Biophysical Society Bulletin | January 2018

January 2018

T H E N E W S L E T T E R O F T H E B I O P H Y S I C A L S O C I E T Y

AMessage from the President

Biophysical Society Creates Roadmap into the Future Biophysics as a discipline has experienced incredible growth in the last 15 years, which is reflected in the growth of the Biophysical Society membership and Annual Meeting. With that growth, an increasing number of disciplines now use biophysical approaches to conduct their research, and elements of biophysics can be found in nearly every aspect of contemporary life sciences. But biophysics as a field is still not well understood by those who do not identify themselves as biophysicists. It is at this juncture that the Society Council undertook a year-long strategic planning effort to ensure that the Society’s activities, programs, and direction continue to best promote the field as a cohesive, unique discipline, and that the Society continues to provide a home and support network for the breadth of current and future biophysicists to showcase their research and the advancement of the field. Continued on Page 2

Lukas Tamm

Inside President's Message Biophysicist in Profile

Nominations NowBeing Accepted for 2019 Society Awards The Biophysical Society is accepting nominations for its 2019 awards now through May 1, 2018. In addition to those offered previously, there are three newly established awards: The BPS Innovation Award, The BPS Award in the Biophysics of Health and Disease, and The Ignacio “Nacho” Tinoco Award of the Biophysical Society. The BPS Innovation Award will be presented to a BPS member who advances our fundamental understanding of biological systems through the development of novel theory, models, concepts, techniques, or applications. The BPS Award in the Biophysics of Health and Disease will honor a BPS member who has made a significant contribution to understanding the fundamental cause or pathogenesis of disease, or to enabling the treatment or prevention of a disease. The Ignacio “Nacho” Tinoco Award of the Biophysical Society recognizes the scientific contributions, work, and life of an outstanding biophysical chemist, educator, and mentor. It is intended to acknowledge meritorious investigators who make fundamental and/or seminal contributions to the physical chemistry of biopolymers and/or who actively promote and sustain a collaborative, inclusive, and engaging research environment in the field.

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Public Affairs Publications Annual Meeting

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Getting Ready to Lead Grants and Opportunities

Molly Cule

Member Corner Student Spotlight Important Dates

Subgroups

Biophysics in India

Obituary

In Memoriam

Upcoming Events

Awards will be presented at the 2019 Biophysical Society Annual Meeting in Baltimore, Maryland. For information and to submit a nomination, visit www.biophysics.org/awards.

AMessage from the President

Continued from Page 1

The Process Council hired an outside facilitator to guide the strategic planning process, Marsha Rhea of Signaturei. Her organiza- tion conducted an internal scan through member surveys and interviews, as well as an environmental scan of factors affecting the field and the researchers conducting biophysical research. Armed with this wealth of data and information, Council and other Society members participated in a two-day retreat to draft the Society’s first ever strategic plan, then spent considerable additional time revising the draft, ulti- mately approving it at their fall meeting on October 28, 2017. In the end, the new vision positions the Society to take full advantage of the interdisciplinary edge biophysics has as a unifying discipline with powerful quantitative methods that others need and that lead to significant new biological discov- eries. The goals included in the plan affirm that the Society will work globally to enhance knowledge exchange, advo- cate for the value of biophysics, and support an increasingly diverse next generation of scientists. In its deliberations, Council identified biophysics as a dynamic and evolving discipline within an increasingly interdisciplinary science landscape and determined that the term biophysics does not necessarily need a clear and coherent definition. The Society can exploit the strengths of this ambiguity as an advantage with biophysics seen as open to emerging fields of science and a discipline that continues to evolve and define quantitative biology. Strategically Councilors agreed that it may be better to an- swer what biophysics is by describing its purpose and scope rather than defining its boundaries. The Society may also find this identity question can be an energizing and exciting dis- cussion to continue when members gather. Councilors talked about how biophysicists are heroes of their own stories of scientific endeavor. Leaders of the field agree that biophysics and its quantitative methods are key to unlocking funda- mental answers in the life sciences. Continuing to focus this identity conversation on what biophysics is doing rather than what it is may generate more opportunities for the Society to grow and thrive in the future. The Outcome Vision Biophysics is identified and recognized as the interdisciplinary scientific discipline that develops the quantitative methods and techniques needed by scientists as they seek fundamen- tal understanding of the biological, chemical, and physical mechanisms of life and work to unlock answers essential to curing disease, solving biological problems, and discovering basic scientific insights.

Mission The Biophysical Society convenes and connects a global community of scientists working at the interface of the phys- ical and life sciences and creates, shares, and advocates for biophysical knowledge and methods through programs and communities that support biophysicists. Values • Scientific excellence • Integrity and transparency • Diversity and inclusion • Community building Goals and Objectives Sharing Knowledge in and about Biophysics. The Biophys- ical Society is the organization where one can find the whole breadth of research that is biophysics, and not just one small part. While researchers can attend other meetings that have a biophysics track, or join societies that have a biophysics component, nowhere other than the Biophysical Society can they experience the diversity of what biophysics is and what biophysicists do around the world. The Biophysical Society’s meetings, publications, programs, and website will all work together to strengthen the identity of biophysics as a dis- tinct and integrative discipline that underpins a quantitative understanding of biological processes. Together they will provide forums, resources, and opportunities for researchers to access biophysics-related research and information. Fostering a Global Community. Biophysics bridges multi- ple scientific disciplines and does so around the world. The Biophysical Society is an international organization. Although headquartered in the United States, more than one third of its membership is working outside the United States and this international fraction is growing. The collaborative and inter- disciplinary nature of biophysics has allowed this growth to happen organically, but as a Society we pledge to do more to ensure that all members and prospective members feel more connected and that those members, particularly student and early career members who may not be able to travel to attend the Annual Meeting, can access all available resourc- es and feel a part of the Society. To cater to its international membership, the Society organizes meetings in international locations around the globe. The Society will work to support biophysicists throughout the world at all career levels and foster collaborative efforts with national biophysics societies to strengthen the identity of biophysics.

