BPS2025 Full Program

Meet the Editors Biophysical Journal, Biophysical Reports, and The Biophysicist 10:00 am - 11:15 am, Room 402AB Take this opportunity to meet editors of all three of the Society’s pres tigious journals! The Editors-in Chief, members of the Editorial Boards, and BPS staff will be available to answer your questions about what areas of research the journals cover, how to give your paper the best chance of being accepted, the submission process, special issues, and anything else related to BPS journals. Exhibits 10:00 am - 5:00 pm, West Exhibit Hall Coffee Break Calling all new BPS members! Come and mingle with Society Council, Committee members, and program members as you learn about the Society’s activities. Current members are welcome to attend and meet with new members. Career Development Center Workshop Translating Your Credentials: Writing Effective Resumes + Cover Letters for Industry, Government, and Nonprofit Jobs 10:30 am - 11:30 am, Room 409B You have a CV with its list of publications, presentations, honors & awards, etc., but jobs outside of academia typically require a resume. Very few job ads fail to mention the importance of teamwork, collabora tion, and communication skills, yet if you take a glance at your CV, these are all likely to be absent or incomplete. Learn how to transform your CV into an effective resume that helps hiring managers recognize and appreciate the value you have to offer. Exhibitor Presentation Cube Biotech Inc 10:30 am - 12:00 pm, Room 406AB Polymers in Structural Characterization of Membrane Proteins: Solubilization Efficiency Vs Stability and Nativity Speaker: Nicholas Clark, Intramural Research Training Award (IRTA) Postdoctoral Fellow, Unit on Structural Biology, Division of Basic and Translational Biophysics, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health Structural studies of membrane proteins necessitate solubilization, where insoluble membrane components become coated inside deter gent micelles. Using detergents can be “successful” when solubilization efficiency and lipid replacement are needed, but recent development of amphipathic polymers created a different paradigm. The polymers do not solubilize, but rather create small native lipid-protein particles. The advantage of polymer extraction is the lack of exogenous lipids, allowing structure determination of lipid-protein complexes in a more native state and clarifying the functional role of lipids. Solubilization efficiency may not be the best success metric when compared to the increased protein stability provided by native lipids. 10:15 am - 11:00 am, West Exhibit Hall New Member Welcome Coffee 10:15 am - 11:15 am, Room 403A

Revealing the True Importance of the Lipid Environment with the NativeMPTM Copolymer Suite for Membrane Proteins Speaker: Philipp Hanisch, Head of Laboratory, Cube Biotech Inc Integral membrane proteins are at the center of cellular function—con trolling molecular flow, facilitating signaling, and mediating interactions with the environment. Their critical role makes them indispensable targets in drug development. Yet, studying these proteins remains no toriously challenging. Traditional detergents often strip away the native lipids that stabilize these proteins, leading to destabilization and limited success in advanced assays or structural studies. Join me as I introduce the next leap in membrane protein research: copolymers. At Cube Biotech, we leverage the NativeMPTM platform, which employs next-generation copolymers like AASTY, UltrasoluteTM Amphipol (CyclAPol), and Cubipol, alongside SMA and DIBMA, to cre ate stable native nanodiscs. These copolymers not only outperform traditional detergents but also preserve vital lipid interactions, providing unmatched protein stability. I’ll also demonstrate how NativeMPTM supports antibody generation through immobilization and how it supports advanced assays, includ ing SPR, MST, Thermal Shift, and DEL. Additionally, I’ll share insights into preparing samples for cryo-EM, achieving remarkable resolution and enhanced stability, and discuss recent successes in small molecule discovery. Ion Channel Membrane Mimetics: Cryo-EM and Beyond Speaker: Steven Molinarolo, Research Associate, University of British Columbia, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology This presentation examines the use of membrane mimetics to deepen our understanding of ion channels, with a focus on the Ryanodine Receptor, a key calcium channel in muscle contraction. Advances in cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) have allowed high-resolution struc tural studies of these channels in near-native environments. However, fully understanding the functional dynamics of the Ryanodine Receptor requires an integrated approach. By leveraging membrane mimetics and combining structural insights with complementary analytical tech niques, we aim to shed light on the interactions of ion channels within complex cellular environments. Symposium Future of Biophysics Burroughs Wellcome Fund 10:45 am - 12:45 pm, Petree Hall C Co-Chairs Sudha Chakrapani, Case Western Reserve Univeristy, USA Christopher Yip, University of Toronto, Canada No Abstract 10:45 am DECODING CHANNEL SELECTIVITY THROUGH MEMBRANE PROTEIN DESIGN. Huong T. Kratochvil No Abstract 11:15 am PRINCIPLES UNDERLYING SLO1-AUXILIARY SUBUNIT ASSEMBLIES. Sandipan Chowdhury No Abstract 11:45 am REIMAGINING WEBER’S DAN PROBES: CELLULAR WATER MILIEU AND MOLECULAR CROWDING REVEALED BY FLIM-HSI AND PHASORS. Leonel 12:15 pm CRYO-EM STRUCTURES OF AMYLOIDS: INSIGHTS INTO AGGREGATION, PROGRESSION, AND PATHOGENESIS IN NEURODEGENERATIVE DIS EASES. Yang Yang S. Malacrida No Abstract

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