Biophysical Society Bulletin | January 2023

January 2023

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

2024 Society Awards The Biophysical Society is accepting nominations for its 2024 awards, now through May 1, 2023. For the first time, BPS Society Awards are open to self-nominations. We particularly encourage nominations of diverse researchers, including international members and those from underrepresented groups. Awards to be bestowed in this cycle include: The Anatrace Membrane Protein Award , which recognizes an outstanding investigator who has made a significant contribution to the field of membrane protein research;

The Avanti Award in Lipids , given to an investigator for outstanding contributions to our understanding of lipid biophysics; The Michael and Kate Bárány Award for young investigators, which recognizes an outstanding contribution to biophysics by a person who has not achieved the rank of full professor at the time of nomination; The BPS Award in the Biophysics of Health and Disease , honoring a significant contribution to understanding the fundamental cause or pathogenesis of disease, or to enabling the treatment or prevention of a disease; The Carolyn Cohen Innovation Award , recognizing a BPS member who advances our fundamental understanding of biological systems through the development of novel theory, models, concepts, techniques, or applications; Continued on Page 3 2023 New and Notable SymposiumSpeakers Announced Notable Symposiumwill feature exciting new discoveries across a wide range of biophysical research, including cryo-EM analysis of activated cold-sensing channels, membrane shaping by integral membrane proteins, and electrically conductive protein nanowires. Baron Chanda and Janice Robertson , ProgramChairs for the 67th Annual Meeting ProgramCommittee, will co-chair the Symposium. Irene Chen , University of California, Los Angeles, USA, Membrane Vesicles as Shepherds of the RNAWorld Seok-Yong Lee , Duke University, USA, Activation Mechanism of the Cold-Sensing TRPM8 Channel by Cooling Agents and PIP2 Raya Sorkin , Tel Aviv University, Israel, Membrane Shaping and Remodeling by Tetraspanin Proteins Nikhil Malvankar , Yale University, USA, How Can Bacteria Breathe Without Oxygen or Soluble Electron Acceptors? Protein Nanowires: Structures, Functions, and Electron Transfer Mechanisms Irene Chen Nikhil Malvankar Seok-Yong Lee Raya Sorkin The Annual Meeting ProgramChairs were challenged inmaking the selections this year from among the very large number of outstanding nominations submitted by Society members. The speakers will present their work on Sunday, February 19, 4:00–6:00 PM, USA Pacific Standard Time. The New and

Inside President’s Message Biophysicist in Profile

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Communities Annual Meeting

Member Corner

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Grants & Opportunities

Public Affairs Publications

Career Development

Important Dates

President’s Message

Taking Stock In Wisconsin the season is chang ing hard now, the hummingbirds and orioles long gone, most of the Canadian songbirds having flown through, many surreptitious ly under the cover of night. The tundra swans have arrived on Lake Mendota, where they will rest and feed until the last pools of open water freeze over. The barred owls are hooting their family plans and

I want to think I am becoming a better mentor with time. I know from staying in touch with former trainees that there were some rocky times. For some, their experiences with me became the fodder for jokes at the dinner table of a Gordon Conference, fortunately in my presence (as far as I know) and with a bit of affection. With others, I flat-out asked for forgiveness for moments of unkindness or applying unhelpful pressure. Generally, those moments reflected my own inse curities. Perhaps if as an assistant professor I’d had access to articles like “Ten simple rules towards healthier research labs” (Maestre, F. T. 2019. PLoS Comput. Biol. 15(4): e1006914. https:/doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1006914), I would have done a better job. To colleagues who developed such guide lines, often amid peers who were less generous and from an earlier time, I applaud you. It takes surprising courage to express your humanity. Still, mentors lose sleep over perceived lack of trainee productivity or scholarship or super-glued adherence to the lab bench. We worry that students are different now, less hungry. We all have stories of heroism in the cause of our own achievements, working 60–80 hours, eating and sleeping in the lab. But I am 99% certain our memories of our efforts have become inflated like reports of every fish ever caught. What is ignored in these historical accounts are the tardy morning arrivals after nights spent playing Risk over too many beers, or the months of angst at the electrophysiology rig waiting for the next morsel of data to be dropped like a letter from an owl over the Hogwarts dining table. How about the month you spent mountain climbing—annually? Our selective memories also minimize the long stretches of time it can take to learn a technique, get data, and finally understand what it means. They don’t account for the time it takes to grow, sometimes with little external evidence of the process. These are the shadowed years in the life of a trainee. Over Thanksgiving, I was inspired by the book The Traveling Feast (2018. Kindle edition. Little, Brown, and Company, Boston) by Rick Bass , a Montana writer. He embarked on a “pilgrimage of gratitude” to cook dinner for those he consid ers his mentors, people who directly trained him or influenced him through conversations or their published works. He would take one or two of his own trainees, aspiring writers themselves, to help him prepare the meal and ask questions of the legendary authors. While setting up in the host’s kitch en, words of admiration for the natural surrounding beauty was a common theme, as were observations about the particulars of the writer’s studio or office. After dinner, there were recollections of bad habits abandoned in the name of better health, or ruminations of relationships, lost and found. There were lessons to be learned.

