Biophysical Society Bulletin | December 2019

December 2019

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

Future of Biophysics BurroughsWellcome Fund SymposiumSpeakers

Nozoni Ando

Margaret Johnson

James Munro

Elton Zequiraj

The 2020 Future of Biophysics Burroughs Wellcome Fund Symposium will highlight the work of young researchers who are currently conducting cutting-edge research at the interface of the physical and life sciences. The speakers selected for the 2020 Symposium are Nozoni Ando , Cornell University; Margaret Johnson , Johns Hopkins University; James Munro , University of Massachusetts Medical School; and Elton Zequiraj , University of Leeds. The symposium, in its 11 th year, will be held on Monday, February 17, 2020, at the San Diego Convention Center, San Diego, California. Patricia Clark and William Kobertz , Program Co-Chairs for the 64th Annual Meeting, will co-chair the symposium.

Inside

Special Symposium at BPS2020 Scientific Societies and Grassroots Movements: What We All Can Do to Combat Sexual Harassment Sunday, February 16, 6:15 pm Join us for this critically important look at the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine report on sexual harassment and how scientific societies, including BPS, are taking responsibility and working to ensure safe, welcoming, inclusive environments for members and attendees. The symposium will cover the impact of sexual harassment in science, the role of climate and culture in preventing sexual ha- rassment, and what we can all do to prevent sexual harassment. In addition, BPS President David W. Piston will share what steps BPS is taking to address this issue and welcomes feedback from attendees.

2 4 6 8

President’s Message Biophysicist in Profile Public Affairs Publications Member Corner Student Spotlight Communities Annual Meeting Thematic Meeting Career Development Grants and Opportunities

10 10 10 11 12 15 16 18 20

Donations

Upcoming Events

Renew Your BPS Dues Don’t wait, renew your membership today to keep your member benefits through 2020. biophysics.org/ RENEW

President’s Message

Scientific Publishing: Past, Present, and Future Not so long ago, most papers

the APC or for an additional fee, as a carrot to attract papers. Now, some open access journals charge APCs of $5,000 or more, and with these payments, the journals no longer need to sell library subscriptions. This has contributed to growing stables of cascading journals (such as the Nature subtitles) that lead to expensive open access journals at the end of the line. In the past, outstanding papers that were not accept- ed by one of the top high-impact journals would usually be submitted to the appropriate society journal. Today, these papers often move down the chain of subsidiary journals with little effort required by the authors, and this contributes to decreased submissions to other journals. For many of us, achieving 100 percent open access is an ideal goal for scientific publishing, and the arguments in support of an open access model are many. Some scientists have been unapologetically pushing the transition to open access, but the rest of us have largely been complicit by chasing after the status of “high impact” journal articles. Regardless of how we feel about open access, however, the path towards 100 percent open access publishing has, directly or indirectly, at least three harmful side-effects for science and the scientific community. First, it has moved significant financial support for scientific publishing from an indirect cost (library subscriptions) to a direct cost (author-paid APCs) . For those of us who are funded by government agencies or disease-based philan- thropies, this means we must spend more of our research grant dollars for publications. Some deep-pocketed private foundations, such as the Wellcome Trust and Howard Hughes Medical Institute might provide additional funds for publi- cation, but in general, direct costs are a finite pool. The cost differences between the average open access journal and the traditional model means that for about every 100 open ac- cess papers, the additional publishing costs would fully fund a National Institutes of Health R01 grant. That might not sound like much, but in 2017, there were over 50,000 papers published in PLoS One , Scientific Reports , Nature Communica- tions , and Cell Reports altogether, which is the equivalent cost of approximately 500 research grants. Second, as detailed recently by James Zimring in Scientific American (https:/ blogs.scientificamerican.com/observa- tions/were-incentivizing-bad-science/), the economics of open access publishing provide a perverse incentive against rigorous manuscripts and peer review. Open access journals make money based on the number of published articles, rather than the number of journal copies sold. In contrast to traditional publishing models where revenue depends

were published in scientific society owned journals, and only for their most important discoveries did scientists send a short version to one of the weekly magazines. Even then, the full paper with all the data and details was generally published