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AMessage from the President

Officers President Lukas Tamm President-Elect Angela Gronenborn Past-President Suzanne Scarlata Secretary Frances Separovic Treasurer Kalina Hristova Council

Supporting the Next Generation. The future strength of biophysics and of the Society depends on the next generation. It’s that simple. We know that we have strong programs and services for our young members, but we also know that technology, job markets, and economies change, and we are committed to change with them to ensure that the next gen- eration thrives. The Society will continuously improve the mechanisms to engage, support, and retain the next generation of biophysicists. Advocating for Biophysics. Who better to be ambassadors for biophysics than biophysi- cists? How many people know and understand what you as a biophysicist do? As biophysi- cists, we all need to step up and make our science more accessible, understandable, and re- latable to everyone’s lives. The Biophysical Society will develop programs to help members communicate the value and importance of biophysics to lawmakers, funding bodies, and the public at large. While scientific organizations have learned that working together to advocate for science funding works and is crucial, we are the only global organization that can speak specifically and comprehensively for biophysics. We will work to engage more members to participate in that effort. We Are aMember Organization To all of you who participated in the survey and interviews that led to this plan, a heartfelt thank you. As part of our effort to respond to member needs, we have sent a separate survey asking for input on specific programs, and we encourage all of you to participate and help make the Biophysical Society even better. One of the reasons for the Society’s growth and success is that it has always been a demo- cratic, bottoms-up organization. That feedback came through in the surveys and interviews. Nearly every successful program the Society currently sponsors originated from a member suggestion. Please help us continue that culture by participating and making your voice heard. As we develop programs that you ask for, tell us if and how they are meeting your needs or how they can be improved. We are excited to march together and promote biophysics as a unified, yet constantly evolv- ing field far into the future. We are also thrilled to accompany and support all scientists who identify as biophysicists – young and old and around the globe – throughout their careers for decades to come. Note from the Editor You will see that the BPS newsletter has a new name: BPS Bulletin . The name is intended to encompass the mission and spirit of the publication and provides an identity less generic and confusing than “Newsletter.” In addition to the name, the publication has a new look that allows for more content, a variety of display options, larger photos, and more use of color. Although there has been some reorganization, all your favorite features remain in the BPS Bulletin . Watch for a new online delivery format in March!

Zev Bryant Jane Clarke Bertrand Garcia-Moreno Teresa Giraldez Ruben Gonzalez, Jr. Ruth Heidelberger Robert Nakamoto Arthur Palmer Gabriela Popescu Marina Ramirez-Alvarado Erin Sheets Joanna Swain Biophysical Journal Jane Dyson Editor-in-Chief Society Office Ro Kampman Executive Officer Newsletter Executive Editor Rosalba Kampman Managing Editor Beth Staehle Contributing Writers and Proofreaders Dorothy Chaconas Laura Phelan

Caitlin Simpson Elizabeth Vuong Ellen Weiss Production

Ray Wolfe Catie Curry

The Biophysical Society Newsletter (ISSN 0006-3495) is published eleven times per year, January-December, by the Biophysical Society, 5515 Security Lane, Suite 1110, Rockville, Maryland 20852. Distributed to USA members and other countries at no cost. Canadian GST No. 898477062. Postmaster: Send address changes to Biophysical Society, 5515 Security Lane, Suite 1110, Rockville, MD 20852. Copyright © 2018 by the Biophysical Society. Printed in the United States of America. All rights reserved.

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Biophysicist in Profile

Padmini Rangamani Area of Research Integrating biochemical signal transduction with mechanical forces in cellular processes.

Institution University of California, San Diego

At-a-Glance

Growing up in Hyderabad, India, Padmini Rangamani enjoyed writing poetry and embroidering and thought she might study literature or needlecraft. In high school her interests led her toward sci- ence and math. “Now, as it was then, I can easily get interested in a variety of things,” she shares. “[Throughout my career,] I’ve gone wherever I’ve gotten the most curious.” Going forward, Rangamani hopes to develop models that combine mechanics and signaling to explain complex biological processes. She says, “I want to keep pushing the boundaries of spatial modeling in cellular processes and comparisons between models and experiments.”

