Profile
Hermes Taylor-Weiner is a doctoral candidate in the department of Bioengineering at UCSD. He studies how extracellular matrix properties can be engineered to direct embryonic stem cell differentiation toward definitive endoderm, the embryonic precursor to the adult pancreas. His published work has demonstrated that two extracellular matrix proteins, fibronectin and laminin, are necessary for definitive endoderm induction and can be engineered into the cell extracellular matrix to improve differentiation efficiency. Hermes'; graduate studies at UCSD have been supported by the UCSD Competitive Edge Fellowship Program and by the National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP). While a graduate student at UCSD, Hermes has co-led the Department of Bioengineering';s NSF Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program. A major goal of the REU program is to provide research opportunities to students from backgrounds that have been traditionally underrepresented in engineering and to encourage these students to pursue an advanced degree. As a graduate student coordinator for the program, Hermes has helped participants win competitive research fellowships and gain admission to top graduate programs. Hermes' long-term career goals include broadening the participation of students in STEM related fields through mentoring and by creating additional research opportunity programs.