David. W. Piston

soon afterwards in a traditional journal. The entire enterprise was financed in large part by library subscriptions, with only minimal page charges for authors. Access to papers meant heading to a library to find journal issues on the shelves. This was not ideal, but academic libraries allowed public access and provided copies through interlibrary requests from ac- ademics and the general public as well. This system served the needs of the scientific community for many years, but the advent of the Internet offered a brave new world. With online access and the digitization of journal archives, we no longer had to make trips to the library to read articles or make copies, and we could get papers of interest anytime and any- where we wanted. Libraries wondered why they were paying for subscriptions if no one was reading the print journals, and many institutions found a way to save money by cutting print journals, sometimes not replacing print with institutional on- line access. In the many discussions I have had with colleagues about sci- entific publishing, there seems to be an underlying assump- tion that the costs of running an online journal are minimal. It is true that authors are not compensated for their manu- scripts, and editorial boards and peer reviewers of scientific journals are largely volunteers as well (at Biophysical Journal , there are modest stipends for the Editor-in-Chief and Associ- ate Editors). However, there are still significant costs required in scientific publishing, from managing a secure submission and review site to copy editing and typesetting the final man- uscript to providing archived access to papers and supple- mentary material. The actual cost varies with investment in editorial and presentation efforts, but appears to be at least $2,500 per paper, and likely much more for papers with dy- namic content such as videos and animated figures. Compare this to the average author page charges at Biophysical Journal , which are less than $1,000, a lower direct cost to authors that is supported by a large base of library subscriptions. As the number of library subscribers decreases, journals can balance their budgets by raising fees to authors, typically in the form of an article processing charges (APCs). At the same time, many journals offered open access, either included in

December 2019

2

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

President’s Message

Officers President

David W. Piston President-Elect Catherine Royer Past-President Angela Gronenborn Secretary Erin Sheets Treasurer Kalina Hristova Council Zev Bryant Linda Columbus Michelle A. Digman Marta Filizola Teresa Giraldez Ruben Gonzalez, Jr. Joseph A. Mindell Anna Moroni Marina Ramirez-Alvarado Jennifer Ross David Stokes Pernilla Wittung-Stafeshede Biophysical Journal Jane Dyson Editor-in-Chief The Biophysicist Sam Safran Editor-in-Chief

on subscription sales, open access journals generate more revenue by publishing more articles. Library committees evaluating new and renewing subscriptions placed a high value on the long-term reputation of a journal that depended on publishing only the most rigor- ous science. In my experience, academic and professional scientific editors do their best to ensure rigorous peer review, but it is difficult to push continually against business incentives. Failure to maintain the highest standards opens a pathway down a slippery slope that would be difficult to undo. Third, an indirect effect of these changes has been to move much of the arbitration of pub- lishable research from professional scientists (editors of society based journals) to pro- fessional editors (journal house staff). After completing their scientific training, profession- al editorial staff members have focused on publishing rather than discovery, and thus they do not have the depth of experience found with academic editors. Of course, professional ed- itors become broadly knowledgeable and can bring advantages, especially in terms of bridg- ing between authors and reviewers. However, these editors are under pressure to choose papers that will be highly cited in the near-

term (and improve their journal’s Impact Factor that depends only on citations during the first two years following the year of publication), rather than the most impactful work for the long-term growth and health of the field. We are well down the road towards maxi- mizing open access science. As we continue, though, we need to keep in mind and advo- cate for the traditional strengths of our peer reviewed publication system: institutional support for publishing, editorial decisions made by practicing scientists, and placing scientific rigor over financial exigencies. Failure to do so might lead to short-term flash at the expense of long-term damage to scientific research. Together, our Society of diverse and creative thinkers will always achieve a better solution than any single person. The issues facing us that I have written about this year can only be addressed effectively by all of us thinking and working together. Personally and on behalf of the Society, I welcome your thoughts, criti- cisms, and questions. — David W. Piston

Society Office Jennifer Pesanelli Executive Officer Newsletter Executive Editor Jennifer Pesanelli Managing Editor Beth Staehle

Your Invited!

Production Catie Curry Ray Wolfe Proofreader/Copy Editor Laura Phelan 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. Cana- dian GST No. 898477062. Postmaster: Send address changes to Biophysical Society, 5515 Security Lane, Suite 1110, Rockville, MD 20852. Copyright © 2019 by the Biophysical Society. Printed in the United States of America. All rights reserved.

Town Hall for Community Input on the National Academies Decadal Survey of Biological Physics Sunday, February 16, 1:00 pm –2:30 pm The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine will host a conversation about the current state of biophysics, future research direction, and workforce and education needs. All members of the BPS community are welcome and participation is encouraged.

Give the Gift of Membership

Room 31ABC San Diego Convention Center

To give the gift of BPS membership, visit www.biophysics.org/giftmembership

December 2019

3

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

Biophysicist in Profile

PernillaWittung-Stafshede Areas of Research

Institution Chalmers University

Protein folding and misfolding, in vitro and in vivo; copper-transport mechanisms in human cells

At-a-Glance

Pernilla Wittung-Stafshede is a professor doing biophysics at Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden. She did her doctoral work in Sweden and postdoctoral work in the United States, where she remained for 12 years as faculty before returning to Sweden for a professorship in the north- ern city of Umeå. In 2019 she began leading the world’s largest university initiative on gender equality.