Padmini Rangamani

Padmini Rangamani , assistant professor in the department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), grew up in Hyderabad, India. As a child she enjoyed writing poetry and embroidering and thought she might study literature or needlecraft. Then she decided that she wanted to work helping homeless and aging populations. “Now, as it was then, I can easily get interest- ed in a variety of things,” she shares. “You’ll see that in my training choices — I’ve gone wherever I’ve gotten the most curious.” In high school her interests led her toward science and math, with the influence of a good teacher. “In India, you often choose to pursue engineering or medicine at the end of high school. I remember having a major dilemma: do I give up math to study medicine or do I give up biology to study

engineering?” she says. “I remember telling my mom that I dreamt that math told me not to betray it and that’s how I went into engineering.” Rangamani attended the College of Technology, Osmania University, in Hyderabad and obtained her bachelor’s degree in 2001 in chemical engineering. She then went to Georgia Institute of Technology and obtained a master’s degree in chemical engineering before beginning her PhD studies in systems biology in the lab of Ravi Iyengar at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. “When I was training as a chemical engineer, reaction engi- neering and transport phenomena were my favorite subjects. Then, I saw that signal transduction can be thought of as reaction engineering in different geometries and this was the focus of my PhD,” she explains. “This area [of research] is probably best described as `Systems Biophysics’ and I got into this thanks to my PhD and postdoctoral advisors and men- tors.” Towards the end of her PhD, Rangamani became very in- terested in membrane curvature. “I decided that I needed to understand how thin materials bend and curve. My postdoc with Professor George Oster at the University of California, Berkeley, was focused on lipid bilayer mechanics. Working with George was eye-opening for me in the way he thought about physics and biology,” she says. “I also worked very closely with David Steigmann at Berkeley at this time. He has been instrumental in mentoring me in differential geometry and mathematics.” In 2014, after her postdoc, Rangamani began her position at UCSD. “Current projects in the lab are focused on integrating spatial models of signaling with mechanics, with an empha- sis on dendritic spines. We are also working on developing

Members of Rangamani’s lab (Chabanon and Ritvik Vasan) teaching middle school students and Rangamani’s children about surface tension, using soap films.

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Biophysicist in Profile

models of non-canonical signaling, particularly with respect to cancer,” she shares. The most challenging aspect of her career in biophysics has been inherent to the field itself. “I think the biggest chal- lenge has been balancing mathematics and computation with biology. Since the interdisciplinary field is so young and old at the same time, it can be quite a challenge to exchange technical information meaningfully. It’s something that we continue to struggle with,” she says. Despite the challenges of working in an interdisciplinary field, her career in biophysics has been rewarding. “My favorite thing about biophysics is how laws of physics apply at the smallest scale and we can use them to explore, investigate, and understand heretofore unexplored cellular mechanisms,” Rangamani shares. “Technically, the most rewarding aspect of my work is when the model predictions match the experimental data. Honestly, it’s a high like no other. Professionally, the most rewarding aspect of my work is working with my trainees and watching them develop in their careers.” Going forward, she hopes to develop models that combine mechanics and signaling to explain complex biological pro- cesses. “We are currently starting work on dendritic spines that I think will lead to the development of new mathemat- ics, new computational tools, and the results from simula- tions can be closely compared to experiments,” she says. “I want to keep pushing the boundaries of spatial modeling in cellular processes and comparisons between models and experiments.” Past Biophysical Society president Suzanne Scarlata , Worcester Polytechnic Institute, met Rangamani in 2009 when she was a PhD student. Since then, the two have collaborated on several projects. “Padmini is a theoretician interested in cell signaling and I am an experimentalist interested in signaling, and so we have a great, synergistic relationship,” she says. “We have collaborated on studies to understand the role of cell shape in organizing signaling components and are now trying to understand how these shape effects play a role in neurite contractions. It really has been an exciting interaction!” “I always thought that modeling was simply to explain experimental data, but Padmini has taught me how much novel information and behavior can be derived from mod- els,” Scarlata shares. “Padmini treats her collaborators with total respect. She is very thoughtful and is interested in the science without personality or ego issues. When you talk to Padmini you know she has done her homework and will have a lot to contribute to the project.” Morgan Chabanon , a postdoc in Rangamani’s lab, has also been impressed with her depth of knowledge. “She is not

only extremely competent in math- ematics and theoretical membrane mechanics, but has a wide knowl- edge of the latest experimental literature. Whenever I come to her with a question or an idea, she will not only direct me to relevant theoretical or modeling papers, but she will also enumerate from the top of her head which experimental groups and which experimental papers I should look up,” he says. “Whenever we get stuck on some- thing, she will email me a dozen papers, a couple of book chapters, and pages of hand-written deri- vations, before I even have time to finish my coffee.” Rangamani has taken the lead of her former advisor in how she mentors her students and postdocs. “I’ve always admired George Oster for his work and ability to see past biological complex- ity to get to the crux of the issue. He has also been an inspiration in how to mentor students and in his day-to- day interactions with members of his group. He was just never too busy for scientific discussions,” she says.

Some of Rangamani’s knitting projects.

This has not gone unnoticed by Chabanon. “If we meet in the morning, she always notices if I have low caffeine blood lev- el, and takes me for coffee. Although that’s partly because she’s also a coffee addict,” he explains, “I think it’s a way for her to honor one of the people she admires the most — George Oster, her own postdoc advisor —who used to take her for coffee in difficult times.” Though Scarlata and Chabanon both note how quickly Ran- gamani responds to emails and how little sleep she seems to need, she is also protective of time with her family. “Al- most any day of the week, any time, she will answer emails in less than five minutes,” Chabanon says, “except from 4:30 PM to 8:00 PM. That is family time and it is sacred to her.” In what free time remains after work and family, she also trains for and runs half marathons and enjoys knitting. Rangamani advises biophysics students and trainees, “Find problems that excite you -- the hours are too long and the work is too hard for you not to be passionate about it. Another thing I think is important is to remember to focus. There are simply too many distractions online these days and these can become rabbit holes. Basically, learn the difference between working hard and simply working long days.”

