Biophysical Society Bulletin | January 2025

January 2025

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2025 New and Notable Symposium Speakers Announced The Annual Meeting Program Chairs are excited to announce this year’s New and Notable, aka “BPS Teaser Talks,” on Wednes day, February 19, 8:15–10:15 AM. Drawn from a pool of amazing nominations by Society members, this year’s Teaser Talks show case the breadth of biophysics—from how shape-shifting drives disease to the mechanisms of molecular depth sensing and more. Co-Chairs Sudha Chakrapani , Case Western Reserve University, USA Christopher Yip , University of Toronto, Canada Itay Budin Jia Zhou Laura Dassama

Anne Houdusse-Juille

Speakers Itay Budin , University of California, San Diego, USA The Shape of Phospholipids: A Biophysical Deep Dive Jia Zhou , University of California, San Diego, USA Structural Biology of GABAA Receptors from Human Brain Tissue

Laura Dassama , Stanford University, USA Leveraging Omics, Informatics, and Biophysics to Uncover Key Players in Infectious Disease Anne Houdusse-Juille , Institut Curie, France Cardiomyopathies: How Myosin Conformational Dynamics Modulate Cardiac Output in Disease and Therapy

2026 Society Awards The Biophysical Society is accepting nominations for its 2026 awards, now through May 1, 2025. All awards are described briefly in the following list. Full details, including eligibility information, are listed on the BPS Society Award page (www.biophysics.org/ awards-funding/society-awards). We particularly encourage nominations of researchers from diverse backgrounds, including international members and those from underrepresented groups. We also continue to welcome self-nominations in all categories except the Outstanding Doctoral Research in Biophysics Award and the BPS Fellows. Continued on Page 9

Inside

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Council Update

Communities Member Corner

Stay Connected with BPS

Biophysicist in Profile

Public Affairs Publications Annual Meeting

Career Development

Important Dates

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Council Update

Update from Fall Council May your New Year be healthy and happy! With 2024 fading in the rearview mirror, and with 2025 upon us, let’s invite grati tude, optimism, and hope as we continue our mission “to lead an innovative global community working at the interface of the physical and life sciences, across all levels of complexity.”

Next, the 2025 Annual Meeting Program Co-Chairs, Sudha Chakrapani and Chris Yip , shared that abstract programming had been finalized the day before, and they expressed enthu siasm about the excellence of the scientific content and the diversity of topics and presenters. Ariane Briegel , on behalf of herself and her 2026 Annual Meeting Program Co-Chair Ilya Levental , reported that they were successful in integrating about two-thirds of the mem ber-suggested symposia and workshops into their program. They planned to share the first draft of their program with Council in December. As in the past, Council will review the proposed program to ensure it showcases the innovation, excellence, and diversity that characterize our global commu nity. Lastly, President-Elect Lynmarie Thompson shared her selection of a 2026 BPS Lecturer, which will be announced in the coming months. A good portion of the meeting was dedicated to reviewing and updating the abstract categories that participants will be able to select for the 2026 Annual Meeting. This review happens every couple of years to ensure that our abstract categories evolve with the field and continue to reflect the diversity of research topics investigated by our members. Moving on to the 2027 Annual Meeting, President-Elect-Elect Karen Fleming named Henry Colecraft and Linda Columbus as Program Co Chairs. Lastly, the Council considered five proposals for BPS Thematic Meetings, presented by Lukas Tamm , the Chair of the Themat ic Meetings Committee. After some discussion, the Council approved all five meetings, which will be scheduled in 2026 and 2027. The second day of the meeting focused on awards, oper ations, and finance. I proposed that Council charge a small Task Force to review and, if necessary, recommend updates to the language that describes our current awards to ensure clarity, ease of preparing nominations, and alignment with the BPS mission and values. The Council discussed and approved this proposal. Next, we discussed the BPS Grants Program, which is a mechanism to support our members’ engagement with non BPS events and programs that align with our mission. Council approved the program details for the application and review process. In the last part of the day’s meeting, BPS staff offered up dates about our branding and IT initiatives, which are pro gressing on schedule. Samantha Harris , BPS Treasurer, and Harris Povich , Director of Finance and Operations, presented

Gabriela K. Popescu

A short while ago, I wrote to you directly reaffirming our com mitment to this mission and to our shared values: scientific excellence, integrity and transparency, community building, and diversity, equity, and inclusion. Let me assure you that these values guide every decision that the BPS Council takes, and all the work the BPS staff does on our behalf. In keep ing with these values, I regard it as my duty to provide you here with a transparent update from our annual Fall Council Meeting. As a quick reminder, BPS is governed by a Council consist ing of 17 elected members. Elections are held in June and July, results are announced in August, and the New Council convenes in February, on the last day of the Annual Meeting. In addition, Council meets in Spring at a location selected by the President, in Fall by Zoom, and one final time, prior to the Annual Meeting, as outlined in our bylaws (www.biophysics. org/about-bps/governance/bylaws). In this column, previous presidents have shared summaries of Council sessions. I, too, have honored this tradition because it is one small way in which, as elected leaders, we can repay the trust you placed in us. It is one small way in which we can be transparent about our work, without overwhelming you with minutiae. In my column in the April BPS Bulletin (www. biophysics.org/bps-bulletin/acat/1/archive/4-2004), you can read about actions taken by Joint Council and New Council at the 2024 Annual Meeting in Philadelphia. Also, in the July- August issue (www.biophysics.org/bps-bulletin/acat/1/ar chive/7-2004), you can read updates from the Spring Council meeting, which I hosted in Buffalo. Here is an update from Fall Council, which was held virtually, during three days in early November. The first day of the meeting focused on the upcoming Annu al Meetings. I informed Council about the final programming for the “President’s Symposium: Biophysics for a Sustain able Future” and entertained a short discussion about other actions that the newly formed Committee on Sustainability (COS), chaired by Emmanuel Margeat , is planning in conjunction with the symposium and going forward in the new year.

