Biophysical Society Bulletin | April 2018

April 2018

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Online Biophysics Education Journal to Launch Several years ago, Society members who had a strong interest in education approached the Society leadership with the idea that those who teach biophysics needed — for their own professional development — a peer-reviewed education-focused venue in which to publish. The BPS Council agreed that in order for the field of biophysics to be fully recognized as a stand-alone discipline, it needed a publication that focused on biophysics education, broadly defined, published by biophysicists. An online journal con- cept fit well with the BPS strategic goals of advocating for the field of biophysics, supporting the next generation of biophysicists throughout the world, and providing biophysics-related teaching resources for the global biophysics community. Council, thus, charged the Publications Committee with developing a product to address these needs and goals. The Publications Committee, along with a subset of Education Committee members, have since been working on preparing a com- prehensive proposal. A working group composed of Linda Columbus , Les Satin , Gundula Bosch , and Will Guilford developed the initial outline, which was discussed extensively by the Publications Committee before being presented to Council. At its February 2018 meeting Council enthusiastically approved the final proposal, which includes a self-publishing business model. The Biophysicist , as the new open access, online only journal will be called, will begin publication in the second half of 2019.

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Inside Biophysicist in Profile

Call for Editor-in Chief The BPS Publications Committee is accepting nominations for editor-in-chief of The Biophysicist . The editor-in-chief will work closely with the Publications Committee to appoint an editorial board and to recruit suitable manuscripts. S/he will also be instrumental in setting standards and best practices for the journal and will serve a five-year term. Nominations should be sent to thebiophysicist@ biophysics.org by May 7, 2018 . To be considered, nominations must include a nominee’s CV as well as a statement of personal interest that includes a vision for the journal.

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Public Affairs

March for Science Take Two

Publications

BPS Committees

BPS18 Recap

10 11 11 12 12 13 13 13 15 16

2018 SRAA Winners

Undergraduate Student Poster Award Winners Grants and Opportunities

Biophysics Takes Over City by the Bay

Communities From the Blog Member Corner Student Spotlight Important Dates

The sun was shining on the Moscone Center in down- town San Francisco as biophysicists from around the world gathered in the City by the Bay for five days of learning and collaborating at the Society’s 62nd Annu- al Meeting. The meeting kicked off with a captivating subgroup program on Saturday, followed by four days of programming that included an extensive range of topics in the field of biophysics. Program Co-Chairs Anne Kenworthy , Vanderbilt University, and Francesca Marassi , Sanford Burnham Prebysterian Medical Discov- ery Institute, and their Program Committee members were commended for their exciting scientific program.

Obituary

Upcoming Events

In addition to the science, attendees had the opportunity to explore career advancement, teaching, techniques, science policy, and funding sessions.

View Highlights on Page 8

Biophysicist in Profile

Sebastian Brauchi Areas of Research Protein structure and ion channel biophysics

Institution Universidad Austral de Chile

At-a-Glance

Sebastian Brauchi is Associate Professor in the Physiology Institute at Universidad Austral de Chile. His research focuses on protein structure and ion channel biophysics. Science is one of his three main passions in life; his biggest challenge over the years has been, he says, “to combine parenthood, rock climbing, and the lab, as all are different aspects of the same individual, needed to give meaning to my life.”

Sebastian Brauchi

From his earliest days, Sebastian Brauchi , Associate Professor in the Physiology Institute at Universidad Austral de Chile (UACh), has been brimming with curiosity. He grew up in a house full of books and intellectual stimulation in Quilpué, a small town in the central region of Chile, close to the coastal city of Valparaíso. His father, Don Adolfo , was an electrical en- gineer and his mother, Anita , was a school teacher; both en- couraged his exploration. “My father had a magnifying glass he used for his stamp collection. When I was around eight years old I often used it to observe insects and take notes — that is the first scientific behavior I remember,” he shares. “I have a strong inclination for the mechanics of things, how to make something function. Meccano and Legos were an important part of my childhood; as a kid I spent countless hours building things.” In high school, he learned that humans and other living things operated in much the same way as his Meccano toys: “We lifeforms are no more than big Meccanos made out of other minute Meccanos and Lego pieces, motors and hinges connecting structural scaffolds,” he says. From then on he was interested in figuring out how things work. Brauchi’s father put him in a basic course on programming when he was ten, and got him a computer. “There I learned basic coding and the capacity of that machine to calculate complex things. I’m a very practical person, so making calcula- tions turned out to be boring, but once I realized and gave the real value to peripherals — to the fact that computers could get and deliver voltage signals to make things happen — that was a different story. The computer was disassembled within a week, as I tried to figure out how to make the board control a step motor,” he says. “The circuitry was too complex for me and the computer never worked again, but the interesting thing was that my dad encouraged the behavior and helped me to go further by giving me a book on basic electronics. Since then, I’m never afraid of breaking anything as long as that act represents the possibility of acquiring knowledge.” He attended a series of private Catholic schools in his child- hood and teenage years — “I never had the spirit to follow

the rules, I guess,” he jokes. “After years of annually changing classmates and teachers, I graduated in 1992. Never under- estimate irony: Completely disregarding my previous experi- ences and for reasons beyond my comprehension, I went to study biochemistry at the Catholic University in Valparaíso.” He dropped out after three years and dedicated himself to rock climbing. “After years of absence and motivated by my personal bankruptcy, I went back and finally graduated in 2001 under the supervision of Juan G. Reyes , my first mentor,” he explains.

