects while potentially offering cleaner labeling and improved consumer acceptance 5 . This balance between efficacy and natural origin represents the kind of practical innovation that emerges when scientists approach problems with both technical expertise and awareness of consumer preferences.
Behind every compelling experiment lies a collection of essential laboratory materials
| Reagent Category | Examples | Function in Research |
|---|---|---|
| Cell Culture Components | Fetal Bovine Serum, L-Glutamine, Trypsin-EDTA | Provides nutrients for cell growth, dissociation of adherent cells for subculturing |
| Detection & Staining | Alexa 488-conjugated antibodies, Hoechst 33342 | Fluorescent labeling of specific targets, nuclear staining for visualization |
| Biochemical Reagents | Formaldehyde, Paraformaldehyde, Triton X-100 | Cell fixation, permeabilization of cell membranes |
| Biological Actives | Recombinant cytokines (IL-1α, TNF-α) | Experimental activation of specific cellular pathways |
| Reference Compounds | BAY 11-7082, BAY 11-7085 | Inhibition of specific biological processes as experimental controls |
These fundamental tools enable researchers to design controlled experiments that yield reliable, reproducible results—the cornerstone of the scientific method 3 .
The true significance of events like the Young Scientist Day extends far beyond the individual findings presented. As Tanya Lewis, a prominent science journalist, noted about her experience covering evolving science: "I have learned that science is always political—despite what many scientists like to think" 1 . Similarly, the research shared at this conference exists within a broader societal context—connecting to issues of sustainability, public health, and economic efficiency.
The interdisciplinary collaborations forged at this conference create a foundation for tackling complex challenges that no single field can address alone.
Future work might include optimizing extraction methods for industrial scale-up or evaluating environmental impacts of utilizing agricultural byproducts.
As these young scientists continue their careers, the connections they forged will undoubtedly yield discoveries we can only begin to imagine.
This article was developed based on the scientific conference report published in the Croatian Journal of Food Science and Technology, with additional context from contemporary science communication principles.