Conference: 2025 Protein Engineering GRC/GRS

This project will provide partial support for students, postdoctoral fellows, and young independent investigators to attend the 2025 Protein Engineering Gordon Research Conference (GRC), which will take place July 26 - August 1, 2025 at Bryant University in Smithfield, RI. The conference will foster interdisciplinary interaction and spark innovative collaborations across fields such as directed evolution, AI-guided rational design, metabolic engineering, biosensor engineering, and immunoengineering. By bringing together scientists from academia and industry, the meeting will advance understanding of the relationships between protein structure, function, and dynamics—a critical foundation for breakthroughs in medicine, industry, and technology. In doing so, the project supports NSF’s mission to promote scientific progress, enhance national health and prosperity, and contribute to societal well-being. Moreover, by emphasizing education and the development of early-career researchers (through a dedicated Gordon Research Seminar series), the conference will ensure that emerging talents receive collaborative opportunities needed to drive future innovations. The meeting will focus on three specific aims: (1) Assessment of Current Technologies: Delineate the present status of various biotechnologies within protein engineering and evaluate their current applications in industrial and medical practices; (2) Exploration of Emerging Fields: Facilitate in-depth discussions on cutting-edge areas such as directed evolution, AI-guided rational design, metabolic engineering, biosensor engineering, and immunoengineering, with an emphasis on integrating these diverse approaches to enhance the design and application of engineered proteins; and (3) International Collaboration and Information Exchange: Promote the free exchange of ideas and methodologies internationally, thereby encouraging new collaborative strategies that push forward the boundaries of protein engineering. The technical program will include keynote addresses, breakout sessions, and panel discussions led by prominent experts, alongside a novel Gordon Research Seminar series specifically designed for young investigators. This structure is intended to catalyze cross-disciplinary dialogues that are essential for the development of innovative strategies to better understand and manipulate protein structure-function-dynamics relationships. The outcomes of these interactions are expected to yield new research directions and practical applications that advance the field significantly. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.