BPS2026 Call for Abstracts

The BPS2026 Annual Meeting in San Francisco will showcase Biophysics by the Bay , highlighting the exciting advances in science and technology brought forth by big data and AI. This year’s pro gram offers a strikingly diverse and forward-looking slate of Symposia that captures the dynamic, multi-scale nature of our field. From the controlled chaos of intrinsically disordered proteins to the emergent properties of life’s assemblies, our sessions illuminate the physical organizing principles underlying biology. Symposia revisit new perspectives in classics like membrane transport and calcium signaling, while also spotlighting new frontiers such as the biophysics of immunity, cancer, and protein design. Workshops will explore emerging technologies for handling the giant datasets of modern biology and how to use AI to understand and engineer nature. As in previous years, we seek to balance foundational insights and high-risk innovation, highlighting long-standing lumi naries, emerging leaders, and exciting discoveries selected from abstract submissions. With our continued commitment to inclusive formats—Flash Talks, Symp/Workshop Select, and integrated poster-platform options—BPS2026 invites every attendee to shape and share in the discovery. We look forward to building this next chapter of biophysics with you. A NOTE FROM THE PROGRAM CHAIRS 2026 Program Committee

Ariane Briegel Institut Pasteur, France

Ilya Levental University of Virginia, USA

Ariane Briegel , Institut Pasteur, France, Program Chair Ilya Levental , University of Virginia, USA, Program Chair Margaret Cheung . University of Washington, USA Kumiko Hayashi , Tohoku University, Japan Syma Khalid , University of Oxford, United Kingdom

Francesca Marassi , Medical College of Wisconsin, USA Tamar Schlick , New York University, USA Sudha Chakrapani , Case Western Reserve University, USA, Ex-officio Christopher Yip , University of Toronto, Canada, Ex-officio

Biophysical Society Lecturer

Lewis E. Kay, University of Toronto, Canada The Essentiality of Solution NMR Spectroscopy in the Post-AlphaFold Era

Lewis E. Kay is a molecular biophysicist recognized for his work in the development and application of solution nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Kay is particularly well known for his studies of biomolecular dynamics and for his work exploring the role of dynamics in the function and misfunction of the molecular machines of the cell. He is a Pro fessor of Molecular Genetics, Biochemistry, and Chemistry at the University of Toronto and a Senior Scientist at the Hospital for Sick Children. Kay grew up in Edmonton, Alberta at about the same time as his beloved Edmonton Oilers were winning Stanley Cups. He received his B.Sc. in Biochemistry from the University of Alberta in 1983 and his Ph.D. in Biophysics from Yale University in 1988, pursuant to which he spent three years as a postdoctoral fellow in Chemical Physics at the NIH. Professor Kay is a fellow of the Royal Societies of Canada and London.

ABOUT THE BIOPHYSICAL SOCIETY

The Biophysical Society was founded in 1958 to lead the development and dissem ination of knowledge in biophysics. It does so through its many programs, including meetings, publications, and committee outreach activities. The Society consists of over 6,500 members who work in academia, industry, and government agencies throughout the world. In addition to Annual Meeting discounts and the right to sponsor an abstract, member benefits include: • Access to the Membership Directory, and Primarily Undergraduate Institution (PUI) Network •

Participation in BPS Subgroups to connect with peers and experts within focused areas of research • An online subscription to the Biophysical Journal , as well as reduced charges when publishing in any BPS journals • The BPS Bulletin , a monthly member newsletter to stay informed about what is happening in biophysics and the Biophysical Society • Access to free webinars with career experts to help you thrive and advance in your professional role • Getting involved as a volunteer leader in BPS to make connections and gain experience • Opportunities for travel and meeting support funds