Shelby Vexler

 About Shelby

• Advisor: Irene Chen
• Department: Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
• Campus: UCLA
• BioPACIFIC MIP Research: SET 1 - Bioderived Materials

 What is your research focus?

Additionally, I have been participating in SET 1 research to determine the antimicrobial activity of bio-derived polymers, resulting in one publication in 2023 and a second paper in progress. My continued involvement in SET 1 (Bioderived Materials) will allow future collaborations, where the specificity of antimicrobial compounds discovered and synthesized by other scientists can be enhanced by conjugating them to my genetically modified phages.

 What excites you about NSF BioPACIFIC MIP?

My participation as a BioPACIFIC MIP Fellow for the past two years has been incredibly rewarding. The opportunities for networking with fellow researchers resulted in a successful and ongoing collaboration for my group. Participating in the Speed Pitch and Graphical Abstract competitions improved my communication skills. Attending BioPACIFIC MIP Summer School provided me with the training necessary to use the new SAXS beamline at UCSB in order to better characterize nanoparticles used in my research. This year, I hope to further my personal and professional development through continued involvement as a BioPACIFIC MIP Fellow.