Pernilla Wittung Stafshede

Pernilla Wittung-Stafshede was born in 1968 in the Swedish town of Umeå. Her father was a PhD student at the newly established university and her mother worked for the postal service. After her father concluded his thesis work for a PhD in inorganic chemistry, he accepted a position at a welding company and moved the family to Gothenburg. During her early school years, Wittung-Stafshede was a shy child with a talent for math. In high school, her math and physics teacher challenged the class with university level problems. Most students were upset, but this sparked an interest for her in pursuing the subjects in higher education. Before entering university, she spent a year in California working as an au pair. During this period, she gained new skills and insight: she learned English and realized that changing diapers was only fun for a brief period of time. Back in Sweden, she began her undergraduate studies in chemical engineering at Chalmers University of Technology. This was the only program with female students but, she says, she enrolled because she did not have good enough grades to get into the physics program. Early on, she realized that she did not want to become a chemical engineer; she was more inclined toward basic science. In her last year, she was an ex- change student at Imperial College in London, where she truly learned what it was like to do research — and she loved it. She returned to Sweden with her combined bachelors and masters degree and started her PhD studies in physical chemistry at Chalmers with Bengt Norden working on DNA analogs and recombination. Norden believed in giving his trainees autonomy, which was good for Wittung-Stafshede, as it allowed her to pursue her ideas and ambitions. She re- members her PhD years as a wonderful time when she came in to the lab every day and focused solely on experiments — her mom worried that she never did anything else. After four years, in December 1996, she finished her PhD degree.

In January 1997, she married Patric , who was her classmate in the undergraduate program, and in February of that year she moved to California for her postdoc at California Institute of Technology (Caltech) in the lab of Harry Gray . At that time, it was a quest to find out how fast proteins could fold and she used laser-triggering methods to find a small protein that folded in only a few microseconds. During her postdoc, she lightheartedly applied for faculty po- sitions in the United States, not really expecting to make the move. When she received calls for interviews, however, she took the idea seriously and accepted a faculty position in the Chemistry Department at Tulane University in New Orleans in 1999. She was the first female faculty member in the de- partment. In less than three years, at the same time her first daughter was born, she sent in her tenure package.

Wittung-Stafshede with her sisters, daughters, nieces, and nephew

December 2019

4

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

Biophysicist in Profile

Wittung-Stafshede with her lab.

In 2004, Wittung-Stafshede was recruited to Rice University in Houston. After five years there, and having had another daughter, the family decided to move back to Sweden. The couple wanted to raise their children in Sweden, where all of their relatives were located. She got a professorship in the Chemistry Department at Umeå University and she spent seven years there until Chalmers University recruited her to serve as division head in a newly formed department in 2015. She started her independent career working on protein folding, with emphasis on the role of metals in the folding of metalloproteins as she had found that metal cofactors could interact with unfolded polypeptides. Over the years her research has developed in various directions. For example, she was one of the pioneers addressing how the jammed cell environment (macromolecular crowding) affects protein biophysics. Also, partly because of feedback from the National Institutes of Health, she began to study biophysics of human copper transport proteins to figure out how the metal ions reach target proteins in cells. Back in Sweden, she brought her own unique approach to studies of misfolding and amyloid formation. Today, her research concerns biophysical aspects of both amyloid reactions and copper transport, and for the latter, its link to cancer. She says that the biological relevance of her research becomes more important the older she gets. Wittung-Stafshede has always been involved in many things apart from her own research. Due to her experience with American culture, she is more outspoken than most Swedish

faculty. She enjoys writing papers and she has a long publica- tion list. She also enjoys speaking to the public and acting as a mentor for younger colleagues and students. She notes that graduating PhD students may be the most rewarding task; “this way we make new scientists that in turn can do more research,” she says. Pernilla was selected as a prestigious Wallenberg Scholar in 2010 and in 2016, she was elected to the Royal Swedish Academy of the Sciences. Through the years, she realized how much gender inequality exists in academia in Sweden. She felt a responsibility to speak up to help improve the opportunities for future generations of females. She recently wrote a proposal for a large initiative on gender equality, Gender Initiative for Excellence (Genie), that her university funded. It is the world’s largest academic initiative on gender equality in terms of funding and started in 2019. Pernilla will be leading this initiative for the first few years of the 10-year program. Wittung-Stafshede’s career may look straightforward but she has managed health and personal challenges along the way. Although she hides it well, she still feels insecure about her own abilities. “Academia is a continuous fight to prove yourself,” she says. Even so, she would not want to change anything about her career. She enjoys every day. Her advice to young women is to “do what you love, then you will work hard because it is fun. Academia needs more women and women’s perspectives and there are so many scientific challenges that must be solved in new and creative ways.”

December 2019

5

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

Public Affairs

Biomedical Expansion Act of 2019 Introduced In October, Representatives Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ), Mike Levin (D-CA), and Abigail Spanberger (D-VA) introduced the Biomedical Innovation Expansion Act of 2019 (HR 4667). The bill would invest $10 billion through 2030 in the National Institutes of Health (NIH), including support for research on antibiotic resistance, rare diseases, and activities that are part of the NIH Innovation Fund created by the 21 st Century Cures Act.

