Biophysical Society Bulletin | July/August 2018

July/August 2018

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

Carol Robinson Named 2019 BPS Lecturer Carol Robinson , a Royal Society Research Professor at the Physical and Theoretical Chemistry Laboratory at the University of Oxford, United Kingdom, has been selected as the 2019 BPS Lecturer at the Biophysical Society 63 rd Annual Meeting in Baltimore, Maryland. Professor Robinson holds the Chair of Doctor Lee’s Professor of Chemistry at the University of Oxford and in 2013 was awarded the title of Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire. She is renowned for pioneering the use of mass spectrometry and for her groundbreaking research into the 3D structure of proteins. Her lecture, From Peripheral Proteins to Membrane Motors – Mass Spectrometry Comes of Age , will take place on Monday, March 4, 2019.

Carol Robinson

Taylor-Weiner 2018–2019 BPS Congressional Fellow

Inside A Message from the President

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The Society is pleased to announce that it has selected Hermes Taylor-Weiner as its 2018–2019 Congressional Fellow. Taylor– Weiner will spend a year working in a congressional office on legislative and policy areas requiring scientific input. He will also participate in the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)’s Science and Technology Fellowship Program, which includes an orientation on congressional and executive branch operations and a year-long seminar series on issues related to science policy. “I have a strong interest in public policy and believe that evi-

BPS Programs

Biophysicist in Profile

Public Affairs Annual Meeting

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Career Development

Grants and Opportunities

Networking 14 Member Corner & Important Dates 15 Publications 16 Communities 17 Outreach 18 Upcoming Events 20

Hermes Taylor-Weiner

dence-based policymaking is important for good governance,” stated Taylor-Weiner in his candidate questionnaire. “As I envision the next stage of my career, I feel I can make the greatest impact in public service.” Taylor-Weiner received his PhD in Bioengineering from the University of California, San Diego, and completed a postdoctoral fellowship in Medical Biochemistry and Biophys- ics at Karolinska Institute in Sweden. He also served as a Science Policy Fellow while at the University of California, San Diego. “We are excited to welcome Hermes to the biophysics family as he pursues his bur- geoning interest in science and public policy,” said Rosalba Kampman , Executive Director, BPS.

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President’s Message

AMessage from the President The Biophysical Society’s 2019 Annual Meeting website is now open and accepting abstract submis- sions (see page 8). The symposia and workshops listed on the site again showcase the breadth and depth of research by biophysicists, both with respect to areas and techniques. This year we empha- size the complementarity of experimental and computational approaches and also pay attention to integrated methodologies. The meeting includes speakers from around the globe and, like every year, is a draw for researchers worldwide: they know that nowhere else can they listen first hand to the latest and most exciting developments in biophysical techniques and their applications. We all attend this meeting to learn where our science is moving, what tools and methodologies are hot and upcoming, and who are the rising stars in our field.

