Editorial Peptide Science in Israel
I
had the pleasure of attending the Batsheva De Rothschild Seminar on Functional Peptide and Protein Nanostructures, a research workshop of the Israel Science Foundation. This workshop covered recent advances in peptide science relevant to nanostructural assemblies and also highlighted some of the exceptional peptide science coming out of Israeli laboratories. Nurit and Gonen Ashkenasy cochaired the event and, along with other members of the organizing committee, Ronit Bitton, Shai Rahimipour, and Meital Reches, put together an outstanding program of exciting science. Topics covered at the meeting included peptide motifs, including metellopeptides, competent of self-assembly for biomedical, biomineralization, bioelectronics and biosensing applications. Self-organizing systems and computational approaches toward the design and understanding of peptide assemblies and even foldamers were also discussed. Workshops, this one definitely included, are generally wonderful venues in which to communicate new results, discuss findings, and establish collaborations with colleagues. Meeting sizes are smaller and workshops are typically organized to ensure a captive audience for the talks, poster sessions, lunches, dinners and evening activities. The energy at this workshop was high, with folks breaking out of lectures, forming small groups to discuss the last talk and forge new experiments going forward. Researchers across disciplines, countries, and cultures were steeped in scientific discussion. With respect to the science unveiled at his workshop, I was pleased to see how much this field, peptide and protein assemblies, has progressed. The tools brought to bear on determining, to molecular detail, the complex assemblies
formed from peptides is incredible including microscopies, scattering and computational approaches, to name a few. The nanoscale and macroscale materials being prepared are incredible and, more impressive, is the fact that peptide scientists are not only designing these structures, but applying them in applications that benefit the human condition and quality of life. The workshop brought in leaders from around the world and Israel to communicate their latest findings. In addition, the cochairs provided ample opportunity for the young professors and investigators to give talks and showcase their newly formed programs. The quality of science at the workshop was high, especially from these young investigators who are off to great starts. The postdoctoral fellows and graduate students also had the opportunity to show off their work via short talks and a poster session, which was attended by nearly all, if not all, the participants. Based on my interactions with the young investigators, it is clear that Israel will continue producing outstanding peptide science.
JOEL SCHNEIDER EDITOR–IN–CHIEF
Published online in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com). DOI 10.1002/bip.22520 C 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. V
PeptideScience Volume 102 / Number 4
v
I
had the pleasure of attending the Batsheva De Rothschild Seminar on Functional Peptide and Protein Nanostructures, a research workshop of the Israel Science Foundation. This workshop covered recent advances in peptide science relevant to nanostructural assemblies and also highlighted some of the exceptional peptide science coming out of Israeli laboratories. Nurit and Gonen Ashkenasy cochaired the event and, along with other members of the organizing committee, Ronit Bitton, Shai Rahimipour, and Meital Reches, put together an outstanding program of exciting science. Topics covered at the meeting included peptide motifs, including metellopeptides, competent of self-assembly for biomedical, biomineralization, bioelectronics and biosensing applications. Self-organizing systems and computational approaches toward the design and understanding of peptide assemblies and even foldamers were also discussed. Workshops, this one definitely included, are generally wonderful venues in which to communicate new results, discuss findings, and establish collaborations with colleagues. Meeting sizes are smaller and workshops are typically organized to ensure a captive audience for the talks, poster sessions, lunches, dinners and evening activities. The energy at this workshop was high, with folks breaking out of lectures, forming small groups to discuss the last talk and forge new experiments going forward. Researchers across disciplines, countries, and cultures were steeped in scientific discussion. With respect to the science unveiled at his workshop, I was pleased to see how much this field, peptide and protein assemblies, has progressed. The tools brought to bear on determining, to molecular detail, the complex assemblies
formed from peptides is incredible including microscopies, scattering and computational approaches, to name a few. The nanoscale and macroscale materials being prepared are incredible and, more impressive, is the fact that peptide scientists are not only designing these structures, but applying them in applications that benefit the human condition and quality of life. The workshop brought in leaders from around the world and Israel to communicate their latest findings. In addition, the cochairs provided ample opportunity for the young professors and investigators to give talks and showcase their newly formed programs. The quality of science at the workshop was high, especially from these young investigators who are off to great starts. The postdoctoral fellows and graduate students also had the opportunity to show off their work via short talks and a poster session, which was attended by nearly all, if not all, the participants. Based on my interactions with the young investigators, it is clear that Israel will continue producing outstanding peptide science.
JOEL SCHNEIDER EDITOR–IN–CHIEF
Published online in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com). DOI 10.1002/bip.22520 C 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. V
PeptideScience Volume 102 / Number 4
v