Brauchi with his family.

Brauchi then worked in the lab of Dale Benos at the University of Alabama - Birmingham for a short time before returning to Chile at Benos’s advice to work with Ramon Latorre in ion channel biophysics. Latorre was director of Centro de Estu- dios Cientificos, a private research institution, where Brauchi performed his graduate research. He finished his PhD in molecular and cellular biology in 2006. “Ramoncito’s passion for ion channels was really sticky, and his sparkling personality was interesting enough to make me forget my previous interests. In retrospect, all around being with Ramon

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Biophysicist in Profile

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

Brad S. Rothberg , Associate Professor of Med- ical Genetics and Molecular Biology at Temple University, is currently collaborating with Brau- chi on a project focused on the structure and function of a K + channel from Mycobacterium intracellulare , which causes lung disease primarily in immunocompromised patients. “We hope that our work will lead to a better understanding of the physiology of these bac- teria, as well as new treatments for mycobac- terial infection,” he shares. “Sebastian discov- ered that channel through a genome search, and he came to my lab in Philly for a month to work on expressing the channel to do func- tional studies, and his enthusiasm rubbed off on me. Now the project has led to new crystal structures and other great ideas about this class of channels.” “I think Sebastian is probably the most easy-going person I know in science, which is odd because he takes his work very seriously,” Rothberg says. “I’m kind of neurotic by nature, and I tend to worry about ‘what happens next’; I think in some ways Sebastian is the total opposite of that. And I think being associated with that sensibility has been a good influence on me. I think we can all use a little of that.” Brauchi himself views his career as a scientist as the same as that of a craftsman. Rather than focusing on himself and his own ad- vancement, he tries to emphasize training and sharing of knowledge. “Don’t isolate yourself, collaborate with others instead. Always be happy about the success of your peers,” he says. “You are not a professional developing a career, you are rather a craftsman training to become a mentor of others.” Bruna Benso , Assistant Professor in the School of Dentistry of the Pontifica Universidad Católica de Chile, worked as a postdoctoral fellow in Brauchi’s lab. “Dr. Brauchi is a very pleasant colleague to interact with; he is very innovative, smart, encouraging of creativity in all of his students, and most importantly, an ethical investigator,” she shares. “He really encourages people to come up with ideas […] and no matter what difficulties you have, he is always patiently guiding all of his students.”

allowed me to give shape to my previous expe- riences and molded my career,” Brauchi ex- plains. “In his lab, I found the total freedom to develop my projects, build rigs out of scratch, and program my own software. I also found the strict school of biophysics always encour- aging to learn from first principles. Ramon’s training — as predicted by Dale — gave me the tools I was looking for to develop myself as a researcher.” “In 2004 I was awarded a Pew Fellowship to work as a postdoctoral trainee in the labo- ratory of David Clapham at Boston Children’s Hospital. I spent two years there working on ion channel biophysics and microscopy. David was a great mentor for an independent person like me; he trusted me with being able to put together complicated experimental rigs, and I learned a great deal of optics during my stay in Boston,” he shares. “The experience of being a Pew Fellow was also important for my pro- fessional development, giving me easy access to open conversations with and advice from leaders in different fields. This together with the financial support made a huge difference.” In 2008, Brauchi was recruited as an assis- tant professor by the Institute of Physiology of UACh, where he has been ever since, now as an associate professor. “Over the years I have realized that human beings are dull and relatively uninteresting compared to the enor- mous biodiversity available. Understanding the first principles of cellular sensing, the internal circuitry of a cell, is occupying my thoughts,” he says. “My projects these days are about mo- lecular evolution of ion channels and receptors, electrical activity of bacterial colonies, integra- tion of sensory inputs in plants, and develop- ing tools for cell biology and single-molecule studies.” “ You are not a professional developing a career, you are rather a craftsman training to become a mentor of others. ”

Zev Bryant Jane Clarke Linda Columbus Bertrand Garcia-Moreno Teresa Giraldez Ruben Gonzalez, Jr. Arthur Palmer Marina Ramirez-Alvarado Jennifer Ross David Stokes Joanna Swain Pernilla Wittung-Stafeshede 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

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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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Public Affairs

March for Science Take Two: April 14, 2018 The Biophysical Society is proud to once again be a partner for the March for Science. The March for Science, a global orga- nization that advocates for equitable evidence-based science policies, is staging more than 70 marches around the globe on April 14, 2018. The focus of the marches will be on holding political leaders accountable for passing equitable, evidence-based policies that serve all people and all communities. To find a March near you, visit https:/www.marchforscience.com/.

Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 Raises Spending Cap; Result is Generous Science Budget On February 9, 2018, the President signed the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 (H.R. 1892), after both the Senate and House approved the bill. The agreement funded the federal government through March 23, raised the debt ceiling, and included an agreement to raise the spending caps set by se- questration for 2018 and 2019. The deal to raise the spend- ing caps applies to both defense and nondefense discretion- ary programs but raises the caps for defense programs $165 billion and nondefense only $131 billion over the next two years. It cleared the way to provide additional funding to pro- grams both Democrats and Republicans care about, including investing in science research, in FY 2018 and FY 2019. On March 23, Congress did just that — invested in science. Congress passed and the President approved an omnibus spending bill that funds the government through the rest of FY 2018. This includes a $3 billion increase for NIH, a $1 bil- lion increase for the Department of Energy Office of Science, and a $300 million increase for the National Science Founda- tion. More information will be provided on this budget in the May newsletter. The Ad Hoc Group for Medical Research, of which the Soci- ety is a member, issued a statement praising the increase in discretionary spending caps, expressing appreciation that the deal acknowledges the NIH as a critical national priority, and reiterating its FY 2018 recommendation of “at least $36.1 bil- lion for the NIH, in addition to dedicated funding through the 21st Century Cures Act and other funding devoted to specific priorities.”

The Coalition for National Science Funding, of which the Society is also a member, wrote to House and Senate Com- merce-Justice-Science appropriators to request $8 billion for NSF in FY18 to reflect four percent real growth over FY16. “This requested increase of four percent real growth,” the letter says, “is consistent with the first recommendation in the clarion call-to-action, ‘Innovation: An American Impera- tive,’ which more than 500 organizations from all 50 states representing industry, academia, and scientific and engineer- ing societies have endorsed.” The Energy Sciences Coalition (ESC), which includes the Biophysical Society, sent a letter to Congress thanking them for lifting the sequestration-level budget cap for non-de- fense discretionary spending. The letter also urges Congress to provide the DOE Office of Science $5.7 billion in FY 2018. This level of funding is consistent with ESC FY 2018 funding statements, which were delivered to Congress in April and December of 2017. United for Medical Research Issues Report on NIH Funding Impact United for Medical Research has released new economic data showing the impacts of NIH-funded research on the US economy. According to the report, in FY 2017, NIH research funding directly and indirectly supported over 400,000 jobs nationwide. In the same year, income generated by these jobs, as well as through the purchase of research-related equipment, services, and materials produced almost $69 billion in new economic activity. The report also shows a correlation between recent increases to the NIH budget and economic benefits. You can view the report at http:/ bit. ly/2BPiH4Z.

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Public Affairs

President Sends FY 2019 Budget Proposal Request to Congress

Visit BPS at the USA Science and Engineering Festival

The White House released its budget proposal on Monday, February 12, entitled “Efficient, Effective, Accountable: An American Budget.” The proposal includes an addendum written after Congress approved on February 9 raising the spending caps (see next article). While the President was orig- inally planning to cut science programs across the board, the addendum added funding back in for the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the National Science Foundation (NSF), and the Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science, but not to the levels proposed for FY 2018. Other agencies, includ- ing National Institute for Standards and Technology and the Department of Energy Applied Research programs, did not receive a reprieve. The President’s proposal includes two ways it plans to “stretch” NIH grant funding in FY 2019: by capping the amount of an investigator’s total salary that can be paid by grants to 90 percent and by reducing the maximum amount of salary that can be paid with NIH grant funds from $187,000 to $152,000. At NSF, the President proposes funding the agency at FY 2017 levels. Funding for research would increase by $145 million, or 2 percent; funding for the education directorate would remain flat; and funding for large new facilities would be cut in half. The NSF is proposing to build only two of three mid-sized research vessels Congress had directed the Foun- dation to build.

The Biophysical Society will be presenting “What Proteins Do” at the USA Science and Engineering Festival, April 6–8, 2018, in Washington, DC. Visit us at booth 921!

The festival attracted over 365,000 visitors the last time it was held in 2016. Those attending have the opportunity to hear from famous science ambassadors, meet acting scien- tists, and learn about science, engineering, and math through hands-on activities. For more information, visit the Soci- ety’s website http:/www.biophysics.org/outreach/usa-sci- ence-and-engineering-festival#/ and the festival’s website www.usasciencefestival.org.

BiophysicsWeek 2018

Thank you for participating in Biophysics Week 2018! With more than 60 events taking place on six continents, the week was a huge success! Be sure to look for a recap of events in the May BPS Bulletin. In the meantime, save the date for Biophysics Week 2019: March 25–29!

Trump Discretionary Budget Request 2019; $1.19 Trillion

Food & Agriculture 1%

Science 2% Unemployment & Labor 2%

Energy & Environment 2%

Transportation 2% Diplomacy & Foreign Aid 2%

Health 5%

Housing & Community 5%

Education 5%

Government 6%

Military 61%

Students from a local Baltimore high school engage in experiments at Johns Hopkins University during an event for Biophysics Week 2018.