Angela M. Gronenborn

To develop such a comprehensive program, one that includes the best research in each area and showcases the diversity of those who conduct the research, is a significant undertaking. It is in the hands of different Society members each year who are appointed to a program committee. It is thanks to their efforts that the Annual Meeting is a highlight in the world wide biophysics community and the major motivation for people to join the Biophysical Society and renew their membership. For this reason, the Society’s leadership wants to ensure that our meeting projects the best possible science and is welcoming and inclusive for all. This past year, those of us on council and on committees took a fresh look at what we do, questioning and exploring whether we could do better and be more sensitive to the needs of our members and meeting attendees. While we always have prided ourselves on being inclusive and striving for diversity, we found, during this inward reflection, that we were—not surprising- ly—wanting in a number of areas! We are working to address these areas, and you may see more changes down the road. We already implemented one change, a small one at first sight, but noteworthy in my view. It demonstrates that even seemingly minor things we do or don’t do can send a big message. While approximately 40% of attendees at the Annual Meeting come from outside the U.S. and we regularly elect non-US scientists to council, ever since the Society’s inception we had the “Na- tional Lecturer” award and presentation each year. How can we be an international, global organization and have a “national” lecturer? What nation does the person or award represent? What message does that title send to the biophysical community outside the US? And, most importantly, why hadn’t we realized this before!? As an outward sign of realizing our myopic perspective we decided that the award’s name needed to be changed - it’s now called “The Biophysical Society Lecturer.” Yes, it looks like only a small change, but one that we hope conveys a bigger idea: Science is global and biophysics is no exception. Of course, there are compelling reasons why science has to be, among other things, international. It aims at deriving a universal and verifiable description of the world. It does not depend on the national, ethnic, or cultural background of individual scientists or consider any other subjective aspects. A scientist’s nationality moves to the back when s/he engages in scientific work—only the quality counts. Furthermore, the ever-increasing complexity and scope of projects demands collaborative approaches, which operate equally well in any part of the world. Scientific research today is characterized by openness and rapid communication of results. Populism and nationalism, though not explicitly antag- onistic to science, stand in opposition to a free and open atmosphere, without borders where unrestricted exchange of ideas is the norm. Populist nativism in Britain threatens to take a toll on British science through the consequences of the Brexit. In the US, rising anti-immigrant sentiments also pose a danger, because science in the US depends heavily on foreign talent. As an organization, the Biophysical Society needs to communicate the importance of immigration and internationalism for scientific research. That’s why small and subtle messages, like dropping the descriptor “National” from our most prestigious award can have significant impact. We strive to continuously improve the Biophysical Society, and we welcome suggestions from members around the globe about changes that we can make, both big and small, that will help the Biophysical Society and its meetings to continue to be at the forefront of scientific advancement by ensuring that our society is a place where everyone feels welcome, respected, and appreciated — a place where researchers from everywhere can come together to discuss, collaborate, and grow the field of biophysics. — Angela M. Gronenborn

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BPS Programs

Officers President Angela Gronenborn President-Elect David Piston Past-President Lukas Tamm Secretary Frances Separovic Treasurer Kalina Hristova Council

NewBPS Lecture ProgramAnnounced At their spring meeting, the BPS Council approved a new named lecture program for non-BPS organized meetings. The first Biophysical Society-Sponsored Lecture will debut at the Joint 12th EBSA (European Biophysical Societies Association) and 10th ICBP (International Conference on Biological Physics)-IUPAP (International Union of Pure and Applied Physics) Biophysics Congress, July 20-24, 2019, in Madrid Spain. Eva Nogales will deliver the first BPS-sponsored lecture. This new program allows organizers of large international meetings to seek support for a plenary or keynote speaker who is a Biophysical Society member. Applications will be accepted twice each year and will be evaluated by a BPS committee.

Zev Bryant Jane Clarke Linda Columbus Bertrand Garcia-Moreno Teresa Giraldez Ruben Gonzalez, Jr. Arthur Palmer Marina Ramirez-Alvarado Jennifer Ross David Stokes Joanna Swain Pernilla Wittung-Stafeshede Biophysical Journal Jane Dyson Editor-in-Chief Society Office Ro Kampman Executive Officer Newsletter Executive Editor Rosalba Kampman Managing Editor Beth Staehle Contributing Writers and Proofreaders Dorothy Chaconas Laura Phelan

Caitlin Simpson Elizabeth Vuong Sean Winkler Production

Ray Wolfe Catie Curry

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. Canadian GST No. 898477062. Postmaster: Send address changes to Biophysical Society, 5515 Security Lane, Suite 1110, Rockville, MD 20852. Copyright © 2018 by the Biophysical Society. Printed in the United States of America. All rights reserved.

GET INVOLVED! The fourth annual Biophysics Week will take place March 25–29, 2019. We invite you to participate in this highly successful event which has grown each year as the field of biophysics expands and awareness of biophysics increases. Join this global celebration by planning an affiliate event. The Biophysical Society is committed to helping you celebrate by providing resources such as lesson plans, flyers, brochures, and profiles of biophysicists. Register your activity by January 15, 2019 , and you will receive a customized poster to help you advertise your event. Visit www.surveymonkey.com/r/5WBN26Z.

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Biophysicist in Profile

Linda Columbus Areas of Research Membrane protein structure, dynamics, folding, and function

Institution University of Virginia

At-a-Glance

Before she went to college, Linda Columbus did not know it would be possible to have a career as a scientist. “I loved puzzles and challenges, but I wasn’t sure how that fit into a career. Now I see exactly how it fits into being a scientist.” She now applies her problem-solving skills in her research on how membranes and membrane mimics stabilize membrane protein folds and how bacterial pathogen membrane proteins interact with human host proteins, and in her role as Associate Director of UVA’s Global Infectious Disease Institute.