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Council Update

Officers President Gabriela K. Popescu President-Elect Lynmarie K. Thompson Past-President Taekjip Ha Secretary Teresa Giraldez Treasurer Samantha Harris Council Patricia Bassereau Margaret Cheung Martin Gruebele Taviare Hawkins Anne Kenworthy Syma Khalid Emmanuel Margeat Anita Niedziela-Majka Elizabeth Rhoades Tamar Schlick Valeria Vasquez Jing Xu Biophysical Journal Vasanthi Jayaraman Editor-in-Chief The Biophysicist Padmini Rangamani Editor-in-Chief Biophysical Reports

a review of the 2024 budget projections and the 2025 budget. Council approved the 2025 budget, including an increase in funds for travel awards. Although both the 2024 projections and the 2025 budget still indicate deficits, given the investments we are currently making, and an upward trajectory in recovering from the challenges imposed by the pandemic, Council considered the budget sensible and prudent and approved it unanimously. The last day of the meeting focused on nominations, Subgroups, and publications. In the summer of 2025, we will elect a new president and four new councilors. In her role as Chair of the Nominating Committee, Valeria Vasquez presented the process by which her committee arrived at the proposed slate, which Council approved. In her role as Secretary, Teresa Giraldez presented the process by which the Nominating Committee is assembled and proposed adjustments that would include more non-Council members on the committee to ensure diverse and broad representation. Going forward, the Nominating Committee will be approved by the New Council, on the last day of the Annual Meeting. Next, we had a robust discussion about the Subgroup program. We all agreed that the Subgroup program continues to be strong and vibrant and is an effective mechanism to pro vide value to our members. Council reviewed, discussed, and approved several recommen dations, including: a policy revision that would state more clearly the grounds for a Subgroup being placed on probation or dissolved, a call for proposals for new Subgroups, and charging a small Task Force to explore options for ac commodating new Subgroups. Use Your Expertise to Make a Difference!

Next, we considered current and potential future activities to support biophysics edu cation at the K-12 level. This topic was raised in Spring Council as an area where BPS can have an impact. We decided to expand efforts with the Find a Biophysicist (FaB) Network, to promote more member participation in science fairs, and to update third party educational resources on our website. This growth was seen as synergizing with the IT infrastructure changes and anticipated new website. Our last action item was to approve new editor appointments for Biophysical Journal and to extend editor appointments for The Biophysicist . In a post-meeting survey, all respondents ( n = 14) indicated that the meeting was a good use of their time. Respondents appreciated the “opportunity for robust discussion,” that “lots of valuable diverse ideas were exchanged to inform the best decisions,” and the “useful and clear agenda with supporting information and clear tasks.” They also offered valuable sugges tions to make the meeting even more effective, which is something we always aspire to. All in all, I could not have asked for a more en gaged and dedicated Council, nor could I ask for a more committed and capable staff. I already look forward to working with them again in February, when I hope to see many of you as well! With warm wishes for a safe, healthy, joyful, and sustainable new year. — Gabriela K. Popescu , President

Jörg Enderlein Editor-in-Chief

Society Office Jennifer Pesanelli Executive Officer Newsletter

Executive Editor Jennifer Pesanelli Managing Editor John Long Production Ray Wolfe Meredith Zimmerman 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 © 2025 by the Biophysical Society. Darren Early Laura Phelan

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B i oApnhnyus iacli sMt ei ne tPi nr ogf i l e

Alberto Diaspro Areas of Research Nanoscale biophysics using fluorescence and label-free opti cal microscopy and spectroscopy at molecular level

Institution University of Genoa and Italian Institute of Technology

At-a-Glance

Alberto “Alby” Diaspro became enamored with examining things through a different lens as a young child after he saw an image of a snowflake crystal and was overtaken by curiosity. He was given a microscope by his grandfather and it opened up the world for him, as he could now see things oth ers overlooked. This spark has only grown as he has dedicated his career to nanoscale biophysics.

