Biophysical Society Bulletin | January 2026

Council Update

Strategic Priorities, Meeting Trends, and Program Evolution In early November, Council con

Emergence in the Molecular and Cellular Sciences (NSF-NCEMS) data science workshops, and a “fireside chat” with BPS Lecturer Lewis Kay . Linda Columbus and Henry Colecraft , the 2027 Annual Meeting Program Co-Chairs, shared initial planning themes and approaches to integrating four Subgroups into the main program at the 2027 Annual Meeting. Working out these details will enable us to feature a rotating set of four Subgroups in the main program at each Annual Meeting and will make room on Subgroup Saturday for emerging key areas that seek to form new Subgroups. Council agreed to conduct a data-driven review in February to revisit guidelines for program composition, Subgroup integration, and the balance of scientific areas represented at the Annual Meet ing. This important work will ensure that our centerpiece Annual Meeting continues to evolve to encompass the many opportuni ties in the vibrant field of biophysics. Council reviewed reports on recent small meetings—an im portant component of the Society’s scientific meeting portfolio. Attendance challenges related to travel restrictions and funding constraints were noted. Organizers of recent BPS Conferences expressed interest in continuing these events, and Council provi sionally approved a proposal to relocate a future Proton Reactions meeting to the United Kingdom to improve international accessi bility and participation. Speaker diversity, funding expectations for meeting organizers, and how best to ensure scientific breadth of both BPS Confer ences and Thematic Meetings were also discussed. To support greater rotation among speakers and broaden participation, Council adopted a new policy prohibiting repeated speakers in consecutive events for BPS Conferences. Thorsten Wohland , Chair of the Thematic Meetings Committee, presented three proposals for 2028 meetings—focused on ion channel research, deep learning in molecular modeling, and circadian rhythms—and received provisional approval for all three meetings. BPS Treasurer Samantha Harris presented an overview of BPS’s financial position. While reserves remain strong, the Society faces a tightening environment heading into 2026 due to lower revenue projections for meetings and membership. Council reviewed the proposed 2026 operating budget, which anticipates a deficit year. After discussion, Council approved the budget with the understanding that work to identify cost-saving measures will continue and that resources will remain focused on core member programs.

vened virtually to review progress on key initiatives, assess current and upcoming challenges, and make decisions that will shape member programs. We focused on the strategic direction of BPS meetings, financial stewardship, updates to the awards program, and the evolution of Subgroups.

Lynmarie K. Thompson

We opened the meeting by revisiting the Society’s mission and the updated strategic plan developed earlier this year. With polit ical uncertainty continuing to affect science funding, international collaboration, and travel, Council emphasized the need for BPS to sustain high-impact programs and double down on our core val ues of scientific excellence, integrity and transparency, universal access and opportunity, broad representation and belonging, and community building. A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to the Annual Meeting—both in near-term planning and long-range program structure. Council previewed the 2026 President’s Symposium, “Communicating the Value of Biophysics in a Changing World,” which will bring together leaders to explore strategies for effectively conveying the importance of scientific research, and discussed opportunities to share this programming more broadly with members. Ariane Briegel , 2026 Annual Meeting Program Co-Chair with Ilya Levental , provided an overview of the scientific program, which includes a full complement of symposia, workshops, platform sessions, and poster sessions. The new abstract category, Biophysics for Sustainability, garnered a small number of submis sions, but Council agreed that this is an emerging area we hope to grow and encouraged ongoing efforts to engage members more broadly on this topic. Early registration and abstract submission metrics for the 2026 Annual Meeting show a decline compared with recent years, mirroring patterns seen across some related scientific societies. Institutional budgets have contracted, and international partici pation has softened. While these trends reflect global challenges facing science, Council expressed the importance of ensuring that the BPS Annual Meeting remains the essential gathering place for biophysicists and discussed opportunities for enhanced scien tific programming, professional development, and networking. These include a new poster session on funding opportunities, two National Science Foundation-National Synthesis Center for

January 2026

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