Linda Columbus

Linda Columbus , Associate Professor of Chemistry and As- sociate Director of the Global Infectious Disease Institute at University of Virginia, grew up in New Hampshire with young parents. “My parents were 17 when I was born, so I watched them grow up too,” she shares. “My mom inspired me through her actions. In my lifetime, I saw my mom go to high school (I don’t remember that), go to nursing school, go back to college, go to law school, and become a practicing lawyer. Neither my mom nor dad’s parents were educated beyond high school so the concept of an academic life was completely foreign to me until college.” After graduating from high school, Columbus enrolled in Smith College, in Northampton, Massachusetts, where she majored in chemistry. “Until college, it didn’t dawn on me that I could have a job that was just thinking about science. That level of privilege was not a concept that I had ever been ex- posed to,” she says. She undertook undergraduate research, and her mentors encouraged her scientific pursuits. “Specif- ically, David Bickar and Sharon Palmer at Smith College were very encouraging and at the same time set a bar of intel- lectual rigor,” she says. “I was a chemistry major and I found the physical organic material the most interesting. I enjoyed thinking about how and why organic molecules move, or their differences in stability. Questions like: ‘why is cyclobutane more stable than cyclopropane?’ Or ‘why would a substituent on this ring position change the chair/boat populations in cy- clohexane?’ fascinated me. I was also interested in the yellow stars in the biochemistry textbooks. These stars indicated a conformational change that resulted in the protein carrying out its function. I wrote a paper on the detection of light by rhodopsin and how the signal is propagated and processed by the visual cortex. I assumed proteins were just large organic molecules and that we could understand the conformations of proteins based on what we learned about small organic molecules.”

Following her graduation in 1996, Columbus began her PhD studies in biochemistry and molecular biology at the Univer- sity of California, Los Angeles. She carried out her research in the lab of Wayne Hubbell . “Leaving college, I found myself interested in topics that were grounded in the physical yet applied to the biological, but I was trained as a chemist and didn’t understand that biophysics was a different field. I thought — and to some extent still think — biomolecules are large organic molecules so I didn’t know that physical organic chemistry and biophysics were considered different fields,” she says. “In graduate school, I was able to understand that biophysics went beyond physical organic chemistry. I learned from Wayne Hubbell, my PhD advisor, to dissect biological problems with the different disciplines and that as scientists we could choose and move between the different methods, concepts, and systems. Wayne was an amazing mentor because he let me explore, dig in, and figure things out on my own and was willing to talk about my understandings any- time. Because of these experiences, I didn’t think much about what my next steps were in terms of getting started and pursuing science and biophysics. It was fun so I kept doing it.” Upon completion of her PhD in 2001, Columbus continued as a postdoctoral fellow in Hubbell’s lab for another year, then moved on to the Scripps Research Institute where she com- pleted postdocs in the labs of Kurt Wüthrich and Scott Lesley . In 2007, she was hired at the University of Virginia, where she now serves as Associate Professor of Chemistry and Asso- ciate Director of the Global Infectious Disease Institute. Her research focuses on how membranes and membrane mimics stabilize membrane protein folds and how bacterial pathogen membrane proteins interact with human host proteins. The Institute was formed in 2017 with a goal of bringing together researchers from diverse fields to work on urgent infectious diseases, including viruses like Ebola, Zika, SARS-CoV, and MERS-CoV; gastrointestinal pathogens; and antibiotic-resis- tant superbugs.

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Biophysicist in Profile

“The most rewarding and challenging aspect of my work is mentoring,” she shares. “I enjoy helping people realize their vi- sion of what they want to be and giving them the opportunity to find themselves. I take great pride at the amazing careers and experiences my trainees go on to do.” Alison Dewald , Associate Professor of Chemistry at Salisbury University and one of her first PhD students, shares the influ- ence Columbus has had on her career. “Linda is exceptionally generous with her talents. She was an incredible mentor to me as a graduate student, and has continued to support and advise me throughout my early career. I was recently awarded tenure and promoted to associate professor at a primarily undergraduate institution. This is my dream job, and I owe so much of it to Linda’s mentorship and example,” she explains.