Alberto Diaspro

Alberto “Alby” Diaspro was born in Genoa, Italy, but spent most of his early years in Verona. He recalls that when he was around 4 years old a girl he knew showed him a picture of a snowflake crystal. He only knew snow to be a white blanket covering the landscape and couldn’t conceive of a snowflake as a delicate crystal. “I talked about this with my grandfather Mario,” he remembers, “confessing my desire and curiosity to see the snow in the very same way. After two days I received from my grandfather an optical microscope and I was able to see the snowflakes. Now I could see things that others could not see.” He lived with his parents, a mechanic and homemaker, until their divorce when he was 14 years old. He moved in with his grandfather, Nonno Mario, in1973 and continued living with him until he finished his doctoral degree in Electronic Engi neering 10 years later at the University of Genoa. “He bought me my first oscilloscope and my stereo that I still have and use,” Diaspro remembers. “My Trio Kenwood oscilloscope is the starting point for PhD students and postdocs when they first come to work in my lab.” “My grandmother Anna was a beautiful woman. I was a curi ous and lively child like all my peers. When she died of cancer, an impossible promise rose from my heart and I whispered to her, ‘I’ll understand why, Grandma dear, so you won’t die anymore.’” While at the time it was an ambitious promise, his scientific interests do lie in the study of the complicated and delicate relationship between structure and function when considering chromatin DNA, molecular oncology, and neuro degenerative diseases. “Today I consider this to be part of the field of nanoscale biophysics, the same name as the Biophys ical Society Subgroup I founded in 2010,” he explains. “The Subgroup is now renamed Nanoscale Approaches to Biology.” In 1975, Diaspro met Teresa, and in March 1984 they mar ried, welcoming their daughter Claudia later that year. He had recently finished his doctoral degree in electronic engineering,

then called the Laurea Doctoral Degree (PhD programs began in Italy in 1984), at the University of Genoa, with a thesis on digital phase contrast and holography. His postdoctoral work dealt with optical imaging, within a joint project of the National Institute of Cancer Research and the University of Genoa. “I was mainly involved in image processing and analysis since the optical microscope was a conventional one that I used for 3D optical sectioning. From my side optical images were 2D Fourier transform maps, and the papers that attracted and influenced my research activi ties were by Agard and Sedat on application of computational optical sectioning, and by Maestre, Bustamante, and Tinoco about circular intensity differential scattering,” he details. “In both cases the focus was on chromatin organization in the cell nucleus and its relationship with function. I focused on different approaches including scanning tunneling microsco py, atomic force microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, optical tunneling, and single-molecule imaging. I developed original two-photon excitation and super-resolved micros copy approaches for different biological questions. In 1991, after reading a paper by Hopfield, I decided to use an associa tive memory approach to classify chromatin patterns.” Now, Diaspro is a full professor of applied physics at Universi ty of Genoa and Research Director of the Nanoscopy research line at the Italian Institute of Technology. “I am focused on multimodal molecular optical microscopy boosted by AI. With my group, we are involved in fluorescence super-re solved microscopy, including the recent MINFLUX approach that demonstrated Angstrom-level localization precision. Starting from this point, I aim to integrate multimodal data with label-free spatial maps (phase contrast, Mueller matrix elements),” Diaspro explains. “Considering chromatin orga nization in the cell nucleus I have two targets, namely: 1) transforming label-free images into fluorescence molecular content ones, and 2) producing a “liquitopy” image based on multimodal data sets. Changes of chromatin organization at

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Biophysicist in Profile

the interphase related to cellular function is the biophysical side of my research.” One of the biggest challenges in his career has been dis covering more about how to fight cancer, as he promised his grandmother he would. He views the identification of aloe-emodin as a new type of anti-cancer agent by means of two-photon excitation microscopy and spectroscopy as his most important research, both scientifically speaking and as a human being. “Another challenge, today relevant for immunotherapy against solid tumors, was related to the understanding of the role of RAB5A and RAC in membrane fluidity using 2PE spa tially confined photoactivations. Endocytic trafficking of RAC is required for the spatial restriction of signaling in cell migra tion.” He continues, “On the microscopy research side, the first demonstration of super-resolution in thick objects combining single-molecule imaging and light sheet microscopy, the first realization of the 2PE window of photoexcitation of photo activatable fluorescent proteins, the original use of the very same wavelength for priming and depleting fluorescence under STED and 2PE conditions, the first paper on correlative nanoscopy using STED and AFM, the unprecedented use of liquid lenses in confocal laser scanning microscopy, and the first results combining circular intensity differential scattering and fluorescence to image chromatin in the nucleus are only a few of the most important accomplishments in my career.

My next challenge is the “artificial microscope,” an intelligent artificial molecular microscope combining the best I can do with an optical microscope and artificial intelligence.” Diaspro’s hope for the future of biophysics is that it will be considered what he views it as: “the best frontier in science.” For some reason it is a kind of Cinderella in physics and life sciences. The future of biophysics lies in its ability to affirm itself as a complete discipline without considering the “sirens” provided by bioengineering or biosystems to be more at tractive. Biophysics is attractive by itself in the idea of Mario Ageno : “Biophysics assumes as known starting data the gen eral principles of physics and all the consequences that derive from them by deduction, and aims to explain, on the basis of these, the complex phenomenology of living organisms.” “Being a member of the Society increases your chance of meeting inspiring people,” Diaspro says. “In my case, I was lucky to meet Enrico Gratton and his group many years ago; to listen to a poster presentation by Erwin Neher that had a very long queue at his poster board (after his Nobel recognition); to discuss science both before and after their Nobel Prizes with scientists and friends like Stefan Hell , Eric Betzig , and W. E. Moerner ; and to meet Carlos Bustamante , Laura Finzi , George Patterson , and many other key scientists in biophysics. Being a member of BPS is something that can change your research in a positive way.”