Gail Robertson

occasionally imperiling our small dog, Libby. This is the time, between Thanksgiving and the New Year, when I think about taking stock. Before Elon Musk broke Twitter, or before I quite realized the gravity of the situation, I sent out one of my usual inquiries to the Twitterverse asking for colleagues’ pending resolutions: For the coming year, are you taking stock of your approach to science or mentoring? What changes will you make to increase your impact or improve the lives around you? Where will you find your inspiration? Radio silence. Or, perhaps, the sounds of keyboards clicking like little feet scurrying to Mastodon (or some other social media app). Finally, I received responses from two valued (and Twitter-stalwart) colleagues, bless their hearts. Margaret Cheung , from the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, said what has been on a lot of our minds: “I think COVID has nega tively impacted the career trajectories of young trainees who depend on professional networking to advance their opportu nities in science. I will be mindful to broaden the definition of success and actively support nonacademic careers after PhD.” The exuberant Nele Vandersickel from Ghent University wrote, “I want my team to shine, not me. I want to make choices together with them, moving science and our project forward in the most efficient way, yet being relaxed and happy. I want to show that science is not a competition but an amazing collaboration. And kick out all the rules!” My thoughts, too, are turning to mentoring, and how to be better at it. Recently, Whitney Stevens-Sostre received the lab’s 10th PhD, round with her imminent first child, the reason to stop luxuriating in perfectionism and pragmatically bang the thesis out. It turns out she was more than ready to defend her thesis, and now she can get on with the business of being a scientist, interweaved with motherhood. Margaret Jameson will follow as #11 in the coming weeks. Our students are more capable than we typically recognize. What they need more than anything is to see what is possible, and the con fidence we can instill in their ability to succeed. And then we need to get out of their way, making room for all that follows.

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President’s Message

Officers President

Between each trip Bass would return to his home in the Yaak Valley, close to my own hometown and the house my father built on the edge of the vast Kootenai National For est. Perhaps Bass’s homecoming to a shared landscape drew me into his essays, or maybe it was the sense of generational connections established through mentorship and my own increasing awareness of the ephemeral nature of a single career. I resonated with his wish to “pass on not only the craft of writing, but the craft of living.” I am not saying we should all adopt yoga or a 30-hour work week. I am thinking about other ways to inspire inquiry and a healthy mind. Bass writes, “In the most productive mentor relationships, the simple act of conversation inflames parts of the mentee’s brain that need stimulating, as wind stimulates a fire, as fire regenerates a forest, as a forest shelters its rivers, as the whole cycle keeps rolling along forever” (p. 32). Occasionally, a trainee shows up with a fire in the belly so strong as to be essentially self-sustaining. More often, a little tinder and kindling is required, together with some effort to spark the flame. Still, most will make the journey to where “[w]e have crossed over the low pass, the saddle, and are looking down into untrammeled territory where we’ve

never been.” It is exciting to be a part of their journey. It is not cliché to say that mentoring is a two way street, that we learn as much or more from some of our mentees as they learn from us. For my recent ad hoc apprenticeship in an tiracism, my trainees of various combinations of Black, Latino, Hispanic, and Indigenous her itages served as my study guides. Now there’s your cliché: the well-intentioned, middle-aged white person requesting the tutelage of those living the unspoken and ungracious legacy of slavery in our country. It would be easy and understandable for them to politely point me to a website with a reading list and send me away. But they are gracious, and conversations with them on race and culture are obliging and enlightening. The tables turn. The mentee becomes the mentor. And now, I will find one of those 20-some things to help me unstick my Mastodon account registration so I can try to recon struct my social media community in anoth er universe. Before I do, to all my mentors, formal and informal, those who know they are my mentors and those who do not, I wish to express my gratitude. If I show up at your door with groceries, you’ll know you are on the list.

Gail Robertson President-Elect Taekjip Ha Past-President Frances Separovic Secretary Erin Sheets Treasurer Samantha Harris Council Patricia Bassereau Henry Colecraft Erin C. Dueber Martin Gruebele Gilad Haran Kumiko Hayashi Syma Khalid Francesca Marassi Susan Marqusee Carolyn A. Moores

Kandice Tanner Valeria Vasquez Biophysical Journal Vasanthi Jayaraman Editor-in-Chief The Biophysicist Sam Safran Editor-in-Chief Biophysical Reports

Jörg Enderlein Editor-in-Chief

Society Office Jennifer Pesanelli Executive Officer Newsletter

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Executive Editor Jennifer Pesanelli Managing Editor John Long Production Ray Wolfe Proofreader/Copy Editor 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 © 2023 by the Biophysical Society. Darren Early Laura Phelan

The Rosalba Kampman Distinguished Service Award , honoring service in the field of biophysics and contributions beyond achievements in research; The Margaret Oakley Dayhoff Award , given to a woman who holds very high promise or has achieved prominence while developing the early stages of a career in biophysical research within the purview and interest of the Biophysical Society; The Kazuhiko Kinosita Award in Single-Molecule Biophysics , recognizing outstanding research ers for their exceptional contributions in advancing the field of single- molecule biophysics; The Ignacio Tinoco Award , which honors meritorious investigators who make important con tributions to the physical chemistry of macromolecules and who actively promote and sustain a collaborative, inclusive, and engaging research environment in the field; The Founders Award , given to scientists for outstanding achievement in any area of biophysics; And, finally, the 2024 Fellows of the Biophysical Society , honoring distinguished members who have demonstrated sustained scientific excellence. Awards will be presented at the 2024 Biophysical Society Annual Meeting in Philadelphia, Penn sylvania. For information and to submit a nomination, visit www.biophysics.org/awards-funding/ society-awards.