he says. “Linda has been and continues to be extremely sup- portive in my research and career. She pays forward with her time and effort. She has always taken an interest in my career and projects, starting from when I was in her lab to present.” As her career has gone on, Columbus has found greater challenge in its secondary aspects than in the science itself. “The biggest challenge is the culture in the different sciences in terms of gender and scientific focus. I have been accused of ‘selling out’ by becoming more biologically focused. I have been asked what ‘hat’ I wear so that I could be classified as a chemist, biochemist, biomedical researcher, or something else,” she explains. “I have been the only woman in a room and I have had numerous campus visits in which I only met with men.” This can feel very alienating, as she explains, “All of these experiences can make me feel like an outsider, different, or excluded. I face these experiences as opportunities to have discussions about the differences I notice without attack- ing an individual. I am usually encouraged by the responses and discussions and find that many people want to increase representation and diversity, but lack tools or opportunities to make changes.”

Columbus with her husband, Cameron Mura, and son Calvin.

“I became a mother my last year of graduate school. Our uni- versity didn’t have much of a policy for this, but Linda ensured that I was supported with maternity leave and flexibility— she did the same when another student became a father,” Dewald shares. “When I returned to work, she made sure that I (and all future new moms) had a dedicated, private place to pump milk – this hadn’t previously existed in our building. I am grateful for her generosity and support during that time and will be for my entire life; I try to pay it forward when my students have life circumstances.” Another of Columbus’s former graduate students, Brett Kroncke is now a postdoctoral fellow Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC), and will be starting a tenure-track faculty position at VUMC in the new year. He remembers her influence on him as he began his career. “As my PhD advisor, Linda taught me many things — some technical and some not. It’s hard for me to estimate exactly how important the technical wet lab skills have been, since I rely on them heavily in the experimental side of my research. Linda also insisted on imagining the impact of my project as far into the future as is possible, motivating my research from a big picture potential,”

Columbus with her lab. From left to right, front row: Katie Ahn, Nicole Swope, Linda Columbus. Next row: Jason Kuhn, Tracy Caldwell, Jennifer Martin. Back row: Katherine Lake, Steven Keller, Marissa Kieber

Columbus advises those just starting out in biophysics to find what they are passionate about and what will keep them motivated, then keep digging. “Always keep asking yourself questions about your data and perspectives in order to dig deeper,” she says. “Don’t report the data chronologically. Ana- lyze data, look at data from different perspectives, and stitch all the data together to tell a story.” “Linda used to say that if her academic biophysics career didn’t work out, she and her mom would be contestants on The Amazing Race ,” Dewald says. “Of course she is so success- ful in her career, but I also think that they could have won the race.”

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Public Affairs

NIH Releases Strategic Plan On June 4, the National Institutes for Health (NIH) released the final draft of its Strategic Plan for Data Science as part of an agency-wide strategic plan covering years 2016-2020. According to the NIH, the plan provides guidelines for “maximizing the value of data generated through NIH-funded efforts” in order to keep up with, and accelerate, the pace of biomedical research. The plan points to revolutions in resolution capabilities in areas like electron cryomicroscopy (cryoEM) that have entered the Big Data arena, pushing hardware and software requirements to unprecedented levels: Scientists who use cryoEM generate several terabytes of data per day. The plan also outlines the agency’s current data science challenges and points to a number of goals that the new guidelines will aim to address including: better interoperability, universal data analysis tools, and finding better ways to handle the increasing costs associated with management of Big Data.

BPSWelcomes SeanWinkler as Director, Public Affairs and Outreach

calls for career outcome data collection and transparency, quality mentoring, creating an inclusive environment, and a focus on well-rounded professional development. Addi- tionally, the report includes recommendations for graduate students, a list of core competencies for master’s and PhD education, and a description of the ideal graduate student program. To purchase or download a free copy of the report, visit the NASEM website at: https:/www.nap.edu/catalog/25038/ graduate-stem-education-for-the-21st-century On May 30, President Trump signed the Right to Try legis- lation into law. The bill authorizes the use of unapproved medical products by patients diagnosed with a terminal illness, allowing for terminally ill patients to bypass the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) rules to ask drug companies for access to experimental drugs, and removes any liability against manufacturers and others when products are used to treat these patients. The bill also removes the use of outcome data from being used to delay or otherwise adversely impact review or approval of such experimental drugs, biological products, or devices used in accordance with the provisions of the bill. Proponents of the bill claim that it will provide potentially life-saving treatment options to those with no other option. However, critics have expressed concerns that bypassing the FDA regulations could instill “false hope” in patients since drug makers aren’t required to give unapproved medicines to patients who ask for them, in addition to con- cerns over the safety of treating patients with only one phase of clinical trials. President Trump Signs Right to Try Drug Bill

