Biophysical Society Bulletin | April 2022

Biophysicist in Profile

baking, but I have done enough school bake sales to know that this hobby isn’t as fun when I have to go into ‘production mode.’ I’ll stick with science.” “I have always enjoyed that biophysics helps answer ques- tions in a quantitative way,” she explains. “For example, I like knowing how much more active a protein variant is, not just that it is more active. It helps me put everything into context better having that level of granularity. I also like that biophys- ics can be applied to a wide variety of biological problems. The work is never the same thing twice, which can make it very challenging, but also very interesting. Helping others on that journey of scientific discovery is also very satisfying. I like seeing the wide range of scientific questions that can be ad- dressed by biophysics in the work I see at the Annual Meeting and in the Biophysical Society journals. These serve to inspire me and spark new ideas.”

For early career biophysicists, she recommends, “I think that it is really valuable to find out what you don’t like—maybe even more than finding out what you do like. I found it easier to hone in on what I wanted in a career by weeding out the things that I didn’t enjoy rather than trying to identify what I liked the most.” She suggests, “In order to do this, you have to go out and get experience. Don’t be afraid to try something for fear that you might not like it. That’s valuable information that you can use to help craft the career in biophysics that you will find engaging and fulfilling.” Outside of work, she tries to find time to recharge outside and do something physically active. “I have always loved backpacking and playing sports, but I am mostly a chauffeur and spectator for my daughters’ sports teams these days. I also love making ‘practical art’—things like quilts and knit or crocheted items. It allows me to be very creative, as I usually make up my own pattern, and I then get to share what I make with friends and family.”

Call for Papers Special Issue: Ingenuity in Biophysics Dedicated to Ned Seeman

Editor: Tamar Schlick

Deadline for submission: April 30, 2022

To celebrate the work and creative vision of our colleague and fellow Biophysical Journal editor, Ned Seeman, we invite innovative contributions from all areas of biophysics, especially nucleic acid structure, that feature Seeman’s spirit of innovation and ingenuity.

Seeman, who passed away this year a few weeks short of his 76th birthday (see In Memoriam entry in the January 2022 issue of BPS Bulletin ), founded and developed the field of DNA nanotechnology more than 35 years ago. He pioneered research that reflects a successful marriage of his unique creativity and superb grounding in the physical and mathematical sciences. From M.C. Escher to DNA knots to robots and medical applications, Seeman’s vision was broad while his craft was meticulous. Using DNA building blocks and self-assembly techniques inspired by sticky ends and branching ideas, he was inspired by Escher’s artworks that emphasized periodicity and multiple dimensions to create connected networks. From DNA cubes and truncated octahedrons, his crystallographic mastery and creativity led to DNA-based nanomechanical devices, with potential applications to technology and medicine. We welcome contributions from scientists working to advance nucleic-acid structure and function using experimental and computational approaches, as well as other biophysics contributions that celebrate creativity and innovation. To submit, visit https:/www.editorialmanager.com/biophysical-journal/

April 2022

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