Call for Papers Special Issue: Mechanics and Thermodynamics of the Living Cell, Dedicated to Erich Sackmann Editors: Andreas Bausch, Rudolf Merkel, Joachim Rädler, and Alexandra Zidovska

Deadline for submission: May 31, 2025

To submit, visit www.cell.com/biophysj/special-issues/call-for-papers

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Public Affairs

Around the World: Meet the Sixth Cohort of BPS Ambassadors The Biophysical Society launched the Ambassador Program as an initiative created to both enhance BPS content for the global biophysical community and provide new pathways into biophysics in home countries. The first cohort of four Ambassadors began in January 2020 for a three-year term of service, joined in subsequent years by additional cohorts for a total of 12 BPS Ambassadors representing international biophysics within the Society. These Ambassadors, each rep resenting a different country, work in conjunction with BPS committees and staff to offer increased content, program ming, and voice to the international biophysical community. Eduardo Jardón-Valadez Mexico What do you do professionally? Resources Department of the Autonomous Metropolitan University (UAM) in Lerma City, Mexico. I graduated from the chemistry school at the Autonomous National University of Mexico with a research project on electrolyte solutions using polarizable water models and molecular simulation methods. Then, I joined an interdisciplinary group working on diseases of the endocrine system, specifically for disclosing struc ture-function relationships in membrane protein receptors. As a postdoc in the Theory and Experiments on Membrane Pro tein Organization group at the University of California, Irvine, I collaborated on projects devoted to the understanding of the interplay of lipid, water, and membrane protein interactions that shape protein function, structure, and dynamics. As a full professor at UAM, I collaborate on different projects, including membrane-active peptides, modeling of proteins of the im mune system, and developing new drugs for G protein-coupled receptor, among other studies. What led you to apply for the BPS Ambassador Program? In recent years I’ve been involved in organizing academic activ ities to disseminate research projects on applied biophysics at the BioPhys Mexico conference in 2015, 2019, and 2022. The conference was an excellent platform to bring together profes sors and researchers from many countries in the Latin America region. At this conference, students and professors had the opportunity to discuss and share their projects with experts in the field. Eduardo Jardón-Valadez I am head of the Nanomaterials and Molec ular Biophysics research group at the Earth

What are your Ambassador Program Goals? My goal as ambassador is to encourage young scientists, students, and professors to get involved in the academic activities of the Biophysical Society. Moreover, I aim to show some of the progress of interdisciplinary Biophysics in Mexico and Latin America. Daumantas Matulis Lithuania What do you do professionally? My main passion and experience are in heading a research laboratory at Vilnius University. During my PhD studies at the University of Minnesota under the guidance of Rex E. Lovrien and postdoctoral years advised by Victor A. Bloomfield , my research focused on the structure and thermo dynamics of protein, DNA, and small-molecule interactions. In Vilnius, I lead a group of scientists to fundamentally under stand protein-ligand interactions and their application in the rational design of drugs against cancer and other illnesses. What led you to apply for the BPS Ambassador Program? I have attended most Biophysical Society Annual Meetings since 1996. They tremendously influenced my career and helped me keep pace with the discoveries in this vast and quickly evolving field. In 2014, I noticed that despite numerous researchers working in the biophysics field, there were very few attending the Annual Meeting. Lithuania was not even a member of the European Biophysical Societies Associa tion (EBSA). With a group of active researchers, led by Saulius Šatkauskas at Vytautas Magnus University in Kaunas, we organized the Lithuanian Biophysical Society, which is now a member of EBSA. The Society has just organized the 4th Baltic Biophysics Conference with more than 130 attendees from 12 countries. We also participate in every EBSA meeting. However, there are still rather few Lithuanian scientists who attend BPS meetings, and I would like more of our students and experi enced scientists to go there and learn about new developments and discoveries in biophysics. What are your Ambassador Program goals? I hope to further promote BPS in Lithuania and increase aware ness about the Society, its Annual Meeting, scientific journals, and efforts to unite the world community of biophysicists. In addition, I plan to increase the participation of Lithuanians in the Annual Meeting. Furthermore, I hope that our scientists’ activities and research accomplishments could be of interest to BPS and that there could be paths to promote them in the Society. Daumantas Matulis scientific research. Since my return from the United States to Lithuania in 2005, I have been

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Public Affairs

Megan O’Mara Australia What do you do professionally?

Clovis Takembo Ntahkie Cameroon What do you do professionally?

I am a professor and research group lead er at the Australian Institute for Bioengi neering and Nanotechnology, University of

I am a senior lecturer of physics and biophys ics at the College of Technology of the Uni versity of Buea, Cameroon. I did my under graduate work at the University of Bamenda

Megan O’Mara

Clovis Takembo Ntahkie

Queensland. My group uses multiscale simulation techniques to understand how changes in the biochemical environment alter membrane properties and modulate the function of membrane proteins. I love problems that apply a biophysical lens to understand the key drivers of biological function. I enjoy interdisciplinary research collaborations, particularly ones that combine experimental and computational biophys ics. I am currently the president of the Association of Molec ular Modellers of Australasia and the former secretary of the Australian Society for Biophysics. What led you to apply for the BPS Ambassador Program? I am passionate about developing career opportunities for the next generation of biophysicists, increasing research connec tivity across the Asia-Pacific region, and fostering an inclusive and collegial research culture. At every stage of my career, I have benefited from the mentorship of BPS researchers. What are your Ambassador Program goals? My goal is to increase awareness of STEM education and the opportunities that come with this. I want to continue to develop better networks in the Asia-Pacific region to increase opportunities for early and mid-career biophysicists to con nect with the international BPS community and strengthen my own connections with the BPS community.