The BPS welcomes Sean Winkler as the new Director of Public Affairs and Outreach. Winkler joins us from the Railway Engineering-Maintenance Suppliers Association (REMSA), where he lobbied for REMSA’s nearly 350 members and built a grassroots tours program, which hosted 38 members of Congress at REMSA member facilities. Previously, he’s worked as a federal

Sean Winkler

agricultural lobbyist, on statewide and city council campaigns in Maryland, and as a legislative aide in the Maryland Gener- al Assembly. Winkler holds a BA in Government and Politics from the University of Maryland, College Park. In his spare time, he likes to cook, play basketball, and volunteer for caus- es and campaigns in Maryland. He can be reached at (240)

290-5606 or swinkler@biophysics.org. NASEMReleases Graduate Education Report

On May 29, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineer- ing, and Medicine (NASEM) released a 175-page report titled Graduate STEM Education for the 21st Century . The report seeks to investigate how well the current STEM graduate education system is meeting the full array of 21st-century needs, in response to recent surveys of employers and graduates, and studies of graduate education, suggesting that many gradu- ate programs do not adequately prepare students to translate their knowledge into impact in multiple careers. The report

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Public Affairs

From the 2017-2018 BPS Congressional Fellow Hello again, Biophysical Society members! I am continuing to enjoy my time on Capitol Hill, and I’ve been fortunate to have several unique experiences. One of these experiences was visiting the Illinois 11th Congressional District and joining a congressional delegation trip to Argonne National Lab and Fermilab in May. In the district, I had a chance to visit the place that constitu- ents had been calling from for the past eight months. I visited a high school, a manufacturer, and a local union, and learned a great deal about the education and workforce development efforts taking place in the 11th District of Illinois and across the country. I also was able to join a delegation of congressional members and staff to visit Argonne National Lab and Fermilab. On the tours of these world-class research facilities, I got to see quantum computers and atomic force microscopes, and see up-close large-scale projects such as the Advanced Photon Source and neutrino experiments. This was an incredible trip, and I was able to return to our office in Washington, DC, with a greater understanding of the places and people that Congressman Foster is working to represent. I also returned with a more comprehensive view of the research and collaboration that takes place at the US National Laboratories. I am grateful to the Biophysical Society for this experience! Please contact Sean Winkler at swinkler@biophysics.org if you are interested in setting up a Congressional visit with BPS! — Yasmeen Hussain

Yasmeen and other members of the delegation 300 feet underground at the NOvA neu- trino detector at Fermilab. Photo credit: Reidar Hahn/Fermilab

Yasmeen participating in a demonstration of the Oleo Sponge, a material developed at Argonne National Lab which selectively picks up oil rather than water and could be used in oil spill management.

Apply to be the 2019-2020 BPS Congressional Fellow!

Are you interested in working on Capitol Hill and learning more about science policy? All members who have obtained their PhD and are eligible to work in the United States may apply. Application deadline: December 22, 2018 Visit www.biophysics.org for additional information.

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Annual Meeting

A Note from the ProgramChairs It is with great pleasure that we present the program for the 2019 Annual Meeting. Once again, the program accentuates the important role biophysics plays as the cor- nerstone of biology, physics, and chemistry, as well as its significance in linking basic scientific research with translational applications. The meeting will emphasize collabo- ration between experiment and modeling, including particularly the challenge to explicitly map and model the cell in an integrative and multiscale fashion. This year’s symposia and workshops will span a wide range of topics that represent the core strengths of the Society, pushing the forefronts of biophysical theory, experiment, and technology. We look forward to seeing you in Baltimore!