President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology Announced President Donald Trump signed an executive order on October 22, 2019, establishing the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) after more than two-and-a- half years into his administration. The PCAST, first established in 2001, is a presidential advisory council composed of science and technology leaders from the private sector and academic communities who advise the President on science, technology, and innovation topics critical to the country’s security and economy, as well as public health and welfare. The council will be chaired by Kelvin K. Droegemeier , Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, with Edward McGinnis , Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Department of Energy’s Office of Nuclear Energy, serving as the PCAST Executive Director. In addition to the Chair, PCAST will eventually include 16 members. The first group of seven includes six industry officials and one representative from academia; additional representatives from academia will be named “in the near future.” The academic representative on the panel is Birgitta Whaley , Director of the Quantum Information & Computa- tion Center at the University of California, Berkeley. Panel members selected from industry include Catherine Bessant , Chief Technology Officer for Bank of America; H. Fisk Johnson , Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, S.C. Johnson & Son, Inc.; Dario Gil , Director of Research at IBM; Sharon Hrynkow , Senior Vice President for Medical Affairs at Cyclo Therapeutics; A.N. Sreeram , Vice President and Chief Technology Officer for Dow Chemical; and Shane Wall , Chief Technology Officer and Global Head of HP Labs, HP Inc.

Scientific Integrity Bill Advances in House

The House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology voted 25–6 to advance the Scientific Integrity Act to the House floor on October 17, 2019. The legislation (HR 1709), which was approved by the panel with bipartisan support, would require federal agencies that fund, conduct, or oversee scientific research to adopt and enforce clear scientific integrity policies. The bill would prohibit the government from suppressing agency scientific research and intimidating or coercing individuals to alter or censor scientific findings. While the bill did not have any Republican cosponsors origi- nally, it won bipartisan approval after an amendment deleted provisions that would have allowed government scientists to respond to media interview requests without getting prior agency approval. The amendment allows agencies and administrations to determine their own media policies. The legislation, which currently has 229 cosponsors, must now pass the full House as well as the Senate, where companion legislation has been introduced by Senator Brian Schatz (D-HI). Republican support for the bill in the House is expected to improve its prospects in the Senate. Connect with BPS

December 2019

6

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

Public Affairs

Around theWorld Scientists in Ukraine Lead Fight for Scientific Integrity

Brexit Uncertainty Takes Toll on Research

The Ministry of Education and Science in Ukraine is intro- ducing a new system that will create more control over universities’ ethics and potentially remove their right to award degrees. Under the new rules, the National Agency for Higher Education Quality Assurance will grant universi- ties the right to award degrees, which also means that the agency has the right to revoke this privilege. In theory, this could prohibit a university from graduating students if the school doesn’t adhere to the agency’s standards, such as in cases of plagiarism or other types of cheating. The Ministry of Education and Science also states that new reforms to change universities and science are underway in regards to funding. The agency is introducing a system in which the funding of universities and science is related to performance in areas such as the number of citations, the number of grants and investments, cooperation with businesses, and the international ranking of universities. Furthermore, the ministry wants to change the way scien- tists and professors are paid at universities because they acknowledge that professors are paid too little.

The impact of Brexit uncertainty has started yielding tan- gible data on the impact to UK research. According to an analysis by the Royal Society, Britain’s annual share of EU research funding has fallen by nearly a third since 2015. The analysis also shows a 35 percent drop in scientists going to the United Kingdom via EU initiatives. In addition, the number of academics from EU countries leaving the United Kingdom for other university jobs increased by almost half. The President of the Royal Society estimates that UK sci- ence has missed out on approximately £440 million per year due to the uncertainty.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has pledged his desire to maintain close links with EU science programs after Brexit through negotiations with the EU. In addition to the new fast-track visa system to attract leading scientists to work in the UK announced in September, the Department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy, which manag- es the science budget, said they are firmly committed to increasing research and development investment to at least 2.4 percent of gross domestic product by 2027. Apply to be the 2019-2020 BPS Congressional Fellow! Are you interested in working on Capitol Hill and learning more about science policy? All members who have obtained their PhD and are eligible to work in the United States may apply. Application deadline: December 20, 2019 Visit www.biophysics.org for additional information.

Use Your Expertise to Make a Difference!

Be an inspiration to your community and help change the lives of those interested in or studying science. The FaB Network is free and accessible by members and nonmembers, but only BPS members may add their names to FaB. The network is designed to provide the best match to users searching for a biophysicist for any of the aforementioned activities. To join FaB, login or create your myBPS account and get involved. Help build this new network by signing up today. For more information, visit biophysics.org/get-involved.

December 2019

7

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

Publications

Know the Editor Sudha Chakrapani

Congratulations to the winners of the Biophysical Journal Poster Competition.