and received a PhD in biophysics in 2020 from the University Yaoundé I. I am a recipient of the International Centre for Theoretical Physics Associate Award and Presidential Re search Allowance Grants. My main research interest is based on theoretical and computational neuroscience, focusing on the use of mathematical models and numerical techniques in analyzing the effects of electromagnetic induction and radia tion on electrical activities and energy in neurons and neural networks. What led you to apply for the BPS Ambassador Program? I had the opportunity to become the sponsor of the Cameroon Student Chapter of BPS. That work led me to seek out a larger goal: to promote biophysics as an inclusive discipline, while also helping to bridge the gender gap in Cameroon. What are your Ambassador Program goals? My goal as an Ambassador is to foster local conversation in promoting biophysical research and how biophysical research could be used in addressing local needs. I am also interested in establishing an active cooperation between BPS and Cam eroon’s scientific community to promote biophysics educa tion, training, research, and outreach through workshops and exchange programs. I will also work to champion the creation of a BPS chapter at each university in Cameroon.

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Publications

Know the Editor Paul Janmey

Editor’s Pick

How many dimensions

Shape

Result

University of Pennsylvania Editor, Cell Biophysics Biophysical Journal

Rupture

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Rupture

Paul Janmey

Ballooning

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What are you currently working on that excites you? The mechanical properties of the nucleus, which is something I never expected to work on but was motivated by previous experiments of Fitzroy Byfield and Alison Patteson in our lab. The nucleus is usually considered the stiffest organelle in the cell, but it can be deformed by surprisingly small forces if they are applied slowly and over a large surface of the nucleus. The soft deformation appears to require nuclear motor proteins, and we are trying to understand how this happens. What have you read lately that you found really interesting or stimulating? During the pandemic, I worked on an article about how cells sense each other’s presence at a distance. This process is important for wound healing and normal development. There are great experiments from a century ago in which small tissue pieces or severed nerves were planted in diluted blood plasma clots, and people noticed that when two of these explants were placed near each other, cells migrated out from the explant not at random, but in a straight line to the other cell explant. The distance over which this sensing occurred was over a millimeter, or hundreds of times large than a single cell. The hypotheses for this sensing included chemical, electrical, or mechanical stimuli. The first two were ruled out, and mechanical effects, including forces on the clot matrix, alignment of fibers in the clot, or stiffness changes appeared most likely. Similar studies constitute current mechanobiolo gy research, but with fancier tools and a century of molecular biology.

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Biophysical Reports Engineering stress as a motivation for filamentous virus morphology Andrew McMahon, Swetha Vijayakrishnan, Hafez El Sayyed, Danielle Groves, Michaela J. Conley, Edward Hutchison, and Nicole C. Robb “Many viruses form particles that vary in size and shape, including small spheres or long filamentous structures that can reach many microns in length. While virion structure is of interest not only in the context of virus assembly but also because pleomorphic variations may correlate with infectiv ity and pathogenicity, filament formation is not well under stood, and viral filaments are relatively understudied. Here, the authors used a pressure vessel model and microscopy to investigate the relationship between virion dimensions and engineering stress and concluded that viral filaments offer an optimal shape that allows viruses to have a larger volume than they could in any alternative geometry, thus offering new insight into viral filament formation.”

Version of Record Published September 6, 2024 DOI: https:/doi.org/10.1016/j.bpr.2024.100181

Find Your Next Career Connect with Hundreds of Active Employers Today at https:/ biophysics-jobs.careerwebsite.com

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Awards

Continued from Page 1

The Klaus Schulten and Zaida Luthey-Schulten Computa tional Biophysics Lecture Award , recognizing researchers for their outstanding contributions in computational or theoreti cal, including analytical theory, aspects of biophysical systems and service to the Biophysical Society or to society broadly; 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 Michael and Kate Bárány Award , which recognizes an outstanding contribution to biophysics by a person who has not achieved the rank of full professor at the time of nomina tion; The Outstanding Doctoral Research in Biophysics Award , recognizing excellence in thesis research, writing, and service by two PhD recipients in biophysics, one who received their PhD at an academic institution in the United States and one who received their PhD at a non-U.S. institution; The PUI Faculty Award , honoring excellence in academic re search and mentoring by faculty at a primarily undergraduate institution (PUI); The Rosalba Kampman Distinguished Service Award , honor ing service in the field of biophysics and contributions beyond achievements in research; And, finally, the 2026 Fellows of the Biophysical Society , honoring distinguished members who have demonstrated sustained scientific excellence. Awards will be presented at the 2026 Biophysical Society Annual Meeting in San Francisco, California. For informa tion and to submit a nomination, visit www.biophysics.org/ awards-funding/society-awards. If you have any questions, please contact awards@biophysics.org.