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Public Affairs

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Talking Science to Non-Scientists One of the main purposes of the Society’s public affairs programs is to convey why conducting fundamental biophysical research is important and the exciting findings that come from biophysical research. Empowering our members to tell their stories and giving them the tools to do so is one way the Society can reach a broad audience. Why not make being a better science communicator one of your New Year’s Resolutions? The Public Affairs Committee has three suggestions on ways for BPS members to do just that: Read If I Understood You,

Join Friends of Joe’s Big Ideas. This program started by Joe Palca at National Public Radio provides a more interactive and hands-on experience for scientists who want to become better communicators.

Attend the Scientific Storytelling Workshop. This workshop will be at the BPS Annual Meeting on Saturday, February 17, 2018. See the information on page 10.

Would I Have This Look on My Face? See the review of this latest book by Alan Alda below.

Book Review: If I Understood You, Would I Have This Look on My Face?: My Adventures in the Art and Science of Relating and Communicating In his new book, Alan Alda relates his experience in talking with and to sci- entists. He distills his experience into a handy guide for those scientists to talk with non-scientists. The essence is: Tell

students and even some established investigators. He con- cludes that scientists and improvisation may be an unlikely combination, yet it has yielded some memorable moments (Chapter 2: “Theater Games with Engineers”). Building em- pathy between individuals is the ultimate goal to realize true communication. Most of us give seminars to our peers. They typically begin with some background, move on to our data, then unveil the novel conclusion. If we’re experienced, we consider our audience (students, general science audience, expert peers) to calibrate our presentation. However, our brains are wired for story-telling (Chapter 18: “Story and the Brain”), and emotions cement memories (Chapter 17: “Emotions Make it Memorable”); the most unforgettable seminars will combine both. Then, relating to your audience is the next step. This advice comes at a time when scientists need to be proactive about their practice and its rewards, both intellec- tual and practical. We need to communicate beyond our own community, to draw the public into the scientific enterprise and realize its contributions. Alda’s book is an engaging guide to anyone who takes on this challenge. If I Understood You, Would I Have This Look on My Face?: My Adventures in the Art and Science of Relating and Communicating.

a story that connects you with your audience. Alda is no stranger to scientists and science. He has part- nered with Stony Brook University to create the Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science, which sponsors work- shops and classes in the art of communication. He has worked with scientists in the PBS show Scientific American Frontiers , which he undertook because he is a confessed sci- ence nerd. Because he sincerely wants to understand discov- eries and experiments and principles, their explanations must be accessible and even stimulating. Alas, they often weren’t (Chapter 20: “Jargon and the Curse of Knowledge”), and hence he began his mission to teach scientists to talk to people. Alda is also an actor. He draws on those experiences and training exercises, which he brings to groups of graduate

2017. Random House, NY. ISBN 970812989144. — Kathleen Hall , BPS Public Affairs Committee

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Public Affairs

Be a Better Communicator: Become of a Friend of Joe’s Big Idea

Want to get involved? The Biophysical Society encourages members who are inter- ested in improving their communication skills to join FJOBIs. The community is open to anyone actively engaged in science, no matter their training level. To join, email msofia@npr.org. Meet Joe Palca and Madeline Sofia and learn how to tell your scientific story on Saturday February 17, 2018, at the BPS Annual Meeting. See page 10 for information on the session. The Federal Budget and Taxes At press time, Congress was simultaneously considering its options for funding the government through a short-term continuing resolution past December 22, 2017, and trying to pass a major tax overhaul that could potentially include changes that adversely affect graduate students who receive tuition waivers. While the outcome was not clear at that time, it was clear that something would be decided by the time you read this. Please visit the Biophysical Society website for the latest information on the budget and the tax bill.

Joe Palca and Madeline Sofia. Credit: Meredith Rizzo/NPR.

Individuals who have chosen science as a career understand the scientific process, the need for research, the potential that comes from gaining an understanding of how things work, and the very long time span needed to realize that potential. But what about people who aren’t scientists? And politicians who want to see the returns on their investments in science? How does the scientific community help others understand? Communication. Most scientific training programs do not include training on how to be a good communicator and share scientific findings with a general audience. With the growth of social media, Wikipedia, and blogs, there are more opportunities than ever for scientists to share their work firsthand with a wide audience, and fortunately, this has been accompanied by an increased interest from scientists in learning how to do that better. National Public Radio’s science correspondent Joe Palca has seen this firsthand. During his travels, Palca has met many young scientists who have expressed their desire to be better communicators. In response, Palca started the group Friends of Joe’s Big Idea (FOJBIs). Friends of Joe’s Big Idea, (pronounced foe-JOE-bee) is a com- munity of young scientists that includes undergrads, gradu- ate students, postdocs, and faculty interested in improving their science communication skills. There are currently around 500 FOJBIs across the United States. Palca and Madeline Sofia , assistant producer of the NPR science desk, work with FJOBIs to become better communicators. Members of the group are given opportunities to practice pitching stories and to receive feedback on writing and editing. They also can participate in both online and local in-person networking and career development activities.