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Biophysicist in Profile

Antonio Alcaraz Areas of Research

Institution University Jaume I

Applied physics, molecular biophysics, electrochemistry, physical chemistry, transport phenomena in membranes, membrane proteins, and ion channels

At-a-Glance

Antonio Alcaraz grew up in Castell ό n, Spain, a small city by the Mediterranean Sea, and is now a professor at the city’s University Jaume I. “I am fascinated by biophysics,” he shares, “because of the enormous diversity of physical problems that it involves both from the theoretical and experimental point of view. Trying to understand the function of membrane proteins involves knowledge of fluid mechanics, electrostatics, thermodynamics, statistical physics, electronics, electrochemistry, phys ical chemistry, etc., while all this happens on a spatial scale in which traditional continuum theoret ical models are challenged by the molecular nature of matter and it is necessary to use molecular simulation tools.”

Antonio Alcaraz

Antonio Alcaraz , full professor in the Department of Physics at University Jaume I (UJI) in Castell ό n, Spain, grew up in the same city. “Castell ό n is a small city located in the east of the Iberian Peninsula, by the Mediterranean Sea. It is a beautiful place because the mountains are very close to the sea and one can find different landscapes in short distances. Also important, the weather is not extreme in either summer or winter,” he says. “Although Castellón lacks some of the advantages of large cities, the place is quiet and relatively well connected to Valencia, Barcelona, and Madrid.” No one in his family was involved in science but his father, a lawyer, and mother, who did administrative work in the Police Traffic De partment, instilled in Alcaraz and his sisters a love of reading, studying, and enjoying culture. In high school, he was interested in science, English language, history, economics, and philosophy. “During my last year I met some friends that were studying for a degree in physics. I was attracted by the combination of mathematical principles with physical concepts that can be probed with experiments,” Alcaraz explains. “This feeling was intensified when biophys ics came into play. Biological systems are amazing in terms of diversity and complexity. Trying to explain biological functions in terms of physicochemical molecular mechanisms is an extraordinarily challenging task.” Alcaraz attended the historical University of Valencia to study physics as an undergraduate. “Interestingly, higher education was established in the city of Valencia in the 13th century thanks to King James I of Aragon. However, it was not until October 30, 1499 that the Juries of Valencia drew up the Con stitutions of what would become the first University of Valen cia,” he reports. His specialization was in fundamental physics (physics at or below the atomic scale), but he especially liked courses in thermodynamics and statistical physics. “I obtained a scholarship to do my doctorate degree in Transport Pro cesses in Membranes in the Department of Thermodynamics,

under the supervision of Salvador Mafe and Patricio Ramírez ,” he explains. “I really enjoyed working with them. We got nice theoretical models of impedance spectroscopy in ion-ex change membranes that we confronted with experiments done at the University of the Saarland in Germany, where I stayed several months doing a research stay. We reported the results in a series of publications, and I got the PhD Research Award of the University of Valencia.” Following the completion of his PhD program, he was hired by UJI as a teaching assistant. To obtain a tenure-track position, he was required to undertake postdoctoral research at other institutions. “First, I did a postdoctoral stay of several months at the University of Twente in the Netherlands, working on topics like those of my thesis (industrial separation processes, electrochemistry, water desalination) in the framework of a European Union Thematic Network,” he shares. At UJI, he met Vicente Aguilella , who was working in membrane transport dealing with biological systems. “That was the first time that I heard the term ‘biological ion channels’ in relation to the use of ‘membrane pores.’ Vicente suggested to me that my background in membrane electrochemistry could be useful to learn ion channel electrophysiology in the laboratory of one of his collaborators, Sergey Bezrukov , at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). That stay, in 2001, widened my scientific perspective because I realized that biophysics was a fascinating world, both from the theoretical and experimental point of view,” he recalls. “From that time, I remember with special fondness the ‘chocolate seminars’ organized by Adrian Parsegian with extremely fruitful and passionate discussions with NIH staff and many visitors taking place. That stay of several months, and other similar ones in the following years, were like an open door to a new world and I will always be grateful to Vicente, Sergey, Adrian and all my other col leagues. The collaboration with Sergey’s group at NIH still goes on after more than 20 years.”