Case Western Reserve University Editor, Channels and Transporters

Sudha Chakrapani

What are you currently working on that excites you? I have a long-standing interest in molecular mechanisms that underlie ion-transport phenomenon across cellular mem- branes. My lab is focused on ion channels that mediate fast synaptic transmission at the neuronal and neuromuscular junction, namely, ligand- and voltage-gated ion channels. We are working toward understanding the molecular details of how these channels function and how they are modulated by membrane lipids, neurosteroids, and exogenous ligands, such as alcohols and anesthetics. Due to their highly dynamic nature and finicky functional requirements, eukaryotic mem- brane proteins have been a challenging system to study using structural and biophysical approaches. We are very excited about the recent technological advances allowing us to pur- sue some of the lingering mysteries in the field of pentameric ligand-gated ion channels (pLGIC). We use a combination of cutting-edge multidisciplinary tools including cryo-elec- tron microscopy (cryo-EM), pulsed-EPR spectroscopy, and electrophysiology. We recently solved the cryo-EM structure of the full-length 5-HT3AR, a cationic pLGIC, in its resting conformation and determined the structures of 5-HT3AR in serotonin-bound states. Together, these structures revealed the gating conformational states along the activation path- way. Ion channels seldom work alone; we are now looking into how the microenvironment of the channel in a cell alters its functional behavior. How do you stay on top of all the latest developments in your field? In the exciting scientific times that we are in, with the explo- sion of information, I am finding this harder to do. I am always looking for creative ways to keep up. I find reviewing for journals and study sections a really great way to stay on top of the latest developments. I learn a lot at focused thematic meetings such as the Gordon Research Conferences, and the Biophysical Society Annual Meeting is something I have never missed since I started graduate school. I rely on my trainees, who also happen to be much more social media savvy than I am, to keep me updated.

We are pleased to announce the winners of the Biophysical Journal Poster Competition held at the BPS Thematic Meeting “Biology and Physics Confront Cell-Cell Adhesion” in Aussois. The winners received a certificate and a monetary award. Student Winners: Kristian Blom, Max Planck Institute Cellular Adhesion Dynamics Under an External Force Valentin Dunsing, University of Potsdam Direct Quantification of Protein Interactions and Dynamics at Cell- Cell Adhesion Sites via Fluorescence Fluctuation Spectroscopy Chaoyu Fu, Mechanobiology Institute Ligand-Dependent EGFR Activity Promotes Dynamic Junction Remodeling Postdoc Winner: Hiroko Katsuno-Kambe, University of Queensland Relationship between Epithelial Tube Formation and Mechanical Forces in Three-Dimensional ECM For a list of all 2019 poster winners, visit https:/marlin-prod. literatumonline.com/pb-assets/journals/society/biophysj/ poster-winners.pdf Biophysical Journal Poster Contest award winners: from left, Blom, Dunsing, Fu, and Katsano-Kanbe

See Page 14 for Publications Related Events at #BPS20

December 2019

8

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

Publications

New eBook fromBPS! The ebook Biophysical and Chemical Properties of Collagen: Biomedical Applications has just been published as part of the BPS-IOP Series in Biophysics. The book, by John Ramshaw and Veronica Glattauer , provides an introduction to the biophysics and chemistry of colla- gen and its use as a biomedical material in the rapidly changing fields of biomedical device production, tissue engineering, and regenerative medicine. Written by experts in the field, this text will be of interest for researchers as well as lectur- ers and students. The authors provide the reader with entry points to the broader literature, and to more recent papers, so that they can follow up and gain more detailed information on areas of particular interest. For more information about the book and the author, and to see the Table of Contents, visit: https:/ iopscience.iop.org/bookListInfo/iop-series-in-biophysical-society#series and click on the book title.

BPS-IOP eBooks are available through academic and corporate research institutions, where subscribers are able to download an electronic version of the book as part of their subscription. This model is great for students as the book collections come complete with perpetual access, are free of digital rights manage- ment, and there is no concurrent user limit, meaning researchers can access the content on whatever device they like, 24 hours a day! They are also available to purchase in both electronic and print on Amazon and other online retailers. If your institution does not have a subscription, complete the recommendation form at https:/ iopscience.iop.org/page/book-recommendation The Biophysicist NOWACCEPTING SUBMISSIONS The Biophysicist is a peer-reviewed journal dedicated to highlighting and nurturing biophysics education, and its scholarship and development. This new, open access journal is accepting original manuscripts from the international science community and invites submissions from scientists and educators in biophysics and related disciplines. The articles focus on fundamental concepts and techniques used in biophysics education, as well as evidence-based pedagogical practice, accessible to individu- als at all levels. This journal serves undergraduate, graduate and post-graduate students and trainees, active researchers, and scholars of bio- physics teaching and learning. Public outreach and K-12 education are also within the purview of this publication. Accepted articles will be published at no charge if submitted prior to January 1, 2020. Research Articles are invited in the following categories: • Novel Learning and Teaching Approaches Reports are invited in the following areas: • Biophysics and Related Disciplines • Biophysics in Society

• Laboratory and Computational Teaching Tools • Research-based Studies of Student Learning • Biophysics Learning Perspectives • Adapted Research Articles

• Student Forum • Book Reviews

For additional information about these article types, Instructions to Authors, and to submit, visit www.thebiophysicist.org.