Veterans Benefits 7%

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Publications

Know the Editor Henry M. Colecraft

Online Journal, continued from Page 1

The journal will include articles on generalized education, educational research, current topics in teaching and effec- tive practices in the classroom, laboratory techniques, men- toring and leadership, biophysics history and perspectives on the field, curricula and program development, tutorial articles on specific topics in biophysics, software notes and applications, new technologies and digital instructional tools, assessment methods, as well as viewpoints, book reviews, letters to the editor, and more. The journal also will address effective practices in the classroom through written and video documentation. The Society looks forward to this exciting new opportunity, which will further the BPS vision of biophysics as an inter- disciplinary scientific discipline that develops the quantita- tive methods and techniques needed by scientists as they seek fundamental understanding of the biological, chemical, and physical mechanisms of life. The Biophysicist will be the vehicle by which biophysicists can educate, and be educat- ed by, their peers in the pursuit of enhancing the learning process that will lead to discovering basic scientific insights, solving biological problems and, eventually, curing disease. — Angela M. Gronenborn , Society President — Olaf Andersen , Publications Committee Chair Figure360 Biophysical Journal is now accepting

Columbia University Medical Center Department of Physiology and Cellular Biophysics Editor, Channels and Transporters

Henry M. Colecraft

What are you currently working on? My lab works on modulation of voltage-gated ion channels — in particular voltage-gated Ca 2+ (Ca V ) and K + (K V ) channels — by intracellular signaling proteins, auxiliary subunits, and post-translational modifications. Modulation of ion channel activity is not only a powerful way to regulate the physiologi- cal state (e.g., increased rate and contractility of the heartbeat during exercise), but also an important avenue for therapeutic interventions (e.g., the potent analgesic effects of opiates). Ongoing projects include seeking mechanistic understanding of regulation of Ca V and K V channel trafficking and activity by auxiliary subunits, phosphorylation, and ubiquitin. What has been your most exciting discovery as a biophysicist? One very satisfying project involved our study of mecha- nisms underlying profound inhibition of Ca V channels by a four-member family of Ras-like G-proteins referred to as RGK proteins. The RGK proteins are extraordinary in their capacity to virtually eliminate all high-voltage-activated Ca V channels when over-expressed in any excitable cell. We sought to understand and exploit their mechanism of action to develop a general method for generating novel genetically encoded Ca V channel inhibitors (GECCIs) for customized, and possibly therapeutic, applications. We found that RGK inhibition of Ca V channels had a dual requirement — binding to a cytosolic auxiliary Ca V β subunit that interacts with an intracellular loop of pore-forming Ca V α 1 subunits, and simultaneous associ- ation of the RGK to the plasma membrane via a polybasic C-tail. This insight led us to develop a general method termed ChIMP — channel inactivation induced by membrane-teth- ering an associated protein — for developing novel GECCIs. Excitingly, the approach appears widely applicable to develop custom genetically encoded modulators for a broad cohort of ion channels.

Enhance one of your figures with animation and textual or spoken narration to highlight its take-home message.

Submit to Biophysical Journal using the new Overleaf LaTeX template at https:/www.overleaf.com/articles/biophysical-journal-template/pxxcptphxdhv

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Career Development

BPS Committees: What do they do? Why should I participate?

Dear BioFizzy, The Biophysical Society has 14 committees, which are essential to carrying out the mission of leading the develop- ment and dissemination of information about biophysics. The Committees and their charges are summarized on the BPS website http:/www.biophysics.org/About-BPS/Governance/ Committees. Some committees, such as the Nominating Committee, are elected by Council. Others are made up of Society members who volunteer to serve and are approved by the Biophysical Society Council to serve three-year terms, renewable once. The Society seeks to reflect the membership in committee composition, with diversity in gender, career stage, and coun- try of origin. Committee members serve for a variety of reasons. The most common reason is a desire to become involved with and give back to the community formed by the Society. It’s also great way to network and get to know people outside of your area. Interested in joining? Society members wishing to be more involved in Society ac- tivities are encouraged to submit a volunteer form, which can be found on the website, and indicate their interest in one or more of the following committees: Early Careers, Education, Membership, Inclusion and Diversity, Professional Opportuni- ties for Women, Public Affairs, or Publications. — Molly Cule

Dear Molly Cule, I’ve seen references to different com- mittees of the Biophysical Society, like the Early Careers Committee and the Education Committee. What do these committees do? Who serves on them and how are the members selected? Should I participate, and how can I sign up? Signed, BioFizzy

Have a question for Molly Cule? Write LPhelan@biophysics.org

Numbers By the

Nearly 6,000 researchers attended the 2018 BPS Annual Meeting in San Francisco, California.

Biophysical Society is grateful for its 2018 Industry Partner.

Gold Member

For Industry Partner Membership information, contact alevine@biophysics.org.

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Annual Meeting

Symposia & Workshops Meeting attendees spent their days immersed in a wide variety of scientific sessions that included 15 subgroup symposia, 23 symposia, and four workshops highlighting the latest research topics and biophysical techniques. Another 500 attendees presented their research in the 64 platform sessions.