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Biophysicist in Profile

“Because of this collaboration, we were able to establish the Molecular Biophysics Laboratory at UJI, doing experimental techniques that we learned at the NIH that we have applied to multiple systems that can be considered soft matter and bio interfaces, such as bacterial and mitochondrial channels, viral proteins, neuropeptides, cell penetrating peptides, nanopores, nanoparticles, etc.,” Alcaraz states. “Now we collaborate with physicists but also with molecular biologists, biochemists, virologists, and many others.” Now, as a full professor in the Department of Physics at UJI, he teaches basic physics to engineers, thermodynamics to chemists, and radio physics to medical students. “At the same time, I am principal investigator of several research projects related to molecular transport mechanisms in membranes induced by different types of proteins that can form ion channels—bacterial and mitochondrial proteins, neuropep tides, toxins, etc.,” he reports. “We do planar bilayer electro physiology that we combine with theoretical models based on physicochemical hydrodynamics and electrostatics and also atomistic simulations. I am particularly interested in proteins of virus forming ion channels—also called viroporins—that are essential for virus progression and pathogenesis. Inter estingly, we have been involved for years in the characteriza tion of the ion channels formed by the envelope protein E of SARS-CoV1, and now we are extending this investigation to the E protein of SARS-CoV2.” “One of the greatest satisfactions of my job is being able to work with students and observe their evolution. I believe that new ideas that challenge the established paradigms are total ly necessary so that there can be progress in any field, but it is especially important in biophysics given its interdisciplinary nature. I am very grateful to all my students.

They have taught me many things, forced me out of my com fort zone, and given me enthusiasm to work harder,” Alcaraz reveals. “In this sense, it is particularly meaningful when your students become your colleagues, as is the case with María Queralt-Martin , a former PhD student of mine who came back to our department after some years in the United States, also at the NIH. We have transitioned from a mentor-student rela tionship to colleagues who can ask each other for advice.” Asked where he sees biophysics going in the future, Alcaraz notes, “In a way, biophysics is unpredictable, so it is hard to say what challenges we will face. The COVID-19 pandemic is a good example of this. We should be adaptable to give an adequate response to the challenges of each moment, but at the same time maintain sufficient basic knowledge to face future problems that we still do not know will exist.” When he is not working, he enjoys spending time with his family, reading, and cooking, in addition to running half-mara thons and biking. From left to right: Katia Nestorovich, Megha Rajendra, Aurora Perini, Antonio Alcaraz, Sergey Bezrukov, Vicente Aguilella, Tanya Rostovseva, Philip Gurnev, and Maria Quer alt-Martin.

Special Issue: Biophysics of immune cell signaling

Highlighting quantitative studies that advance our mechanistic understanding of immune cell function. The Journal welcomes submissions reporting progress in the mechanisms of immune cell signaling, with particular interest in those using advanced microscopy, computational modeling, synthetic biology, analytical methods, and/or other novel methodologies. Deadline for submissions: April 30, 2023 • To submit, visit www.biophysj.org

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Public Affairs

Around theWorld: Meet the NewAmbassadors In 2019, the Council envisioned a new program within the Biophysical Society focused exclusively on our international members, the Ambassador Program. It was created to both enhance BPS content for the global biophysical community and to provide new pathways into biophysics in home coun tries. Beginning in 2020, a cohort of four BPS Ambassadors per year has been selected to represent biophysics in their country for a total of three cohorts and 12 Ambassadors. These Ambassadors, each representing a different country, work in conjunction with BPS committees and staff to offer increased content, programming, and voice to the interna tional biophysical community. In January of 2023, the next cohort of Ambassadors will begin their term, joining colleagues representing Australia, Argen tina, China, Kenya, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Norway, and Turkey. We look forward to working with this new cohort of Ambassadors and the range and breadth of experience and knowledge these individuals bring to BPS and biophysics. BPS would like to thank outgoing Ambassadors John Baenziger of Canada, Samrat Mukhopadhyay of India, Nuno C. Santos of Por tugal, and Olwyn Byron of the United Kingdom for their service as our inaugural cohort. Neelanjana Sengupta India What do you do professionally? I am an associate professor at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Kolkata. My interdisciplinary group combines statistical thermody namics and in silico approaches to explore, understand, and predict emergent biomolecular phenomena. Our problems are frequently inspired by phenomenology, and sometimes by intuition. We explore intersections of biomolecular organiza tion, interfacial complexity, enzymatic behavior, and extreme thermodynamic conditions. Our more recent forays involve data-driven algorithm design for efficient estimation of kinet ic barriers within protein systems. What led you to apply for the BPS Ambassador Program? I have been a member of the Biophysical Society since my days as a graduate student at the University of California, Irvine. As I see it, biophysics outcompetes many other subdis ciplines in its ability to accommodate creativity and innova tion. I felt that a BPS Ambassadorship would facilitate my outreach of this fascinating interdisciplinary domain. NeelanjanaSengupta

What are your Ambassador Program Goals? As an Ambassador from India, I hope to act as a bridge between international biophysics endeavors and the large reserves of untapped scientific talent in India. Tell us something fun about yourself? I frequently leave seminar audiences confused about the “department” that I belong to! Miguel Castanho Portugal What do you do professionally? Portugal. I am also the group leader of the Physical Biochemistry of Drugs and Targets lab of the Instituto de Medicina Molecular in Lisbon. What led you to apply for the BPS Ambassador Program? I joined BPS in 1992, 30 years ago. I started as a PhD student and attended the 1993 Annual Meeting in Washington, DC. That had a tremendous impact on my future career. I had the chance to interact with very interesting biophysicists, which became very important in my path. What are your Ambassador Program Goals? Scientific societies serve as catalysts in the lives of young researchers. As ambassador, I would like to contribute to this life-changing power of BPS. There is nothing more impactful to advance science than fueling the enthusiasm of young people. Through the ambassadors abroad, BPS can expand and reinforce its influence. Thirty years ago, young biophys icists around the globe had to go to the United States to experience the benefits of BPS; now it is BPS that meets the people through the Ambassadors. I want to be a part of this. Tell us something fun about yourself? Inspired by my PhD supervisor, Manuel Prieto , who was a member of BPS, and by my own experience at the BPS Annual Meetings, I co-founded with other enthusiastic biophysicists the Portuguese Biophysical Society. The kick-off congress of the society had Dave Jameson, a BPS member and legend in biological fluorescence, as plenary speaker. In a way, I have been a BPS Ambassador for decades, although my term is just now officially starting. Ana-Nicoleta Bondar Romania What do you do professionally? Miguel Castanho I am the head of the Biochem istry Department of the School of Medicine of the University of Lisbon, in