December 2019

9

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

Member Corner

Members in the News

Valerie Booth , Memorial University, and Society member since 2003, received the 2019 President’s Award for Outstanding Graduate and Postgraduate Supervision from Memorial University. Charles L. Brooks III , University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and Society member since 2007, received the American Chemical Society’s Award for Computers in Chemi- cal & Pharmaceutical Research

David Eisner , University of Manchester, and Society member since 1993, was named the Editor-in-Chief of Journal of General Physiology .

Valerie Booth

David Eisner

Donald Hilvert , Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH), Zurich, and Society member since 2013, received the American Chemical Society’s Ronald Breslow Award for Biomimetic Chemistry.

Charles L. Brooks III

Donald Hilvert

Markus Deserno , Carnegie Mellon University, and Society member since 2007, was named a Fellow of the American Physiological Society.

Simon Scheuring , Weill Cornell Medical School, and Society member since 2007, was awarded an NIH Director’s Pioneer Award.

Markus Deserno

Simon Scheuring

Student Spotlight

Sindhuja Gowrisankaran

European Neuroscience Institute Department of Neuroscience

As you move forward in science, what type of research do you see yourself doing? Why? I am interested in the cell biology of a neuron and would like to understand how various cellular organelles and their interactions with one another within a neuron affect their function. I am most fascinated by imaging and hope we will learn much more about the cell, its organization and function, with the help of upcoming technol- ogy and multidisciplinary research approaches. I see myself searching for ways to understand the synergistic influence of the various organelles on neuronal activity and its impact on brain function.

Sindhuja Gowrisankaran

Grants & Opportunities James Corones Award in Leadership, Community Building, and Communication This award was established to recognize the impact of mid-career scientists and engineers in their chosen fields. The recipient will be someone who encourages and mentors young people to be active in the science community, to communicate their work effectively, and to make a difference in their scientific area. Deadline: December 31, 2019 Website: https:/www.krellinst.org/ about-krell/corones-award

Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) 2021 Investigator Competition

HHMI seeks creative and innovative scientists to join its Investigator Program. Through this competition, HHMI will expand its community of basic researchers and physician scientists across the nation who catalyze discovery research in basic and biomedical sciences, plant biology, evolutionary biology, biophysics, chemical biology, biomedical engineering, and computational biology. Deadline: March 18, 2020

Website: https:/www.hhmi.org/programs/ biomedical-research/investigator-program

December 2019

10

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

Communities

Exploring Biology and Embracing Diversity at SACNAS The Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Na- tive Americans in Science (SACNAS) organizes a national con- ference held yearly in the United States to celebrate diversity and inclusion in science. SACNAS is also an invaluable venue to foster networking among young scholars of underrepre- sented ethnicity and gender. In addition, young attendees of SACNAS learn about different graduate schools as well as industrial, postdoctoral, and academic job opportunities. This year SACNAS took place at the Hawai’i Convention Center in Honolulu, from October 31 to November 2. On Thursday, October 31, a scientific session sponsored by the Biophysical Society and organized by Silvia Cavagnero highlighted important biological questions that can be answered with powerful tools including “big magnets, radio waves, and lasers.” The audience as well as the speakers were highly diverse and included a variety of genders, rac- es, and career stages. A brief general introduction explained the meaning of the word “biophysics,” a field that employs cross-disciplinary quantitative approaches to address com- pelling biological questions. The introduction also explained that the Biophysical Society, a worldwide institution devoted to bringing together biophysicists, serves as a catalyst for the dissemination of new ideas and tools in biology. Kwaku Dayie , an Associate Professor of Chemistry at the University of Maryland at College Park, then took the stage and underscored the compelling need to learn more about RNA structure and dynamics. Kwaku showed how powerful magnets and radio waves get us closer to understating fun- damental aspects of RNA conformation. Progress in this area, in turn, fosters more rational approaches to the design of novel drugs targeting RNA. Cavagnero, a Professor of Chem- istry at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, gave the next

lecture, explaining how the low sensitivity of nuclear magnet- ic resonance can be overcome by low-concentration dynamic nuclear polarization, or LC-photo-CIDNP, which employs la- sers or LEDs, superconducting magnets, and radio waves. The following lecture was by Ann McDermott , Professor of Chemis- try at Columbia University, who explained the role of hete- ro-amyloids in necroptosis, a programmed form of inflamma- tory cell death. She also highlighted the power of solid state NMR, which led her and her group to determine the structure of hetero-amyloids formed by the RIPK1 and RIPK3 proteins. The last presentation was by Dave Jameson , Professor at the University of Hawai’i at Manoa, who explained how laser light in the visible region may induce fluorescence emission. Dave captured the attention of the audience with a beautiful historical introduction to fluorescence spectroscopy and with a variety of demonstrations highlighting the visual appeal of fluorophores as well as the fact that many everyday liquids (e.g., tonic water), display intrinsic fluorescent properties. In all, the SACNAS scientific session focusing on powerful lasers, radio waves, and magnets celebrated the amaz- ing power of biophysics. The event reminded all of us how biophysics helps disclosing the secrets of nature as well as bringing people together in joyful collaborations regardless of ethnicity, social status, gender, and career stage. Speakers of SACNAS scientific session on “Exploring Biological Systems with Big Mag- nets, Radio Waves and Lasers”. From left to right: Ann McDermott, Kwaku Dayie, David Jameson and Silvia Cavagnero.

