Biophysical Society Bulletin | January 2021

Member Corner

Waldemar Kulig Department of Physics University of Helsinki Member: Publications Committee

Waldemar Kulig

Is this your first volunteer position for BPS? If not, what other positions have you held? Yes, this is my first volunteer position for BPS. Why do you volunteer? As a member of BPS, I felt that I should give back to the Society by being more involved. What has been a highlight from your volunteer experience?

I joined the Publications Committee in a very exciting moment, when the Society decided to launch a new open access journal and the Committee was tasked with brainstorming the details of this endeavor, including finding the Editor-in-Chief. It was very interesting experience, and I learnt a lot in a process. It also gave me an opportunity to affect the editorial policies of Society journals. Do you have advice for others who might be thinking about volunteering? You should do this ASAP! It is a great experience; you will learn a lot and meet many interesting people. When not volunteering for BPS, what do you work on? I try to understand molecular mechanisms of various biological processes using computer simulations. I am interested in key processes connected with biological membranes, such as cellular signaling and trafficking, the effect of the oxidative stress, protein-lipid interactions, and drug delivery.

Student Spotlight Natsuki Mizutani Osaka University

Department of Integrative Physiology What has been the most exciting experience of your studies in biophysics?

I started studying biophysics in the first year of my PhD program. As a young student, I dreamed that one day I would make a great discovery and contribute my work to the field. I began studying a unique membrane protein, voltage-sensing phosphatase (VSP). VSP comprises a voltage sensor domain capable of controlling enzyme activity. Surprisingly, despite its simple concept, no one has clearly elucidated the molecular mechanism. After a long period of working hard, I finally found the amino acid residues that play a critical role in the molecular mechanism of Ciona intestinalis VSP. This finding provides a clue for solving the unprecedented mechanism of VSP. In the beginning of 2020, I attended the BPS Annual Meeting in San Diego, where I got the opportunity to present my work internationally. I also participated in the poster competition and was awarded the Student Research Achievement Award (SRAA) for my work. In the future, I hope to discover a breakthrough in my research field, which will surely be the most exciting experience in my studies.

Natsuki Mizutani

Members in the News

Have you or a fellow BPS member recently received an award, recognition, a promotion, or tenure? If you have something that you would like to share, let us know! Email society@biophysics.org

January 2021

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