I am grateful for the opportunity to attend the Gordon Research Conference in Galveston, Texas, in January 2023, made possible by the WIC+ professional development grant. The conference included inspiring research talks where established PIs shared published and unpublished results in peptide-based materials. The program also included the broader fields of polymer- and protein-based biomaterials, exposing me to a wide range of research topics. I learned a lot not only from the talks but also from the extended discussions afterward.
This was the first GRC for peptide materials and my first exposure to a community that closely aligns with my interest. The WIC+ grant also supports my poster presentation on the collagen-mimetic peptide hydrogel I have been working on for my graduate studies. Being able to receive valuable and constructive feedback from fellow trainees and established PIs while I am working on the manuscript has been immensely helpful. I want to extend my gratitude again for the generous support that WIC+ has provided during this process. I hope more colleagues in the department will take advantage of this great opportunity.