BPS Annual Lecture Jennifer Doudna, from the University of California, Berkeley and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, presented CRISPR Systems: Biology and Application of Gene Editing at the BPS Lecture on Monday, February 19. To watch the BPS Lecture, go to www.biophysics.org/2018meeting.

Amazon Echo and Fitbit Raffle Winners

Eric Bolin, University of California, Berkeley

Vinaya Kumar, Golla Jacobs University, Bremen, Germany

Career Programs The Annual Meeting included over 33 career and education-related sessions for attendees at all career levels.

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Annual Meeting

Fueling Discovery through Biophysics

Poster Presentations

Over 700 posters were presented each afternoon, spanning the interdisciplinary field of biophysics.

1 st Place Eye of Soren Christopher Ward from University of Maryland, School of Medicine

2 nd Place Bufferfly Lei Chang from Peking University

3 rd Place Reshaping Vesicles via Deflation Ziliang Zhao from MPI

Image Contest

The Biophysical Society Art of Science Image Contest received 57 submissions, and the 12 finalists were displayed at the Annual Meeting, where attendees voted on their top two images. Prizes were sponsored by Chroma Technology. Congratulations to the first, second, and third place winners! Visit the website for image descriptions, www.biophysics.org.

Exhibits

Attendees had the opportunity to visit exhibitors and view product demonstrations, see the latest lab equipment, scientific publications, and explore new technologies in the Exhibit Hall.

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Annual Meeting

2018 SRAA Poster CompetitionWinners

Intrinsically Disordered Proteins Shannon Esswein , University of California, Los Angeles Identification of Segments in Variable Domains of Ig Light Chains that Drive Formation of Amyloid Fibrils Mechanobiology Debadrita Modak , Ohio State University Resolving the Mechanism of Adhesion Mediated by a Non-Clustered Delta-1 Protocadherin Membrane Biophysics Estefania Barreto-Ojeda , University of Calgary, Canada Lipid Binding and Lipid-Uptake In P-Glycoprotein: Comparison of the Inward- and Outward-facing Conformation Nidhi Kundu , Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Mohali, India Exploring a Novel Oligomerization Mechanism of Thermostable Direct Hemolysin, a Pore-forming Protein Wandi Zhu , Washington University in St. Louis Molecular Basis of Mexiletine Response Variability in Sodium Channels with Long Qt Mutations Membrane Structure and Assembly Deniz Aydin , École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Switzerland A Combined Computational and Experimental Study to Investigate the Role of Coq9 in Promoting Coq Biosynthesis Adree Khondker , McMaster University, Canada Membrane Cholesterol Reduces Polymyxin B Nephrotoxicity in Renal Membrane Analogues Younghoon Oh , Sogang University, South Korea Lateral Diffusivity of Cholesterol Depends on Its Spatial Arrange- ment in Lipid Membranes Molecular Biophysics Sudipta Lahiri , Wesleyan University Homology Modeling and Structural Analysis of S. Cerevisiae Msh4 and Msh5 Provide Insight into DNA Binding and Specificity Madlen Luckner , Humboldt University of Berlin Oligomerization and Nuclear Shuttling Dynamics of Viral Proteins Studied by Quantitative Molecular Brightness Analysis Using Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy Md. Mahfuzur Rahman , University of Hyogo, Japan Crystal Structure of a Bacterial Abc Heme Exporter in the Apo Form

The 24 winners of the annual Student Research Achievement Awards were recognized at the BPS 62nd Annual Meeting Awards Ceremony on February 19, 2018. These students were selected by judges from the Society’s subgroups for their outstanding presentations during the poster competi- tion. One hundred and eighty-eight students participated in the competition. The winners are listed below. Bioenergetics Zhiyu Zhao , University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Microscopic View of the Outward- to Inward-facing Transition Pathway of the Human Dopamine Transporter Bioengineering Alexander Komin , Johns Hopkins University Cell-Penetrating Peptide for Transcellular Transport: The Effect of Physico-Chemical Properties on Permeability Dana Reinemann , Vanderbilt University Bio-Functionalized Core-Shell Microparticles for High Force Optical Trapping Biological Fluorescence Giancarlo Bruni , University of Colorado Boulder Deciphering the Role of Bacterial Electrophysiology in Mechanosensation Biopolymers in Vivo Shunshi Kohyama , Keio University, Japan Cell-Space Confinement Effects on Min Protein Waves Inside Microdroplets Cryo-EM Mengyu Wu , The Scripps Research Institute Pushing Size and Resolution Limits of Single-Particle Cryo-Em at 200 Kev Exocytosis & Endocytosis Ani Nichol , Brigham Young University Conformational Changes of Snap-25 Due to Environmental Conditions