Awards to be bestowed this cycle include: The Agnes Pockels Award in Lipids and Membrane Biophys ics , given to an investigator for outstanding contributions to advancing the field of lipids and membrane biophysics; The Anatrace Membrane Protein Award , which recognizes an outstanding investigator who has made a significant contri bution to the field of membrane protein research; The BPS Award in the Biophysics of Health and Disease , honoring a significant contribution to understanding the fun damental 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; The Early Independent Career Award , recognizing a faculty member, independent investigator, or staff scientist at an academic institution, national research lab, or private research organization with six or fewer years of service who has made noteworthy contributions in biophysics research and service during their independence; The Founders Award , given to scientists for outstanding achievement in any area of biophysics; The Ignacio Tinoco Award of the Biophysical Society , which honors meritorious investigators who make important contri butions to the physical chemistry of macromolecules; The Kazuhiko Kinosita Award in Single-Molecule Biophysics , recognizing outstanding researchers for their exceptional con tributions in advancing the field of single-molecule biophys ics;

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for biochemists and biophysicists was $107,460 in May 2023. Employ ment of biochemists and biophysicists is projected to grow 9% from 2023 to 2033, much faster than the average for all occupations (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook , www.bls.gov/ooh/ life-physical-and-social-science/biochemists-and-biophysicists.htm, accessed November 16, 2024).

Numbers By the

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Annual Meeting

First Timers and New Members

Thank you to our sponsors: APS Physical Review Journals Bruker Burroughs Wellcome Fund Carl Zeiss Microscopy LLC Chroma Technology

First-Time Attendee Networking Saturday, February 15, 2025, 5:00 pm –6:00 pm

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 BPS2025 Annual Meeting. View our guide to learn to navigate the meeting before you arrive at www.biophysics.org/2025meeting/gener al-info/navigating-the-meeting.

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New Member Welcome Coffee Monday, February 17, 2025,10:15 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 activities, get acquainted with other new members, and enjoy refreshments. Dinner Meet-Ups Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday, 6:00 pm Interested in making new acquaintances and experiencing the cuisine of Los Angeles? Meet at the Society Booth each evening Sunday through Tuesday at 6:00 PM, where a BPS member will coordinate dinner at a local restaurant. In addition to the general Dinner Meet-Up groups, there will be specific meet-ups for different groups and focus topics: • Sunday, February 16 – General • Monday, February 17 – General, Black in Biophysics, Primarily Undergraduate Institutions (PUI) • Tuesday, February 18 – General, Networking for Nerds Additional groups may be added, and dates are subject to change. Attendees are responsible for covering their individual expenses.

Impetux Optics SL Leica Microsystems LUMICKS Mad City Labs Inc Malvern Panalytical Molecular Devices Nanion Technologies Nuclera Sophion Bioscience A/S Thermo Fisher Scientific wwPDB Foundation Did You Submit a Late Abstract by the January 7, 2025, Deadline? Look to receive your programming notice the week of January 20. Please contact the Society Office if you do not receive notification.

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Annual Meeting

Poster Printing Tired of traveling with your poster? Want to have it printed and delivered directly to the Los Angeles Convention Center for onsite pickup? Once again, we have partnered with Tray Printing to simplify your printing for pick up on site. Visit the Annual Meeting website and click on “Abstracts,” then “Poster Guidelines” for more information. Orders will be accepted beginning January 10, 2025. Career Development Center/Job Board Do you have a position to fill in your lab or company? Are you looking for that next job opportunity in the field of biophys ics? If you answered yes, then you need to post your position by February 10 on the BPS Job Board and stop by the Career Development Center during the Annual Meeting to view the latest job openings! Annual Meeting Special for Employers and Job Seekers Here are the advantages to posting your job or resume on the Society Job Board between now and February 10: For Employers • Take advantage of special job posting discount specifically for the Annual Meeting • Copies of your job posting for participants to view onsite if your job is live during the time of the Annual Meeting • Space to conduct interviews onsite at the meeting (as avail able, first-come, first-serve) • Time saved at the Annual Meeting For Job Seekers • Connect with employers searching to fill vacant positions now and meet up at the Annual Meeting • Grab vacant job descriptions and identify those employers that are on site at the Annual Meeting • Ability to be interviewed onsite at the meeting • Time saved at the Annual Meeting Resume posting is FREE for all attendees. Job posting is avail able at a highly discounted special rate. For more information, please visit www.biophysics.org/2025meeting and click the Career Development Center tab.

Plan, Sync, Connect with the Mobile App and Desktop Publisher Visit biophysics.org/2025meeting 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:

Exhibitor Presentations* Exhibitor presentations will be held throughout the week of the Annual Meeting by companies that have exciting products, tools, and technologies to showcase. All meeting attendees are welcome at these presentations. Sunday, February 16 9:30 am –11:00 am Bruker 10:30 am –12:00 pm Sophion Bioscience A/S 11:30 am –1:00 pm Malvern Panalytical 12:30 pm –2:00 pm HORIBA 1:30 pm –3:00 pm Bruker 3:30 pm –5:00 pm Mad City Labs Inc 5:30 pm –7:00 pm LUMICKS Monday, February 17 9:30 am –11:00 am Carl Zeiss Microscopy LLC 10:30 am –12:00 pm Cube Biotech Inc 11:30 am –1:00 pm Nanion Technologies 12:30 pm –2:00 pm Leica Microsystems 1:30 pm –3:00 pm Fidabio 2:30 pm –4:00 pm Depixus SAS 3:30 pm –5:00 pm Thermo Fisher Scientific 4:30 pm –6:00 pm Molecular Devices 5:30 pm –7:00 pm Impetux Optics SL Tuesday, February 18 9:30 am –11:00 am Nuclera 12:30 pm –2:00 pm Elements srl To learn more about these Exhibitor Presentations, visit www. biophysics.org/2025meeting/program/Scientific-Sessions/ Exhibitor-Presentations. If you are interested in hosting an Ex hibitor Presentation, contact Exhibit Management at exhibits@ biophysics.org. *Presentation list as of January 1, 2025.