I am a full professor with the Faculty of Physics of the University of Bucharest and

Ana-Nicoleta Bondar

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Public Affairs

Jesus Perez-Gil Spain What do you do professionally?

a visiting scientist at the Forschungszentrum Jülich, Institute for Computational Biomedicine (IAS-5/INM-9). We work on the development and applications of efficient computational approaches to study the role of dynamic hydrogen bond net works in protein function. I teach computational modeling and bioinformatics of biomolecules. What led you to apply for the BPS Ambassador Program? I am passionate about communicating science. I applied to the BPS Ambassadors Program to become a better advocate for promoting biophysics research and biophysics study curricula in my home country, where I returned in 2021 after more than 20 years at research Institutions in Germany and the United States. What are your Ambassador Program Goals? My goal as an Ambassador of the Biophysical Society is to promote biophysics research and study to young students. I aim to create opportunities for students and junior scientists to engage in networking with the international biophysics community, to develop and strengthen networks of collabora tion with the Biophysical Society, and to establish a network of mentorship for biophysics students and junior colleagues. Tell us something fun about yourself? I have been a member of the Biophysical Society since 2008. Since 2021 I also have been a member of the Romanian Soci ety of Pure and Applied Biophysics, which was established in 1990.

I got my PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and became engaged in biophysics after a postdoc at Memorial University of

Jesus Perez-Gil

Newfoundland, in St. John’s, Canada, and another one at the Max-Planck-Institut fur Biophysikalische Chemie in Göt tingen, Germany. The main interest of our research always has been the study of lipid-protein interactions in different physiological systems, with a special interest in the behavior of the pulmonary surfactant, a key element of respiratory physiology. What led you to apply for the BPS Ambassador Program? I just ended my term as President of the Spanish Biophysical Society (SBE) and of the European Biophysical Societies As sociation (EBSA), always trying to promote biophysics-based cooperation and training, especially among the young re searchers. What are your Ambassador Program Goals? My main goal as Ambassador is to promote connection and cooperation among biophysicists all around the world, with particular emphasis on facilitating training and mentoring for the youngest scientists who will make the biophysics of the future. Also, to potentiate the multidisciplinary view of science, a view deeply represented by biophysics. Tell us something fun about yourself? I love traveling and photography, and a good hike looking for delicious mushrooms!

BPS Job Board Special Post your job and save! In celebration of the Society’s Annual Meeting in San Diego, California, February 18–22, 2023, BPS is offering you a 60-day job posting for just $299 for members or $399 for nonmembers. This includes unlimited access to the resume bank. Job posting must be purchased by February 3, 2023. You will also receive these additional benefits if your job is still active during the time of the Annual Meeting: • Viewable job posting on the Society Job Board for 60 days • On-site job posting at the Annual Meeting Career Development Center • Unlimited access to resumes on the online job board • Access to interview space in the Career Development Center as avail able, first come first served Post your job or explore other options by visiting https:/ biophysics-jobs.careerwebsite.com/.

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Publications

Know the Editor Rebecca Berlow

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Associate Editor Biophysical Reports

Rebecca Berlow

What are you currently working on that excites you? My lab is less than a year old, so I have to say that every thing we are doing nowadays is exciting! The most reward ing aspect of leading a lab is being able to watch the team experience the joy of discovering something new. It is truly a privilege of our job as scientists! I’m really grateful to have a fun, enthusiastic group of people to work with in the lab every day and they keep me optimistic that our hard work will result in transformative discoveries. How do you stay on top of all the latest developments in your field? Scientific communication of all forms is so valuable for dis seminating our findings and staying up-to-date on new ad vances. I have always been an avid reader, but I found that the abrupt change to my daily routines due to the pandemic and the sudden increase in the number of papers being published meant that I couldn’t keep up. During this time, I also realized how much I had relied on conferences, seminars, and other networking opportunities to keep tabs on current research di rections in my field and to establish the context for our work. To fill some of this void, I turned to social media and have found it to be an effective way to keep track of new research and engage with our vibrant scientific community. While the platforms we use may be in flux, I do think that we all have a lot to gain from maintaining our interactions in this space.

Editor’s Pick Biophysical Journal Physiological changes in bilayer thickness induced by cholesterol control GPCR rhodopsin function Olivier Soubias, Alexander J. Sodt, Walter E. Teague, Kirk G. Hines, Klaus Gawrisch “Membrane cholesterol is an important allosteric modulator of GPCR function, but the mechanisms by which it acts are not completely understood. In this study, the authors show that formation of the active MII state of the model GPCR rho dopsin can be up- or downregulated by cholesterol depending on the hydrophobic mismatch between the protein and the surrounding bilayer. Based on data from NMR and molecular simulation, they propose a model that could explain how a GPCR could be turned on or off by physiological changes of bilayer properties induced by small changes in cholesterol content in cell membranes.”