The Biophysical Society is grateful to its 2019 Industry Partners.

GOLD

SILVER

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

December 2019

11

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

Annual Meeting

Abstracts Programmed Following the regular abstract submission deadline, members of the Program Com- mittee and Council reviewed and sorted submitted abstracts, which were pro- grammed into 20 symposia, 4 workshops, 64 platforms, and 122 poster sessions. Nearly 700 posters will be presented each day of the meeting.

Late Abstracts Deadline Deadline: January 8 Missed the early abstract submission dead- line? There is still time to submit an ab- stract to present your research. All late ab- stracts will be posted online in a searchable format through the online desktop planner and the meeting app. Late abstracts will be programmed each day of the meeting and grouped by topic to correspond with the presentation of abstracts submitted by the October 1 deadline.

Thank you to our sponsors: Beckman Coulter Life Sciences Bruker Corporation Burroughs Wellcome Fund Carl Zeiss Microscopy LLC Chroma Technology Dynamic Biosensors GmbH ELEMENTS SRL HORIBA Scientific Leica Microsystems LUMICKS Nanion Technologies Olympus America Inc Photonics Media Physics Today Sophion Bioscience A/S Sutter Instrument The Company of Biologists Wyatt Technology Mad City Labs Mizar Imaging Molecular Devices

Calling All Bloggers! Deadline to apply: January 15 Add Your Perspective on the Meeting Interested in sharing your experiences at the Annual Meeting? BPS is looking for a

The Society would like to thank the Pro- gram Committee, Council, and the many other Society members who participate in the planning, reviewing, sorting, and pro- gramming each year. Their work ensures that the final program reflects the breadth of research areas in biophysics with as few programming conflicts as possible, given the volume and richness of the scientif- ic program. The 2020 Annual Meeting Program Committee members are Patricia Clark , William Kobertz , Teresa Giraldez , Ruben Gonzalez , Susan Marqusee , Andrej Sali , and Joanna Swain . Society members Patricia Bassereau , Karen Fleming , and Joe Mindell also assisted with the programming this year. Left to Right: Patricia Bassereau, William Kobertz, Teresa Giraldez, Joseph Mindell, and Karen Fleming finalized the programming of symposia and platform sessions for the 2020 San Diego meeting.

diverse group of five to ten bloggers to share their personal experiences at the meeting with the Society’s 3,500-plus blog readers. Blog posts could focus on meeting tips, can’t miss events, the best local eater- ies, how you are navigating the meeting, or what you have learned. Review posts from the 2019 meeting at www.biophysics.org/ blog/category/annual-meeting-2019. To learn more and submit your application, visit www.surveymonkey.com/r/ 2020bloggers. Student Volunteers The Biophysical Society invites undergrad- uate and graduate students to volunteer time at the Annual Meeting in exchange for complimentary meeting registration. Volunteers must be Society members with

—Madhura De, German Cancer Research Center posters) and at the end of the day was quite amazed to find howmuchmore I got to know, and howmany poten- tial collaborations I could initiate or take part in! The best thing about the science pre- sented in this conference is that a fine balance is achieved between show casing varied biophysical techniques and addressing questions of biolog- ical importance. I shuttled between these two types of sessions (and

December 2019

12

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

Annual Meeting

The Nuts and Bolts of Preparing Your NSF Grant Monday, February 17, 12:30 pm –2:00 pm

registration fully paid and must be willing to volunteer six hours during the meeting. To apply, please send an email to meetings@biophysics.org by December 19, 2019, with the following information: full name, cell phone number, and complete list of dates and times available. Those selected will have their registration refunded after the meeting. Public Affairs Sessions Science CommunicationsWorkshop Saturday, February 15, 2:00 pm –4:00 pm Science communication plays an increasingly important role in society. Communication skills are critical in educating the public on the importance of research and are important career advancement skills. Being able to successfully communicate the role and value that research in biophysics has on health, energy, technology, and science. We will be joined by advocacy and communications specialist Amy Showalter for a two-hour, interactive communications workshop. Science and Research in the Global Political Landscape: The United States and China Sunday, February 16, 2:30 pm –4:00 pm Science has always thrived on collaborations. Indeed, many significant scientific advances have resulted from collabora- tive efforts. China’s recent increased investment in science and technology has been accompanied by increasing numbers of international scientific collaborations involving scientists at Chinese institutions, the largest share being with scientists in the United States The high level of scientific collaboration has coincided with trade disputes and concerns about intellectual property theft. The US Congress has begun to actively pursue legislation to protect the products of US research efforts from foreign governments. At the same time, the US agencies oversee- ing federal research grants have initiated investigations into grantees with undisclosed collaborative agreements with foreign governments amidst allegations of “double dipping.” As tensions continue to rise between the two countries, what are the long-term repercussions for scientific research — an endeavor that has always thrived on collaborative efforts and global perspectives?