Thank you to our sponsors: Asylum Research Bruker Corporation Leica Microsystems LUMICKS Molecular Devices Nanion Technologies TA Instruments Wyatt Technology Corporation

Susan Marqusee University of California, Berkeley

Andrej Sali University of California, San Francisco

Abstract Submission & Registration NowOpen

Symposia Proteins: Dynamics and Allostery Rommie Amaro , University of California, San Diego, Chair Lewis Kay , University of Toronto, Canada Vincent Hilser , Johns Hopkins University Catherine A. Royer , Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Proteins: Exploring Sequence Space via Computation and Experiment Polly Fordyce , Stanford University, Chair

Large Macromolecular Machines in the Cell Joachim Frank , Columbia University, Chair Emad Tajkhorshid , University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Michael Rout , Rockefeller University Titia Sixma , Netherlands Cancer Institute Biological Systems Single Molecule at the Time Ben Schuler , University of Zürich, Switzerland, Chair Carlos Bustamante , University of California, Berkeley, HHMI Xiaowei Zhang , Harvard University Scott Blanchard , Cornell University

Remember To submit an abstract or Register for the Annual Meeting you must have a myBPS Account.

Kim Reynolds , University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center Daniel Tawfik , Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Eugene Koonin , NIH

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Annual Meeting

Theory and Experiment to the Cell and Back

Membrane Organization and Sculpting by Proteins Jenny Hinshaw , NIH, Chair James Hurley , University of California, Berkeley Patricia Bassereau , Institut Curie, France Benoit Roux , University of Chicago Transporters and Channels Diana Bautista , University of California, Berkeley, Chair Kaspar Locher , ETH Zürich, Switzerland Ildiko Szabo , University of Padova, Italy Nieng Yan , Princeton University Glutamate Receptors Maria Kurnikova , Carnegie Mellon University, Chair Andrew Plested , FMP Berlin, Germany Shu-Jia Zhu , Chinese Academy of Science Lonnie Wollmuth , Stony Brook University Biological Membranes and Vesicles John Briggs , MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, United Kingdom, Chair Kay Grünewald , University of Oxford, United Kingdom Julien Berro , Yale University Michael Feig , Michigan State University Function and Signaling at the Membrane Mark McLean , University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Chair Ana J. García-Sáez , University of Tübingen, Germany Jodi Nunnari , University of California, Davis Polina Lishko , University of California, Berkeley Molecular and Transcriptional Regulation of Cardiac E-C Coupling Shi-Qiang Wang , Peking University, China, Chair Samantha Harris , University of Arizona Robin Shaw , Cedars-Sinai Medical Center Xander H.T. Wehrens , Baylor University

Cytoskeleton Sabine Petry , Princeton University, Chair James Spudich , Stanford University Claudia Veigel , Ludwig Maximilian University of Münich, Germany Leah Gheber , Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Israel Regulation of Cardiomyocyte Beating Beth L. Pruitt , Stanford University, Chair Litsa Kranias , University of Cincinnati Ohad Cohen , Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Edward Lakatta , NIH Chromatin Organization and Regulation: From Physical Principles to Biological Phenomena Karolin Luger , Colorado State University, Chair Lynn Zechiedrich , Baylor University Leonid Mirny , MIT Helmut Schiessel , Leiden University, The Netherlands RNA Jody Puglisi , Stanford University, Chair Marina Rodnina , Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Germany Holger Stark , Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Germany Elizabeth Tran , Purdue University Proton-coupling Bioenergetics Elizabeth Carpenter , University of Oxford, United Kingdom, Chair Robert Tampé , Goethe University Frankfurt, Germany Peter Rich , University College London, United Kingdom Todd P. Silverstein , Willamette University Determining Molecular Networks Edward Marcotte , University of Texas at Austin, Chair Jonathan Weissman , University of California, San Francisco Olga Troyanskaya , Princeton University Trey Ideker , University of California, San Diego