Special issue Reconstituting cell biology Guest edited by Manuel Théry (HôpitalStLouis,ParisandCEA,Grenoble) Submission deadline: 15th February 2018 Call for papers Journal of Cell Science is pleased to welcome submissions for this upcoming special issue. We encourage submissions of Research Articles, Short Reports and Tools & Resources papers. This special issue is intended to have a broad scope, so we are open to articles froma wide spectrumof areas. All special issue papers will be published shortly after acceptance, and collected together in a special issue scheduled for release in early 2019.

Find out more at: http://jcs.biologists.org/content/call-papers-reconstituting-cell-biology

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Publications

Know the Editor Wilma Olson Rutgers University

BJ Paper of the Year Award

The Biophysical Journal has announced that the recipient of the 2017 Paper of the Year Award is Daniela Kraft , at the Huygens-Kamerlingh Onnes Laboratory, University of Leiden, The Netherlands. Kraft works on the physics and self-organization of soft matter systems. The award is being given for her paper “Micropar-

Editor, Nucleic Acids and Genome Biophysics

Daniela Kraft

Wilma Olson

ticle Assembly Pathways on Lipid Membranes,” which she coauthored with Casper van der Wel and Doris Heinrich , also of Leiden University. The paper was published in the September 5, 2017, issue of Biophysical Journal . Kraft will give a short talk at the 2018 BPS Annual Meeting in San Francisco, during the Award Symposium, Tuesday, February 20, where she will also receive a plaque and a check for $1,000. Journal Welcomes New Editorial BoardMembers The 2018 BJ Editorial Board has been finalized and the Journal is pleased to welcome the following new members to the Board: Heping (Peace) Cheng , State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Institute of Molecular Medicine, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Peking University Margaret Cheung , Department of Physics, University of Houston Tim Cross , Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Florida State University Alemayehu (Alex) Gorfe , Department of Integrative Biology and Pharmacology, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Alan Grossfield , Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of Rochester Medical Center Kevin Janes , Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Virginia Cynthia Reinhart-King , Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University Anne Kenworthy , Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University, has also joined the Board as an Associate Editor, replacing David Piston who stepped down to serve the Society as President-Elect.

What are you currently working on? Our research focuses on developing and using theory and computation to understand the large-scale structures and properties of DNA and RNA in the context of their chemical make-up and associations with proteins and other molecules. We are taking advantage of new capabilities in the analy- sis of nucleic acid structures, developed in conjunction with Xiang-Jun Lu , Columbia University, to characterize the geom- etries and structural context of non-canonical base pairs in high-resolution RNA-containing structures. In the case of DNA we are examining connections between sequence-de- pendent spatial and energetic information encoded in the lo- cal double-helical structure and mesoscale features, such as protein-mediated DNA looping, that take place in chains with hundreds to thousands of base pairs. We are also looking, with Vasily Studitsky , Fox Chase Cancer Center, at the effects of nucleosome structure, composition, and positioning on long-range communication between regulatory elements on well-defined chromatin constructs. How do you stay on top of all the latest developments in your field? One of the best ways is to attend workshops and meetings like those offered by the Biophysical Society. I benefit greatly from discussions with colleagues I meet through these ven- ues and through seminars at my own institution. If unable to travel, I read the abstracts of a meeting and discuss talks of possible interest with colleagues who can attend. I also learn many new and interesting things through service as a peer reviewer. Finally, I receive alerts of papers covering specific topics and I look regularly through the hard copies of several high-profile journals. I point out papers of possible interest to my students and collaborators and, in turn, receive recom- mendations of articles that they find valuable.

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A New Latex Template Is Available for BJ Authors BJ has collaborated with Overleaf to provide a cloud-based authoring tool. The template allows authors to easily prepare and edit their manuscripts in LaTex using the Overleaf tem- plate then submit to Biophysical Journal with one click directly from Overleaf. See the journal instructions for authors at http:/www.cell.com/biophysj/authors.

Gratitude is due to all who rotated off the Editorial Board this year for their dedicated service to the Biophysical Journal and to biophysics. For a list of the full Editorial Board, visit http:/ www.cell.com/biophysj/editorial-board. Submit to BJ and Experience the New, Improved Submission Site! The Biophysical Journal has made significant changes to its manuscript submission site. The more modern, streamlined look, user-friendly navigation, and clearer instructions are designed to improve the author experience when submitting to the Journal. In addition, authors will be able to upload a paper to bioRxiv directly from the Journal during the submission process. Test it out by submitting your work to BJ! Introducing Figure 360 Beginning January 2018, authors are invited to submit a Fig- ure 360 along with their accepted Biophysical Journal manu- script. A Figure 360 is an enhancement of one figure in your paper—essentially, a brief video that highlights the figure’s take-home message through a combination of animation and textual or spoken narration. The aim is to help the reader quickly grasp the major points of a figure, and the video will appear within the article online. The video should be two minutes (three minutes maximum) and can be created with whichever software the author is most comfortable. File formats .MP4, .MOV, .AVI, or .WMV are best. Before creating your Figure 360, please consult the Informa- tion for Authors page http:/www.cell.com/biophysj/authors, which includes valuable tips for creating the video as well as technical guidance.