Don’t wait—reserve your hotel today! Deadline: January 13, 2025

biophysics.org/ 2025meeting

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Communities

Subgroups Bioenergetics, Mitochondria, and Metabolism The Bioenergetics, Mitochondria, and Metabolism (BMM) Subgroup is excited to announce the program for its 2025 Subgroup Symposium. The presentations will include presentations from Jason Tennessean (Indiana University), Atsushi Austin Nakano (UCLA), Roman Eliseev (University of Rochester), Pamela Wenzel (UTHealth Houston), and Vivian Gama (Vanderbilt University). The symposium scientific session will also include two awards for postdocs and pred ocs. Please nominate your trainees for awards. The scientific session will be chaired by George Porter (University of Roch ester) and Wenzel. The Subgroup dinner will be held in the evening, and you can join by registering at www.biophysics. org/store/products?Categories=subgroups. We look forward to meeting you in Los Angeles in February. — Harpreet Singh , Co-Chair — Shanmaughapryia Santhanam , Co-Chair Biopolymers in vivo The Biopolymers in vivo (BIV) Subgroup will host its annual symposium on Saturday, February 15, 2025, from 8:30 AM to 12:30 PM during the BPS Annual Meeting in Los Angeles. This year, the Program Chairs, Karen Lasker and Loren Hough , have assembled a symposium to gather pioneers in the field to highlight their work on the biophysical properties and behaviors of biomolecules within cellular environments, bridging both computational and experimental aspects. At the

symposium, Heather Meyer will discuss the role of thermosen sors in plants and their biological significance. Gregory Dignon will explore the partitioning of biomolecules in cellular bulk phases and condensates. Emily Sontag will present research on spatial protein quality control in cells and its implications for disease. Janet Kumita will focus on innovative strategies to facilitate protein degradation. Bin Zhang will provide insights into intrinsically disordered proteins through the lens of poly mer physics. Additionally, David van Valen will highlight ad vancements in AI-aided cellular perception, while Massimiliano Bonomi will discuss integrative structural biology enhanced by artificial intelligence. Nadine Samara will examine the func tional diversity of O-glycosyltransferases across organisms, and George Lu will present on the assembly and biological roles of gas-filled microbial organelles. There will be a ticketed Subgroup dinner at Pine & Crane DTLA after the symposium, which will allow us to network and reconnect with peers and speakers alike. The venue is a Taiwanese-inspired restaurant known for its fresh seasonal offerings, including dumplings, noodles, and vibrant Asian fusion dishes. Tickets for the dinner can be purchased alongside meeting registration, and availability is limited, so please secure your spot early. — Garegin Papoian , Chair Cryo-EM The Biophysical Society Cryo-EM Subgroup is thrilled to announce Elizabeth Wright as the inaugural recipient of the June Almeida Award. Named after June Almeida , the pioneer ing virologist who first visualized human coronaviruses using electron microscopy, the award recognizes mid- to senior- career women who have made transformative scientific contributions and exhibited leadership in the field of cryo-EM. Wright, a Henry A. Lardy Professor at the University of

THEMATIC MEETING Beyond Simple Models: The Consequences of Membrane Complexity in Living Systems Copenhagen, Denmark | July 7–10, 2025 2025 BPS Thematic Meetings and Conferences

Proton Reactions: From Basic Science to Biomedical Applications Estes Park, Colorado, USA | August 3–7, 2025 BPS CONFERENCE

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Wisconsin–Madison and Director of its Cryo-Electron Microscopy Research Center and the National Institutes of Health-supported Midwest Center for Cryo-Electron Tomog raphy, is internationally recognized for her groundbreak ing work. Her innovative methods development, including development of novel montage cryo-electron tomography and correlative light-electron microscopy workflows, has enhanced cryo-ET accessibility and throughput. Her structural studies of viruses, neurons, and prokaryotic systems have also illuminated fundamental biological processes. Beyond her scientific achievements, Wright has been a pivotal leader in establishing state-of-the-art cryo-EM facilities and foster ing the next generation of scientists through mentorship and training initiatives. Join us at the Cryo-EM Subgroup Sympo sium on Subgroup Saturday, February 15, 2025, at 8:30 AM to hear Elizabeth Wright present her inspiring work. — Oliver P. Clarke , Chair Intrinsically Disordered Proteins The Annual Meeting of the Biophysical Society is approach ing and we are looking forward to seeing you at the 2025 Intrinsically Disordered Proteins (IDP) Symposium in Los Angeles on Saturday, February 15, 2025. An exciting scientific session for Subgroup Saturday has been put together by the program co-chairs, Dorothee Dormann and Lukasz Joachimiak . The confirmed speakers are as follows: Polly Fordyce (Stanford University, USA), Benedetta Bolognesi (Institute for Bioen gineering of Catalonia, Barcelona, Spain), Shova Maharana (Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India), Alex Holehouse (Washington University in St. Louis, USA), Carlos Castaneda (Syracuse University, USA), and Sheena Radford (University of Leeds, United Kingdom).

