The 2010 Gordon Conference on the Chemistry & Biology of Peptides will highlight the many diverse opportunities in peptide-based research that are available at this transitional point in the history of peptide science. The Conference will present an array of topics, ranging from the biophysical to the biological; these include peptide assembly, peptide-based medicinal chemistry, peptide engineering, membrane proteins & physical analysis, peptides and synthesis, antimicrobial peptides, and display/selection. Speakers will include scientific leaders in their respective fields, and represent a cross-section of active investigators from both academic and industrial settings. The highly interactive and collegial atmosphere of this Gordon Conference, with its mix of long and short presentations, poster sessions and programmed discussion periods, will foster stimulating interactions between participants, comprising both senior and junior investigators, as well as postdoctoral fellows and graduate students. The cutting-edge scientific program with its multidisciplinary emphasis, along with the GRC commitment to promoting an interactive yet relaxed environment, will allow all attendees to sample thoughtfully the large scope of contemporary research activities of central interest to the world community of peptide scientists.