Letter Express Do you have a study with an important and significant result that you’d like to report in an accelerated manner? Submit a Letter to Biophysical Journal . The review and revision cycle for Letters is short, and accepted articles are posted online ahead of print. Letters are short articles limited to five pages. For more information see http:/www.cell. com/pb-assets/journals/society/biophysj/ PDFs/author-guidelines_2017.pdf or contact BJ@biophysics.org.

BPS nowAccepting Suggestions and Proposals for Biophysics eBooks Have you thought about writing a book but find the idea daunting? Have you wanted to pick up a succinct well-writ- ten book on a biophysics topic but realized it didn’t exist? We want to hear from you. For those interested in writing a book, the BPS-IOP ebooks program offers numerous resources as well as personal help and guidance to assist you. If you are interested in being part of this unique program, please submit your suggestion or a summary of your proposal, detailing the topic, concept, competition, and potential audience to Jessica.Fricchione@iop.org, including a current biography and contact details. Want to know more? Contact visit http:/ ioppublishing.org/biophysical-society-ebooks/ or, to simply discuss your idea for an ebook, contact Jessica Fricchione at 215/627-0880 or Jessica.Fricchione@iop.org.

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Annual Meeting

Public Affairs Sessions As you plan your schedule for the upcoming Annual Meeting, make sure to take advantage of the opportunities to both increase your knowl- edge of US federal funding opportunities and broaden your perspective by attending a session or two organized by the Public Affairs Commit- tee. From the personal perspective, understand- ing the grant options available to you and how to navigate the process is critical to your career. On the macro level, it is important to understand scientific policy issues as well as how to com- municate effectively about those issues to the public. The sessions being offered at the 2018 meeting provide ample opportunity to learn about both! Scientific Story Telling: Journal manuscript - check. Abstract writing - check. But can you explain your work to your grandmother? Being able to talk about your research to someone who is not a scientist is an important skill usually not included in formal scientific training. Come to this session to learn the art of telling your scientific story. Bring either your own abstract, or an abstract from your field, paper, and pencil to use during this hands-on workshop. Please plan to stay for the full two hours. Registration required; walk-in attend- ees will be allowed on a space available basis. What’s Your Story? Saturday, February 17, 2018 2:00 pm –4:00 pm

Register at https:/www.surveymonkey.com/r/ scientificstorytelling. Informal Networking and Q&A with NPR Science Team Saturday, February 17, 2018 4:30 pm –5:30 pm NPR’s Science correspondent Joe Palca and assistant producer Madeline Sofia will be avail- able to answer your questions and talk informal- ly about careers, science communication, Friends of Joe’s Big Ideas, and other related topics on your mind. Movie Night: Screening and Discussion of Merchants of Doubt Sunday, February 18, 2018 7:00 pm –9:30 pm After a full day of scientific talks and posters, join fellow attendees for a screening and discussion of the 2014 documentary Merchants of Doubt . This film, based on the book of the same title, examines the tactics used to cast doubt on science by those who have in interest in doing so — from the health risks of tobacco use to the causes of global climate change. We are fortu- nate to have the Director of the National Center for Science Education (NCSE), Ann Reid , joining us for the discussion. NCSE is at the forefront of defending the integrity of science education against ideological interference.

Thank you to our sponsors: AAT Bioquest Allen Institute for Cell Science Alvéole APL Bioengineering Asylum Research, an Oxford Instruments Company Beckman Coulter Life Sciences Biochemistry BioLogic USA Bruker Corporation Burroughs Wellcome Fund Carl Zeiss Microscopy Cell Press Cellular Dynamics International, a FUJIFILM company Chroma Technology Corporation Dynamic Biosensors GmbH FUJIFILM Dimatix Inc Hamamatsu Corporation HEKA Elektronik HORIBA Scientific Journal of General Physiology KinTek Corporation LUMICKS BV Mad City Labs Malvern Panalytical MDPI Molecular Devices Nanion Technologies GmbH Pall Fortebio Photonics Media Physics Today Princeton University Press Science|AAAS Sophion Bioscience A/S Sutter Instrument TA Instruments The Journal of Physical Chemistry Wyatt Technology

The quantity of research that was presented was truly impressive, it spanned so many areas of research. I was able to split time between learning about cutting edge research within my own field, and learning about emerging ideas in areas which were entirely new to me. —Divya Kernik

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Annual Meeting

Fueling Discovery through Biophysics

First Timers & NewMembers First-Time Attendee Drop By Saturday, February 17, 2018 5:00 pm –6:00 pm

NSF Funding 101 Tuesday, February 19, 2018 1:00 pm –3:00 pm

Putting your best foot forward in your grant proposal is key to securing funding for research. Program officers from the National Science Foundation will walk attendees through the process and provide tips on how to prepare the best possible proposal. The Nuts and Bolts of Preparing Your NIH Grant Tuesday, February 20, 2018 1:30 pm –3:30 pm You have spent years training and are ready to apply for an NIH grant. But where do you start? At this session, NIGMS program directors and officers with expertise in biophysics will provide details on the NIH grant-making process as it stands in 2018, with a particular emphasis on grant writing and submission for new and early career investigators. Publications Sessions