We will also have oral presentations from selected students and postdoctoral fellows. We are excited to host our IDP Subgroup dinner from 6:30 to 9:30 PM on February 15 at Sol Agave L.A. LIVE (800 W. Olympic Blvd. Suite A130, Los Ange les, CA 90015). The restaurant is conveniently located within a 10-minute walk from the conference venue. General tickets are priced at $90, which allows us to offer student tickets at a subsidized rate of $70 each. A dinner ticket can be purchased on the Biophysical Society website (www.biophysics.org/ store/products/product-details?ProductName=2025-intrin sically-disordered-proteins-dinner-only). Looking forward to seeing you in Los Angeles in February. — Samrat Mukhopadhyay , Chair Mechanobiology The Mechanobiology Subgroup is very pleased to announce its symposium at the 2025 BPS Annual Meeting in Los Angeles on Saturday, February 15, with talks from Johanna Ivaska , University of Turku; Daniel Cohen , Princeton University; Stephanie Fraley , University of California, San Diego; Pilnam Kim , KAIST; Jianping Fu , University of Michigan; Kara Garcia , In diana University; and Zev Gartner , University of California, San Francisco. In addition, we will have the opportunity to extend this scientific event at a dinner with Subgroup speakers and organizers. You will need to register for the dinner when you register for the BPS Annual Meeting. We have about 40 plac es available. Please support the Mechanobiology Subgroup by joining at www.biophysics.org/subgroups. We look forward to seeing you at the 2025 Mechanobiology Symposium. — Amit Pathak , Chair — Ovijit Chaudhuri , Chair-Elect — Nils Gauthier , Secretary-Treasurer

Membrane Fusion and Budding Estes Park, Colorado, USA | October 5–9, 2025 BPS CONFERENCE

THEMATIC MEETING Spatial Organization of Biological Functions Bangalore, India | October 20–25, 2025

THEMATIC MEETING Understanding Peripheral Membrane Protein Interactions: Structure, Dynamics, Function and Therapy Thessaloniki, Greece | November 9–13, 2025

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Communities

Membrane Structure and Function The Membrane Structure and Function (MSAF) Subgroup is thrilled to announce Sarah L. Veatch as the recipient of the 2025 Thomas E. Thompson Award. This prestigious honor, named after Thomas E. Thompson —pioneering membrane biophysicist, Biophysical Society president, and Biophysical Journal editor—recognizes her groundbreaking contributions to the field. Veatch’s research has profoundly advanced our understanding of membrane structure and cell signaling. Beginning with model membranes, she mapped phase dia grams and compositional dependencies, laying the foundation for understanding membrane heterogeneity. Extending this work to live cells, she uncovered molecular details pertaining to lipid rafts, immune cell signaling, protein clustering, and receptor interactions. By bridging physical chemistry with complex biological processes, she has reshaped how we view nanoscale membrane domains and their critical roles in cel lular function. A Sloan Fellow, Dayhoff Awardee, and National Science Foundation CAREER recipient, Veatch is Professor of Biophysics and Physics and Director of the Biophysics Grad uate Program at the University of Michigan. We invite you to attend her award lecture during the MSAF Symposium at the BPS Annual Meeting in Los Angeles on February 15, 2025. — Adam W. Smith , Chair Multiscale Genome Organization The Multiscale Genome Organization (MGO) Subgroup is delighted to present an outstanding lineup of speakers for the 2025 Biophysical Society Annual Meeting in Los Angeles. The program showcases renowned experts exploring genome organization at all scales, from atoms to whole genomes, using a diverse range of experimental and computational techniques. This year’s speakers include Serena Sanulli (Stan ford University), Lu Bai (Penn State), Rob McGinty (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill), Anna Panchenko (Queen’s University), Shoji Takada (Kyoto University), and Marcus

Woodworth (University of Pennsylvania). We look forward to groundbreaking discussions on the latest advances in genome organization. Please join the MGO Subgroup to connect with researchers and stay engaged with cutting-edge develop ments in the field! — Rosana Collepardo-Guevara , Co-Chair — Michael Poirier , Co-Chair Physical Cell Biology The Physical Cell Biology Subgroup looks forward to seeing you at the 2025 symposium in Los Angeles themed “Interplay between Theory and Experiment in Physical Cell Biology.” Invited speakers include Simone Reber , MPIIB-Berlin; Kiyoshi Mizuuchi , National Institutes of Health; Wenting Zhao , Nanyang Technological University Singapore; Sebastian Streichan , University of California, Santa Barbara; Qiong Yang , University of Michigan; and Ulrich Schwarz , University of Heidelberg. We especially welcome contributions from early-stage investiga tors. Abstracts not selected for a talk during the BPS Annual Meeting will have the chance to be selected for a presentation during our Annual Virtual Networking Event in Fall 2025. — Shiladitya Banerjee , Chair Theory & Computation Join us on at the BPS Annual Meeting on Saturday, Febru ary 15 at 8:30 AM in Petree Hall D for exciting talks by Grant Rotskoff , Angela Saric , Aditi Borkar , and Prabhu Raman . Cele brate the contributions of our early-career and mid-career awardees, Denise Okafor and Rommie Amaro , as well as the outstanding work of five trainees in a round of flash talks. We also hope that you can participate to the Subgroup business meeting after the talks from 12:00 to 12:30 PM. Looking forward to seeing you all soon in Los Angeles! — Benoit Roux , Chair

Give the Gift of Biophysics! Share the benefits of BPS with a gift membership! Perfect for students or colleagues —grant them access to exclusive resources, networking, and career development for a year. biophysics.org/giftmembership

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