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Annual Meeting

Innovation Grants to Nurture Initial Translational Efforts (IGNITE): Pharmacodynamics and In Vivo Efficacy Studies for Small Molecules and Biologics/ Biotechnology Products This grant is part of a suite of Innovation Grants to Nur- ture Initial Translational Efforts (IGNITE). This grant will provide funding to conduct pharmacodynamics, phar- macokinetics, and in vivo efficacy studies to demon- strate that proposed therapeutic agent(s) have suffi- cient biological activity to warrant further development to treat neurological disorders. Therapeutic agents may include but are not limited to small molecules, biologics, or biotechnology-derived products. Deadline: May 8, 2018 Website: https:/grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/ PAR-15-071.html Actions in a Ligand-Gated Ion Channel Cole Swaim , James Madison University Engineering a Cytochrome with Tunable Band Gap Potentials Paige Cloonan , Washington University in St. Louis Mechanical and Structural Analysis of Cardiomyopathies at the Single Cell Level These students were selected by judges based on the quality and scientific merit of their research, knowledge of the research problem, contribution to the project, and the overall presentation of their poster. 2018 Undergraduate Student Poster Award Winners Congratulations to the following students who won awards at the 2018 Annual Meeting for their poster presentations: Noa Erlitzki , Georgia State University Structure-hydration Relationships in DNA Minor Groove Binding Sritejasvinithi Karimiconda , University of Wisconsin- Madison Probing Conformational Motions Underlying Anesthetic Drug

Pradeep Sathyanarayana , Indian Institute of Science, India Cholesterol Promotes Cytolysin A Activity by Stabilizing the Inter- mediates During Pore Formation Motility & Cytoskeleton Jeffrey Moore , University of Colorado, Boulder Organization and Dynamics of Gliding Flexible Filaments Nanoscale Biophysics Yuan-I Chen , The University of Texas at Austin Measuring Oligonucleotide Hybridization Kinetics in Solution Using a Time-resolved 3D Single-Molecule Tracking Technique Sonisilpa Mohapatra , University of Wisconsin-Madison Growth-Phase-dependent Effects on Spatial Distribution of E. Coli Chromosomes and Ribosomes Permeation & Transport Adela Krizova , Johannes Kepler University Linz, Austria Interplay of Crac Channels with Ca2+ Activated K+ Channels Zhenning Ren , Baylor College of Medicine Crystal Structure of an Eiic Trapped in an Inward-facing Conformation

Grants & Opportunities

Structural Biology of Alzheimer’s Disease Related Dementias (ADRDs) Proteinopathies The purpose of this funding announcement is to support the structural characterization of protein species associated with ADRDs through the utilization of cryo-electron microscopy and cryo-electron tomog- raphy of proteins expressed in human tissue and cell sources. Studies should also include the development of research tools and resources to further characterize/ validate the protein species. Deadline: April 30, 2018 Website: https:/grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/ RFA-NS-18-015.html

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Communities

Motility and Cytoskeleton Subgroup The mission of the Motility and Cytoskeleton Subgroup is to understand the basic mechanisms that underlie the motil- ity and contractility of biological systems. At the BPS 2018 Annual Meeting in San Francisco, the subgroup enjoyed a symposium full of exciting science thanks to a group of excel- lent speakers. Gregory Alushin , Rockefeller University, discussed his lab’s recent cryo-EM structures of myosin VI bound to F-actin that shed light on this motor’s unique mechanochemistry. Marija Zanic , Vanderbilt University, described the activity of kine- sin-14s in organizing microtubule asters and an unusual kinesin activation mechanism by the tubulin subunit itself. Weihong Qiu , Oregon State University, also discussed kine- sin-14 motors and long-distance minus end-directed motility that is regulated by their N-terminal non-motor microtubule binding tail. Tim Clausen , Research Institute of Molecular Pathology, Austria, shared insights into sophisticated mech- anisms by which molecular chaperones police the non-func- tional, unfolded states of myosin heads in muscle thick filaments. Etsuko Muto , RIKEN Brain Science Institute, Japan, presented her research on the role of microtubules in kinesin and dynein activation, together with a review of the challeng- es, rewards, and future perspectives of working with recom- binant tubulin. Samara Reck-Peterson , University of California , San Diego, presented structural and biophysical aspects of the complex interaction of the multi-tasking regulator Lis1 with cytoplasmic dynein. Margot Quinlan , University of Cali- fornia, Los Angeles, discussed the roles of two collaborating

actin nucleators in control of cell polarity in the Drosophila oocyte. The symposium ended with the keynote address by Wallace Marshall , University of California, San Francisco, who gave a fascinating (and entertaining) account of flagella length de- termination mechanisms in Chlamydomonas, and elaborated what these simple-seeming organisms can teach us about the complexity of organelle size determination. We also very much appreciated the energy and clarity of our early career researchers who presented flash talks on a range of topics relevant to the subgroup: Nikki Reinemann , Vanderbilt University; Xuanhui Meng , Oxford University; Sungsu Lee , SUNY Upstate Medical University; Nandish Khanra , St Jude Children’s Research Hospital; Sarah Clippinger , Washington University, St Louis; Sami Chu , University of Minnesota; Christina Chen , University of Pennsylvania; Matthew Bovyn , University of Cali- fornia, Irvine; and Arjun Adhikari , Stanford University. Congrat- ulations and thanks for these excellent contributions. The Co-Chairs-Elect for the subgroup are Michael Previs , University of Vermont, and Ahmet Yildiz , University of Cali- fornia, Berkeley. They join 2019 Co-Chairs William Hancock , Penn State University, and Neil Kad , University of Kent, on the subgroup Executive Committee. Finally, we thank our sponsors Cytokinetics, MyoKardia, Lumicks, and PurSolutions for their generous support of our subgroup. — Kristen Verhey and Carolyn Moores Past Subgroup Chairs