Is this your first time attending a Biophysical Society Annual Meeting? Wondering what to do first? Wondering how to get the most out of your time? Drop by the First-Time Attendee event on Saturday evening during the Opening Mixer to learn how to navigate the meeting. Society staff and committee members will be on hand to answer your questions about the meeting and help you gain the most from your time at the BPS 2018 San Francisco meeting. NewMember Welcome Coffee Monday, February 19, 2018 10:15 am –11:15 am All new Biophysical Society members are invited to participate in an informal gathering to meet members of the Society’s Council and programs, find out about the Society’s activities, get acquainted with other new members, and enjoy refresh- ments. Current members are encouraged to come meet the new members. Dinner Meet-Ups Interested in making new acquaintances and experiencing the cuisine of San Francisco? Meet at the Society Booth each evening, Sunday through Tuesday, at 5:30 pm where a BPS member will coordinate dinner at a local restaurant.

Data Visualization Monday, February 19, 2018 2:30 pm –4:00 pm

This interactive session will focus on how to best represent your data visually, whether for a talk, a poster, or a paper. Different types of data require different presentation ap- proaches, while the emergence of new ways to publish and present results are challenging traditional ways of showcas- ing outcomes and data. New tools and approaches are now enhancing how we interact with our data. How to determine the best approach, summarize complex material in easily digestible forms, and why simpler is better will all be dis- cussed. Datasets and real examples of visual interpretations by participants will be presented.

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Annual Meeting

Career Development Center/Job Board

Exhibitor Presentations Exhibitor presentations will be held throughout the week of the Annual Meeting by companies that have exciting prod- ucts, tools, and technologies to showcase. All attendees are welcome to attend these presentations. New this year! Exhibitor presentations will take place in the

Do you have a position to fill in your lab or company? Are you looking for that next job opportunity in the field of biophysics? If you answered yes, then you need to stop by the Career De- velopment Center during the Annual Meeting to post or view the latest job openings! Annual Meeting Special: Employers and Job Seekers - Post early to save and increase visibility! Here are the advantages to posting your job or resume on the Society Job Board between now and February 2: For Employers • Active job posting on the Society Job Board for 60 days • Copies of your job posting for participants to view onsite • Space available to conduct interviews onsite at the meeting • Time saved at the Annual Meeting For Job Seekers • Name along with poster/platform presentation name and number (if applicable) included on the candidate listing page and given to all employers • Time saved at the Annual Meeting Resume posting is FREE for all attendees. Job posting is available at a deeply discounted special rate. Can’t post your job or resume online by February 2? Don’t worry! You may still post your resume at the Annual Meeting, but your job post- ing or resume will not be included in the items listed above. For more information, please visit www.biophysics.org/ 2018meeting and click the Career Development Center tab.

Exhibit Hall and will be held in two rooms. Sunday, February 18, 2018 10:30 am –12:00 pm

Cellular Dynamics International, a FUJIFILM company

11:30 am –1:00 pm 12:30 pm –2:00 pm 1:30 pm –3:00 pm 2:30 pm –4:00 pm 3:30 pm –5:00 pm 4:30 pm –6:00 pm 5:30 pm –7:00 pm 6:30 pm –8:00 pm

Carl Zeiss Microscopy

Alvéole

HORIBA Scientific

Allen Institute for Cell Science

Wyatt Technology Molecular Devices LUMICKS BV HEKA Elektronik

Monday, February 19, 2018 8:30 am –10:00 am TA Instruments 9:30 am –11:00 am Bruker Corporation 10:30 am –12:00 pm

Dynamic Biosensors GmbH Asylum Research, an Oxford Instruments Company Nanion Technologies GmbH Journal of General Physiology Nanion Technologies GmbH

11:30 am –1:00 pm

12:30 pm –2:00 pm 1:30 pm –3:00 pm 2:30 pm –4:00 pm 3:30 pm –5:00 pm 4:30 pm –6:00 pm 5:30 pm –7:00 pm

KinTek Corporation Bruker Corporation Sutter Instrument

Tuesday, February 20, 2018 9:30 am –11:00 am Pall Fortebio 10:30 am –12:00 pm Sophion Bioscience 11:30 am –1:00 pm Malvern Panalytical *Presentation list as of November 30, 2017. Interested in exhibiting and hosting an exhibitor presentation? Visit www.biophysics.org/2018meeting/ex- hibits to register.

Connect with BPS

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Horiba Scientific @HScientific

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Career Developement

Getting Ready to Lead Some things can’t be said enough. The following article by Patri- cia L. Clark, was published in the January 2012 BPS Newsletter and in January 2014 as a blog post. We are reproducing it here as it is as relevant today as when it was written. It is an honor to be asked to co-chair a platform session. Co-chairing a session as a postdoc is a great opportunity to get your name and face out there at a time when you should be planning ahead to secure your next position. However, co-chairing a session is a big responsibility. Plat- form sessions consist of eight 15-minute talks—12 minutes for talking, three minutes for questions and answers (Q&A)— with no breaks. It is crucial that the talks stay on time. Many attendees will move between concurrent platform sessions to hear talks on various subjects, which will be impossible if the timing of any of these sessions gets off track. A/V staff will time each talk, control lighting, supply laser pointers, and troubleshoot computer/projector problems. The timer includes colored lights to show how much time remains. You must introduce each speaker on time, ask them to wrap it up if they fail to observe the red light on the timer, and moderate each Q&A. Succeeding at these tasks will help your platform session run smoothly and will strongly illustrate your leader- ship potential to your co-chair, fellow speakers, and everyone in the audience—including future employers! Before the meeting A month before the meeting, you and your co-chair will receive the names of the speakers in your session, their talk titles, and contact information. Do not assume that your co- chair has more session chairing experience than you do.