Version of Record Published November 22, 2022 DOI: https:/doi.org/10.1016/j.bpj.2022.11.2937

The Biophysical Society is grateful to its Industry Partners.

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

PLATINUM

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Communities

Meghna Gupta Committee for Inclusion and Diversity (CID)

Meghna Gupta

Is this your first volunteer position for BPS? If not, what other positions have you held? I am currently a member of the Committee for Inclusion and Diversity (CID) and a program co-chair for the Cryo EM Sub group for the 2023 BPS Annual Meeting 2023. I have served as a Student Research Achievement Award (SRAA) poster competition judge and a BPS mentor at past Annual Meetings. Why do you volunteer? I believe our role as a scientist goes beyond the research work we are invested in. By volunteering, I get a chance to contrib ute to the community in various ways. It helps me appreciate the grander vision and social responsibilities of being a scien tist. I have met many role models through these interactions who are not only doing excellent science but are dedicated to building a diverse and inclusive group of future scientists through education, outreach, advocacy, travel awards, society awards, platform talks, and many such activities. I did not realize how much enthusiasm, devotion, and commitment it takes to sustain a society and organize events as an attendee until I saw things from the other side as a volunteer. It has been a rewarding journey and I am motivated to keep volun teering for BPS.

What has been a highlight from your volunteer experience? The highlight of my volunteer experience has been under standing how BPS operates as a society and the rich collective values it has incorporated in the organization of events, help ing researchers build their networks, mentoring, education, and outreach. I am happy to be a small part of it. Do you have advice for others who might be thinking about volunteering? If time permits and you want to do something for the scien tific community in addition to what you already do, go for it. I can assure that it will be an enriching experience. There are volunteering opportunities for all career stages. Such activ ities provide a broader perspective of science, the prospect to interact with inspiring BPS members, the opportunity to network with peers, and much more. When not volunteering for BPS, what do you work on? I am a specialist in the lab of Robert Stroud at the Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics at the University of California, San Francisco. My research focuses on membrane protein structural biology, and I am attempting to answer fundamen tal questions in biology and human diseases. I volunteer my time to various committees at other organizations as well.

Nominate yourself or a colleague for a 2024 Society Award Open until May 1, 2023 For the first time, BPS Society Awards are open to self-nominations. Nominate yourself or a deserving colleague for one of the 10 Society Awards by May 1, 2023. To ensure a diverse candidate pool, we particularly encourage nominations of women, international members, and those from underrepresented groups. Join us Sunday, February 19, from 1:00 to 2:30 PM at the Annual Meeting in San Diego for a workshop on how to write great nomination and support letters. Learn more about eligibility requirements for all 10 Society Awards and the Fellows distinction, and submit a nomination, by visiting our website: biophysics.org/awards-funding/society-awards.

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Annual Meeting

First Timers &NewMembers First Time Attendee Drop By Saturday, February 18, 5:00 pm –6:00 pm

Thank you to our sponsors: AIP Publishing axiVEND Bruker

Is this your first time attending a Biophysical Society Annual Meeting? Wondering what to do first and how to get the most out of your time? Drop by the First-Time Attendee event on Saturday evening during the Opening Mixer to learn how to navigate the meeting. Society staff and committee members will be on hand to answer your questions about the meeting and help you gain the most from your time at the BPS 2023 Annual Meeting. View our guide to learn to navigate the meeting before you go: https:/www.biophysics.org/2023meeting/ general-info/navigating-the-meeting.

Burroughs Wellcome Fund Carl Zeiss Microscopy LLC Chroma Technology Delmic Elements srl Fluidic Analytics Fluxion Biosciences HORIBA Scientific Journal of General Physiology (JGP) Leica Microsystems LUMICKS Mad City Labs Inc Nanion Technologies Nanosurf Oroboros Instruments GmbH Oxford Instruments PicoQuant Photonics North America Inc Physics Today RWD Life Science Sophion Bioscience A/S Sutter Instrument

NewMember Welcome Coffee Monday, February 20, 10:15 am –11:15 am

All new Biophysical Society members are invited to participate in an informal gathering to meet members of the Society’s Council and Committees, find out about the Society’s activi ties, get acquainted with other new members, and enjoy refreshments. Current members are encouraged to come meet the new members. Dinner Meet-ups Sunday, February 19 – Tuesday, February 21, 6:00 pm Local students will be waiting at the Society Booth to meet up with attendees who want to experience the local flavor of San Diego. Did You Submit a Late Abstract by the January 5, 2023, Deadline? Look to receive your programming notice the week of January 22. Please contact the Society Office if you do not receive notification.