From the Blog Just Check the Box! or, Why I Judge Science Fairs

http:/ biophysicalsociety.wordpress.com

Biophysical Society member Joshua Vermaas , National Renewable Energy Laboratory, shares his experience volunteering as a judge for local and regional science fairs in his area. Read why he signed up and why he keeps returning, then visit the BPS website for information on how you can give out a Biophysics Award at your local fair. https:/ biophysicalsociety.wordpress.com/2018/02/14/just-check-the-box-or-why-i-judge-science-fairs/

Joshua Vermaas

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Member Corner

myBPS Coming Soon: A NewWay toManage Your BPS Activities

Look for the new myBPS! BPS is proud to announce the launch of myBPS at the beginning of April, which will allow you to manage your BPS account details in a convenient and secure manner. With a myBPS account you will be able to: Create and share your professional profile Manage account details such as address change, ORCID, updates to professional details, and more View and track account transactions Easily submit abstracts and register for BPS meetings with one single login Manage your communication preferences Join and renew membership easily, including easy upload of necessary documentation Manage volunteer preferences

Join the Find a Biophysicist Network Access many members-only features

Once myBPS becomes available, all members and website visitors who conduct any transactions with BPS online will be required to create an account. Please look out for an email in April that will provide you with detailed instructions on how to get your myBPS account started!

Student Spotlight

Sabastian Hendrickx Department of Physics

school where I can start learning about and making contributions to the field of biomimetics. Particular- ly, I want to understand the central science behind the remarkable characteristics found in nature where flora and fauna establish ecosystems that function optimally without adverse effects to the environment. I want to replicate this behavior for unique applications that will serve society.

New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology As you move forward in science, what type of research do you see yourself doing? Why? After participating in two summer research pro- grams, one through the Biophysical Society, I have been motivated to join an interdisciplinary graduate

Sabastian Hendrickx

Important Dates BPS Thematic Meetings May 7, 2018 Abstract Submission: The Heart by Numbers June 4, 2018 Early Registration: The Heart by Numbers

Biophysics Week March 25–29, 2019 March 9–13, 2020

63 rd BPS Annual Meeting Baltimore, MD March 2–6, 2019

Abstract Submission and Registration Open July 1, 2018

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Communities Biophysical Society Thematic Meeting

The Heart by Numbers: Integrating Theory, Computation and Experiment to Advance Cardiology

September 4–7, 2018 | Berlin, Germany Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine

ORGANIZING COMMITTEE Martin Falcke , Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, Germany

The focus on mathematical and biophysical models coupled with experiments sets this meeting apart from cardiological and biological meetings. The meet- ing will be highly interdisciplinary with contributions from medicine, biology, physics, bioengineering, and mathematics. Specifically, topics will include: • Cell level: modelling of excitation contraction coupling, sarcomere models, metabolic modelling, ROS signalling, spatially resolved models and subcellular structures; • Hemodynamics: flow in atria and ventricles, aortic flow, valve stenosis replacement, stenting; • Organ level: electrophysiology, mechanics, total heart function, personalization; • Modelling diseases: arrhythmia, antitachypacing and defibrillation, Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy.

Gernot Plank , Medical University of Graz, Austria Zhilin Qu , University of California, Los Angeles, USA Karin Sipido , University of Leuven, Belgium James Weiss , University of California, Los Angeles, USA SPEAKERS Daniel Beard , University of Michigan, USA Donald Bers , University of California, Davis, USA Martin Bishop , King’s College London, United Kingdom Elizabeth Cherry , Rochester Institute of Technology, USA Colleen Clancy , University of California, Davis, USA

Pieter de Tombe , Loyola University Chicago, USA Emilia Entcheva , George Washington University, USA Julia Gorelik , Imperial College London, United Kingdom Michael Gotthardt , Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, Germany Adam Hill , Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Australia Jonathan Lederer , University of Maryland, USA Stefan Luther , Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization, Germany Molly Maleckar , Allen Institute, USA Andrew McCulloch , University of California, San Diego, USA Martyn Nash , University of Auckland, New Zealand Steven Niederer , King’s College London, United Kingdom Brian O’Rourke , Johns Hopkins University, USA Daniela Panakova , Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, Germany Sasha Panfilov , Gent University, Belgium Yohannes Shiferaw , California State University, Northridge, USA

Thank you to our sponsors:

Christian Soeller , University of Exeter, United Kingdom Natalia Trayanova , Johns Hopkins University, USA Isabelle van Gelder , University of Groningen, Netherlands Edward Vigmond , University of Bordeaux, France Alexandra Zahradnikova , SlovakAcademy of Sciences, Slovakia