Even if he or she is more senior, this might be his or her first experience chairing a session, too. Email your co-chair, intro- duce yourself, and suggest that you meet in your assigned auditorium 20-30 minutes before your platform session begins to get organized. Email the speakers to introduce yourself and your co-chair and ask that they arrive 15 minutes before the session begins to give everyone a chance to test their presentations and hear how the talk timing will work. If you are unsure about the pronunciation of their names, ask how their names are pronounced. Copy your co-chair on these emails. Forward any questions from the speakers that you can’t answer to Society staff. Meeting day When you arrive at your platform session room, and meet your co-chair, decide who will introduce which talks. Ask your co-chair to introduce you and the other speakers in the session in which you are speaking. Introducing yourself is awkward, and it means that you’ll be responsible for policing your own talk and Q&A timing. Even if you think you can do this, once you start talking about your exciting results or get lots of thought-provoking questions from the audience, it’s easy to lose track of time—which won’t win you any leader- ship points! Introduce yourself to the A/V staff and ask them to go over how the timing lights will work. Make sure your own talk loads and displays correctly, and test out the laser pointer. Ask the A/V staff if they will handle the switchover from one speaker’s computer to another, or if this is your responsibility. When your speakers arrive, introduce yourself and confirm

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Career Development

CVR-VISTA Vision Science Summer School, 2018 Purpose: The purpose is to encourage collaborations between the life and physical sciences that: 1) apply a multidisciplinary bioengineering approach to the solu- tion of a biomedical problem; and 2) integrate, optimize, validate, translate, or otherwise accelerate the adoption of promising tools, methods, and techniques for a spe- cific research or clinical problem in basic, translational, or clinical science and practice. Deadline: January 24, 2018 Website: https:/grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/ PAR-16-242.html the pronunciation of their names. Introduce them to the A/V staff, who will help them hook up their computers. Make sure to confirm with each speaker when he or she should stop talking, when the timing lights will change color, and that you will moderate the Q&A. Go through this process with each speaker, regardless of his or her seniority. Staying on schedule During the session, you and your co-chair should sit on the elevated stage at the table designated for this purpose. You will more easily be able to cut off a long-talking speaker. If he or she ignores your polite hand signals to finish up, stand up. This will signal to the speaker that you are about to interrupt him or her because time is up. If the speaker ignores this action, too, you have a microphone with which to ask him or her, loudly, to please stop talking in the interest of fairness to the other speakers. A speaker whose talk extends beyond 15 minutes sacrifices their Q&A period, but some audience members won’t realize this. If a question starts, use your microphone and say, “I’m sorry, but in order to make sure that all speakers receive their allotted time, we must move on now.” You’ll be in position to moderate the Q&A and introduce the next speaker. Finally—one of the highlights of co-chair- ing a session—you’ll be visible, helping your name and face become more broadly known. If a speaker’s talk is short, let the speaker keep answering questions to fill up the allotted time. But what if a speaker gets few questions—or worse, no questions at all? Plan to have a question of your own ready to ask. Sometimes it takes the audience a few moments to formulate questions, Grants & Opportunities

National Cancer Institute (NCI) Program Project Applications (P01) Purpose: NCI invites applications for investigator-initi- ated Program Project (P01) applications. The proposed Program may address any of the broad areas of cancer research. Basic, translational, clinical, and/or popula- tion-based studies in all of these research areas are appropriate. Each application submitted must consist of at least three research projects and an Administrative Core. The projects must share a common central theme, focus, and/or overall objective. Deadline: January 24, 2018 Website: https:/grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/ PAR-16-457.html Your last responsibility is to manage the applause. When each talk concludes, start off a firm round of applause. Wrap up each Q&A by inviting the audience to join you in thanking Speaker X again. That second round of applause cues the next speaker to take the stage. At the very end, thank your co-chair and speakers for a great session, and wrap up with one last round of applause. If you managed time carefully and ensured that each speaker got at least one question, that final applause will be as much for you as it is for the other speakers. especially if the speaker’s talk ends abruptly. Jumpstart this process by tossing out the first question, potentially sparking several more from the audience. This means that you and your co-chair will need to be active listeners for each talk, and ready with some reserve questions for each speaker. Remind the audience to use the floor microphones. If someone sitting up front forgets, ask the speaker to repeat the question be- fore answering so that everyone can hear it. If a speaker doesn’t show up, it’s not the end of the world. A speaker scheduled late in the session might arrive before his or her talk. Late speakers won’t know what the timer lights signify, so they may need more encouragement to finish promptly. If a speaker is truly absent, you unfortunately have only one option: Announce that the session will break for 15 minutes to keep the session’s timing on track. This may be uncomfortable, but the audience (and anyone moving be- tween concurrent sessions) will silently applaud your decision to wait out those 15 minutes. Wrapping it up

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