Biophysical Society Bulletin | February 2024

In Memoriam

Frederick Sachs Frederick Sachs (1941–2023), SUNY Distinguished Professor in the Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sci ences, passed away on December 27. Fred was a long-time member of the Biophysical Society and recipient of the prestigious Ken neth S. Cole Award in 2013 for his significant contributions to the

a drug to inhibit these channels. In 2001, he led a research team that identified a peptide in Chilean rose tarantula venom that suppresses mechanical senses in cells. He also conduct ed the first voltage clamp studies of isolated adult heart cells and was responsible for the first single-channel recording from tissue-cultured cells. Fred developed novel biophysical concepts through the innovative use of quantitative elec trophysiology; bright field, fluorescence, internal reflection, atomic force, and electron microscopy; auditory biophysics; mathematical modeling, programming, instrument, and soft ware design; and silicon microfabrication. In addition to receiving the Cole Award, Fred received multiple other honors throughout his career and was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2011. Aside from his scientific pursuits, he enjoyed kayaking, playing the banjo, and creating art using welded steel.

Frederick Sachs

understanding of cell membrane biophysics. Fred was a renowned biophysicist whose interests centered around mechanical and electrical biophysics. He discovered mechanosensitive ion channels, which form the basis of the senses of hearing, touch, and balance, in 1983 and created

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February 2024

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