Abstract Submission Deadline: May 7, 2018

Early Registration Deadline: June 4, 2018

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For more information, visit www.biophysics.org/2018Berlin

Obituary

Arthur G. Szabo

Centre Biophysique Moleculaire, France; Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas, Spain; University of Parma, Italy; and the University of São Paolo, Brazil. Art’s contribution to biophysics methodologies include the refinement of laser-based time-correlated single-photon counting instrumentation, data collection, and analysis; col- lection of polarized time-resolved fluorescence from protein crystals; biosynthetic incorporation of tryptophan analogues into recombinant proteins; and improving fluorescence measurement standards. His contributions to knowledge include the photophysical characterization by time-resolved fluorescence of dozens of purified single-tryptophan proteins, peptides, and analogs, including metal binding proteins of calcium, magnesium, copper, iron, terbium, and europium. Today, in light of new methods to refine protein X-ray crys- tallographic data, Art’s many papers on the conformational heterogeneity of proteins remain significant, and were, in many ways, ahead of their time. Art served the community as a member and chair of Cana- dian grant selection committees, as an Associate Editor of the Journal Biochemistry and Cell Biology , and Founding Asso- ciate Editor of the Journal of Fluorescence . In 1997, he chaired the Canadian Society for Chemistry annual conference and exhibition. Dedicated to science until almost his last day, Art completed the manuscript of a university-level textbook on protein structure and function. Not only was Art a “cook in the chemistry lab,” but also in the kitchen, where he enjoyed making elaborate creations that he paired perfectly with good wine. Art will be sorely missed by his former mentees and the biophysics community world- wide, to which he brought his intellect, integrity, enthusiasm, humor, and generosity. — Tanya Dahms and Chris Hogue

Arthur G. Szabo was born in Toron- to, Ontario, Canada, in 1939. Art, as he was known, studied chem- istry and mathematics at Queen’s University in Canada where he received a bachelor of science degree with honors. He earned master’s and doctorate degrees in

Arthur G. Szabo

organic chemistry from the University of Toronto as a student of Peter Yates , with support from a National Research Council (NRC-CNRC) stipend. He pursued organic photochemistry at the University of Southampton as an NRC overseas postdoc- toral fellow. Art started as a Research Officer in the Institute for Biological Sciences at the NRC-CNRC in Ottawa in 1967, becoming a Senior Research Officer before departing in 1994. Art moved on to become Director of the School of Physical Sciences, Director of the Great Lakes Institute for Environ- mental Research, Head of Chemistry and Biochemistry, and Professor of Biochemistry at the University of Windsor. He served as Dean of Science at Wilfrid Laurier University from 2000 to 2007, and as Professor of Chemistry before retiring in 2013. Art published more than 140 research articles and earned an international reputation for his work on fluorescence studies of protein structure and function. He supervised the research work of nine PhD students, 10 master’s students, and 14 postdoctoral fellows, several summer students and four-year honors students, and had numerous productive collabora- tions. He was awarded the John Labatt Lecture Award from the Canadian Society of Chemistry in 1993, for his outstand- ing achievement in biochemistry. He was a visiting scientist or visiting professor at the Polish Academy of Sciences, Poland; Looking for a job? Looking to hire? Visit the BPS Job Board to find the position you’ve been looking for or the right candidate to hire. Job Seekers – Post your resume for potential employers to search and view. It’s easy and it’s FREE! Employers – Post your job and begin your search for qualified applicants. Thousands of qualified job seekers visit the site each day and hundreds of companies count on the BPS Job Board to deliver great candidates. Get started today at biophysics.org/jobs

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Biophysical Society

5515 Security Lane, Suite 1110 Rockville, Maryland 20852

April 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

Upcoming Events

May May 14–17 EMBO|EMBL Symposium: Cellular Mechanisms Driven by Liquid Phase Separation Heidelberg, Germany http:/ bit.ly/2HQ80Oe May 16–18 NIMBioS Tutorial: Applications of Spatial Data – Ecological Niche Modeling Knoxville, TN http:/ bit.ly/2GawWmD

June June 17–22 FASEB Conference: Molecular Biophysics of Membranes Olean, NY http:/ bit.ly/2DF5B6M June 21 Royal Society Lecture: Investi-

July July 10–12

August August 20–21

6th JCA-AACR Special Joint Conference on the Latest Advances in Lung Cancer Research: From Basic Science to Therapeutics Kyoto, Japan http:/ bit.ly/2G88br7 July 16–20 New Approaches to Biomolec- ular Structure, Dynamics and Function Durham, UK http:/ bit.ly/2FPyTFT

Science Policy: Improving the Uptake of Research into UK Policy Hinxton, UK http:/ bit.ly/2HNoBlW August 22–24 6th International Conference on Biological and Medical Sciences Seoul, South Korea http:/ bit.ly/2GM7n9d

gating the Structure of Molecules Inside Cells London, UK http:/ bit.ly/2G74PVw

Please visit www.biophysics.org for a complete list of upcoming events.

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