Gwenda Vasse received NRS Traval Grant

I attended the Gordon Research Conference on Cell Contact and Adhesion in Les Diablerets, Switzerland. My PhD research focuses on the interactions between macrophages and the altered extracellular matrix in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. At the moment, I am specifically working on the molecular mechanisms involved in macrophage responses to distinct collagen morphologies. The Gordon Research Conference focused entirely on how cell contact and adhesion affect the physical and molecular signaling state of a cell. Participation in this conference increased my knowledge on molecular pathways involved in cell responses upon binding to their environment, which I can immediately apply in the interpretation of my own results. In addition, I broadened my view by learning about the importance of cell-cell interactions for cellular function. During the poster sessions, I presented my own results and discussed them with scientists from various backgrounds. Furthermore, I had ample opportunity to meet the other participants during the social hours and thereby expand my scientific network. I can conclude that attending this conference was very useful for my current PhD research as well as for my future career, and I would like to thank the NRS for supporting it.

Gwenda Vasse, PhD student

Department of Biomedical Engineering, University Medical Center Groningen

Department of Molecular Pharmacology, University of Groningen