January 2023

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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

Career Development Center/Job Board The Annual Meeting Career Center allows job seekers to find roles for the next phase in their careers and employers to find talent. The Career Center is committed to offering a formal setting to help facilitate these connections at the Annual Meeting, including physical space for interviews. The Career Center also offers one-on-one resume review and career counseling appointments (on-site registration in the Career Center required) and career-focused topic sessions led by career consultants Alaina Levine and Andrew Green . You will find career development session topics ranging from crafting your own elevator pitch to finding a job beyond academia as well as networking, negotiation tactics, and more! Visit the Career Center while at the meeting to take advantage of these great resources! If you do not plan to be at the Annual Meeting, you can explore the BPS Job Board to search for your next position or post your job opening to find the right candidate. To cele brate the 67th Annual Meeting, BPS is offering an ad special through February 3. You can post a 60-day job posting for a significantly reduced price. For more information, visit https:/ biophysics-jobs.careerwebsite.com/. Plan, Sync, Connect with theMobile App and Desktop Planner

Eight Reasons to Visit the Exhibit Hall • Explore the latest technologies and see product demonstrations from over 120 exhibiting companies. • Stay abreast of the newest tools and publications that will keep you at the leading edge of your profession. • Visit and view over 500 daily poster presentations. • Cast your vote in the Art of Science Image Contest. • Learn about career opportunities at the Education and Career Opportunities Fair. • Network and make new acquaintances. • Attend the Wednesday poster session for a chance to win a Fitbit Versa. • Participate in the Exhibitor Passport Competition and enter for a chance to win a Samsung Galaxy Tablet. Exhibitor Presentations Room 9 Sunday, February 19 9:30 am –11:00 am Oroboros Instruments GmbH 11:30 am –1:00 pm Journal of General Physiology (JGP) 1:30 pm –3:00 pm Mad City Labs Inc 3:30 pm –5:00 pm Fluxion Biosciences 5:30 pm –7:00 pm LUMICKS Monday, February 20 9:30 am –11:00 am Nanion Technologies 11:30 am –1:00 pm axiVEND – iRiS Kinetics 1:30 pm –3:00 pm Delmic 3:30 pm –5:00 pm HORIBA Scientific 5:30 pm –7:00 pm Elements srl Tuesday, February 21 9:30 am –11:00 am Bruker 11:30 am –1:00 pm Sophion Bioscience A/S Room 10 Sunday, February 19 10:30 am –12:00 pm Carl Zeiss Microscopy LLC 12:30 pm –2:00 pm PicoQuant Photonics North America Inc 2:30 pm –4:00 pm Oxford Instruments 4:30 pm –6:00 pm Fluidic Analytics Monday, February 20 10:30 am –12:00 pm Bruker 12:30 pm –2:00 pm Leica Microsystems 2:30 pm –4:00 pm Nanosurf 4:30 pm –6:00 pm Sutter Instrument

Visit biophysics.org/2023meeting for more information on the Biophysical Society Events Desktop Planner and Events App. Available mid-January. Search keyword “BPS Events” in the app stores below.

Poster Printing Looking for an easy way to have your poster printed and delivered directly to the San Diego Convention Center for on-site pickup? We have partnered with Tray Printing to simplify your printing for pick up on site. Visit https:/www.biophysics.org/2023meeting/abstracts/ poster-guidelines for more information. Orders will be accepted beginning January 18, 2023.

biophysics.org/ 2023meeting

January 2023

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Career Development

IdentifyingLeadershipOpportunitiesduring GraduateandPostdoctoral Studies Many academic and non-academic

engagement. I also felt that such institutional involvement provides a platform to discuss challenges that could be faced by students or postdoctoral researchers and brings them to the attention of senior administrators and decision makers. I have always believed that no one should feel shy or less important at institutions, especially students and postdoc toral researchers, when it comes to participating in dialogues and discussions aimed at implementing changes or address ing challenges. For any organization to operate effectively, voices from all stakeholders must be heard. Thus, by partici pating in institutional associations and committees, students and postdoctoral researchers not only can gain leadership skills but also can advocate for institutional policy change by providing meaningful input. The next step would be joining student or early career com mittees of large international or national bodies or societies. Although names vary, almost every scientific society has committees that are composed of early-career researchers such as students and postdoctoral researchers. For example, the Biophysical Society promotes establishing Student Chap ters at participating universities and research institutions. The Society also has several committees such as the Early Careers Committee that encourage active participation from students and postdoctoral researchers and seek their input in annual conference organization-related activities, outreach events, and social activities during conferences. Apart from discipline-specific scientific organizations, the surge in advocacy for evidence-based science policy also requires effective input from students and trainees. Because trainees face several challenges such as tuition fee increases, stagnant fellowship support from national funding bodies, accessibility of educational resources, and targeted funding streams, they can participate in science policy-associated organizations and enhance their leadership, networking, and communication skills. Inevitably, sometimes we wonder about the benefit of engag ing in leadership activities and when those benefits might be realized. Based on experience, I believe that the benefits of participating in leadership activities are enormous, can lead to an extensive network of peers on campus and outside, and can open doors to a career path that was likely never considered while initially pursuing graduate and postdoctoral studies. However, it takes time to realize the benefits of the investment in these activities, and patience is a virtue. — Molly Cule

roles for individuals with a background in life sciences disciplines, in one way or another, require an individual to make decisions, understand the role and responsibilities of their unit, and help execute them, as well as seek new av enues to enhance the way certain pro cesses are performed. For such roles, effective leadership skills are essential.