The National Science Foundation’s Biological Sciences Direc- torate strongly supports biophysics researchers through its Division of Molecular and Cellular Biosciences. The division awarded over $160 million in funding to researchers in 41 states. At this session, program directors and officers with expertise in biophysics will be providing details on the 2020 NSF grant-making process, with a particular emphasis on grant writing and submission for new and early career inves- tigators. Understanding the Congressional Budget Process: How Science is Funded Monday, February 17, 1:00 pm –2:30 pm The United States Congress and the Administration contin- ue to parry over budget negotiation. While Congress raised discretionary spending caps in 2018, that deal is set to expire this fall. While Congress pushes for another two-year deal on spending, the White House is looking to maintain a posi- tion of power through temporary funding extensions. How will the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, and other science-related agencies do under the next budget deal? Will Congress even pass a new bud- get deal? Which agencies fund scientific research and how does Congress negotiate their funding levels? Join our panel of government and industry insiders as we explore how the congressional budget is developed, historical trends in science funding, and what the future may hold! The Nuts and Bolts of Preparing Your NIH Grant Tuesday, February 18, 1:30 pm –3:00 pm The National Institutes of Health is the world’s largest funder of fundamental biomedical research. You have likely spent years training and are now ready to apply for an NIH grant. But where do you start? At this session, program directors and officers with exper- tise in biophysics will be providing details on the 2020 NIH grant-making process, with a particular emphasis on grant writing and submission for new and early career investiga- tors.

biophysics.org/ 2020meeting

December 2019

13

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

Annual Meeting

Publications Sessions How to Get Your Scientific Paper Published Monday, February 17, 2:15 pm –3:45 pm

Meet the Editors Take a few minutes while you’re at the Annual Meeting to stop by the BPS Booth located in Lobby G of the convention center to meet the editors of your Society journals. Editors are happy to talk with other biophysicists about their research, publishing opportunities, the importance of Society journals, and why BPS journals might be a good fit for your work. Come by for a cup of coffee and engaging conversation. The Biophysicist Meet Editor-in-Chief Sam Safran and members of the Editorial Board. Monday, February 17, 10:15 am –11:00 am

This panel discussion, sponsored by the Publications Commit- tee, will focus on the practical issues involved in publishing a scientific paper. Panelists include Biophysical Journal editors and Publications Committee members who have extensive experience in writing, reviewing, and editing papers. They will provide general information on the dos and don’ts of submitting research manuscripts. For authors, topics encompass writing for your audience (and identifying the appropriate journal), writing the cover letter, managing reviews, and suggestions for responding to critiques and even rejection of a paper. For reviewers, topics include how to write a useful critique. Attendees are encouraged to pose questions and raise topics for discussion. Moderator: Kathleen Hall Panelists: Jason Kahn : Selecting the Right Journal for Your Paper Vasanthi Jayaraman : The Path of a Manuscript

Biophysical Journal Meet Editor-in-Chief Jane Dyson and members of the Editorial Board. Monday, February 17, 1:45 pm –3:00 pm

eBooks Stop by booth 316 to meet Commissioning Editor for the BPS- IOP ebooks series Jessica Fricchione to learn more about our ebook program or to discuss your idea for a book. Sunday, February 16–Tuesday, February 18, 1:45 pm –3:00 pm

Will Hancock : How to Craft a Narrative Carlos Baiz : Design of Effective Figures

2020 Biophysical Society Thematic Meetings

Physical and Quantitative Approaches to Overcome Antibiotic Resistance Stockholm, Sweden | August 30–September 2, 2020 Antibiotic resistance is a pressing global challenge to human health, and biophysics and bioengineering have much to offer to the global response to this challenge. This meeting will help bring together scientists working to diagnose, understand, and overcome antibiotic resistance. Engineering approaches and the biophysical methodologies of spectroscopy, single molecule and single cell microscopy, computational modeling, and development of functional assays are uniquely suited to help answer these questions. This meeting seeks to explore the interface between biophysical research and the microbiology of drug resis- tance, highlighting the breadth of work that spans these two fields and encouraging new synergies to tackle this global health problem.

Abstract Submission Deadline: May 1, 2020 Registration Deadline: May 20, 2020

Organizing Committee: Peter Kasson , University of Virginia, USA Joanna Slusky , University of Kansas, USA Georgios Sotiriou , Karolinska Institute, Sweden

www.biophysics.org/ 2020Stockholm

December 2019

14

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