Under the current education system at many institutions, of ten the curriculum is focused on subject-specific skill develop ment. As a result, the majority of the graduate students and postdoctoral researchers (referred to as trainees), although excellent in terms of achievements in their specific discipline, often lack transferable skills such as leadership, networking, communication, and collegiality. Therefore, institutions must implement ways by which researchers are trained such that they are not only outstanding in their specific disciplines but also acquire transferable skills. Such measures will allow us to close the gap between job opportunities that require more than a strong background in a particular scientific discipline and the narrow candidate pool. For many institutions, the implementation of programs that support discipline-specific research skills and transferable skills, including leadership training, will likely take many years. In the meantime, trainees can take initiatives that allow them to acquire such skills. There are several ways trainees can discern leadership oppor tunities. To begin with, universities and research institutions have graduate student and postdoctoral researcher associ ations. They also have various committees, such as faculty search committees; equity, diversity, inclusion, and acces sibility committees, etc., that require representation from student and/or postdoctoral researchers. To gain insights into what leadership opportunities could look like, what types of organizational and management skills can be gained, and to navigate communications and networking skills at the insti tutional level, trainees can join such institutional associations. Often, such involvement at the institutional level does not require too much time investment, and rewards in terms of expanding one’s network on campus and enhancing commu nication and other transferable skills can be significant. Subsequently, trainees can also join national graduate student and postdoctoral researcher associations to further expand the breadth of their transferable skills and enhance their leadership skills. My experience with a researcher as sociation was influential in many ways and a lot of activities I am involved with are because of that very first successful

January 2023

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Career Development

Emerging Tools in Biophysics: StemCells, Organoids, and Bioprinting In fall 2022, the Society for the Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science

(SACNAS) Conference was held at the beautiful Convention Center of San Juan, Puerto Rico, and it included sessions on a variety of topics from chemistry and mathematics to physics and biology. This organization focuses on the encouragement and scientific progress of underrepresented young scientists across the United States. In addition to promoting diversity, inclusion, and professional advancement via local-chapter activities and other events, SACNAS holds a yearly nation al conference that brings together thousands of ethnically underrepresented undergraduate and graduate students, as well as postdocs, university professors, and industrial scien tists. The SACNAS National Conference provides young under represented scholars with the opportunity to be exposed to a wide range of recent scientific concepts and discoveries. In addition, SACNAS attendees can visit a large number of exhib itor booths that advertise graduate school programs as well as industrial, postdoctoral, and academic jobs available across the United States. This year the SACNAS Conference featured a biophysics-relat ed event chaired by Silvia Cavagnero , Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. All presentations in this session focused on “Human Stem Cells and Organoids as New Technologies to Understand Biology and Cure Disease” and were sponsored by the Biophysical Society. Cavagnero started the session by introducing the Biophysical Society to the SACNAS attendees and by explain ing the meaning of the term “biophysics,” which is sometimes perceived as somewhat mysterious or cryptic by non-experts. She went on to explain what biophysicists do, and how the field of biophysics has been evolving in recent years by em bracing a variety of novel technologies. Then Xinyu Zhao , Professor of Neuroscience at the University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Medicine and Public Health, took the stage and delivered a clear introduction on stem cells. Zhao started by explaining what stem cells are and the important differences among embryonic, pluripotent, and in duced-pluripotent stem cells, as well as progenitor cells. She then gave an insightful historical overview about how the field has been evolving. She also explained the role played by James Thompson , a professor at the University of Wisconsin–Madi son, and other scientists in the isolation and characterization of human embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and induced pluripo tent stem cells (iPSCs). The differentiation of human embryonic stem cells into particular types of cells in the hu man body (e.g., cardiac, epidermal, neural) has recently

enabled both basic and applied biological research that was not feasible just a few years ago. For instance, it is now possible to use iPSC differentiated neurons to obtain results more relevant to human brains and brain diseases than with previous experiments employing animal cells or non-neuronal cell cultures. The advancement in stem cell field opens the door to new cell biology and biophysical investigations. In addition, ongoing research in regenerative medicine is starting to enable the replacement of damaged regions of living organisms with functional neurons differentiated from human iPSCs. Furthermore, mini-organs or organ-like 3D assemblies known as organoids can now be generated. Organoids are derived from stem cells and enable the analysis of complex phenomena that are hard to study in vivo because of poor availability of source organs and widespread differ ences among specimens from patients. More recently, it has become possible to generate mini-organ-like systems via bioprinting, thus increasing reproducibility relative to conven tionally prepared organoids. An oral presentation by Madeline Smerchansky , a graduate student at the University of Wisconsin–Madison in Melissa Kinney ’s lab, followed. Smerchansky provided fascinating de tails into the application of stem cell research to immunology. Finally, a second presentation by Zhao highlighted the role of stem cells and organoids in mechanistic studies on Fragile X syndrome, a genetic form of autism spectrum disorder. In summary, the 2022 SACNAS session on stem cells and or ganoids shared cutting-edge research advances and exposed a variety of scientists, many of whom are from underrepre sented groups, to exciting new tools in biophysical research. Speakers at the SACNAS session on stem cells and organoids (from left to right): Xinyu Zhao, Silvia Cavagnero, and Madeline Smerchansky.

January 2023

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