Synthetic Biology Luis Serrano , Centre for Genomic Regulation, Spain, Chair Adam Cohen , Harvard University Elena G. Govorunova , University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston Michelle Chang , University of California, Berkeley Mapping the Cell Raymond Stevens , University of Southern California, Chair Joseph DeRisi , University of California, San Francisco Markus Covert , Stanford University Rick Horwitz , Allen Institute for Cell Science Phase Separations in the Cell Geeta Narlikar , University of California, San Francisco, Chair Julie Forman-Kay , University of Toronto, Canada Stephen Michnick , University of Montreal, Canada Rohit Pappu , Washington University in St. Louis Integrative Modeling from Macromolecules to Cell Zaida Ann Luthey-Schulten , University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Chair Frank Alber , University of Southern California Cecilia Clementi , Rice University Gerhard Hummer , Max Planck Institute of Biophysics, Germany

biophysics.org/ 2019meeting

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Annual Meeting

Workshops The Role of Data Resources in Biophysics Helen Berman , Rutgers University, Chair Stephen Burley , Rutgers University Henning Hermjakob , European Bioinformatics Institute, United Kingdom Alex Bateman , European Bioinformatics Institute, United Kingdom David Landsman , NIH Methods for Integrative Structure Modeling of Biomolecular Systems Jens Meiler , Vanderbilt University, Chair Frank DiMaio , University of Washington Alexandre Bonvin , Utrecht University, The Netherlands Graham Johnson , Allen Institute for Cell Science Maya Topf , Birkbeck, University of London, United Kingdom

Squeezing the Most out of Your Data – Bayesian Statistical Inference for Biophysics Michael Nilges , Pasteur Institute, France, Chair Michael Habeck , Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Germany John Chodera , Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center Massimiliano Bonomi , Cambridge University, United Kingdom Frank Noé , Freir Universität Berlin, Germany

Methods for X-Ray Tomography and Electron Microscopy Carolyn Larabell , Lawrence Berkeley

National Laboratory, Chair John Rubinstein , University of Toronto, Canada

Peijun Zhang , University of Oxford, United Kingdom Steven Ludtke , Baylor University Florence Tama , Nagoya University, Japan Single-Molecule Methods Bo Huang , University of California, San Francisco, Chair Jie Xiao , Johns Hopkins University Michelle Wang , Cornell University Taekjip Ha , Johns Hopkins University William E. Moerner , Stanford University

Abstract Categories The Society organizes platform and poster sessions based on scientific areas. The abstract topic categories are reviewed annually and modified as needed to reflect new and evolving areas in biophysics. When submitting an abstract, you will be asked to select the category in which your abstract best fits. The abstract categories for the 2019 Annual Meeting are listed below. Proteins

Nucleic Acids 2A DNA Replication, Recombination & Repair 2B Transcription 2C Ribosomes & Translation 2D DNA Structure & Dynamics 2E RNA Structure & Dynamics 2F Protein-Nucleic Acid Interactions 2G Chromatin & the Nucleoid Lipid Bilayers & Membranes 3A Membrane Physical Chemistry 3B Membrane Dynamics 3C Membrane Active Peptides & Toxins 3D Membrane Fusion & Non-bilayer Structures 3E Membrane Structure 3F Protein-Lipid Interactions: Channels 3G Protein-Lipid Interactions: Structures 3H General Protein-Lipid Interactions Cell Physiology & Biophysics 4A Membrane Receptors & Signal Transduction 4B Mechanosensation 4C Exocytosis & Endocytosis 4D Calcium Signaling 4E Intracellular Calcium Channels & Calcium Sparks & Waves

1A Protein Structure & Conformation 1B Protein Structure Prediction & Design 1C Protein Stability, Folding & Chaperones 1D Protein-Small Molecule Interactions 1E Protein Assemblies 1F Protein Dynamics & Allostery 1G Membrane Protein Structures 1H Membrane Protein Dynamics 1I Membrane Protein Folding 1J Enzyme Function, Cofactors & Post-translational Modifications 1K Intrinsically Disordered Proteins (IDP) & Aggregates

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Annual Meeting

Systems Biology 8A Genetic Regulatory Systems 8B Cellular Signaling & Metabolic Networks 8C Systems Biology & Disease 8D Emerging Techniques & Synthetic Biology Biophysics Of Neuroscience 9A Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience 9B Systems Neuroscience 9C Computational Neuroscience 9D Neuroscience: Experimental Approaches & Tools 9E Sensory Neuroscience New Developments In Biophysical Techniques 10A EPR and NMR: Spectroscopy & Imaging 10B Electron Microscopy 10C Diffraction & Scattering Techniques 10D Molecular Dynamics 10E Computational Methods & Bioinformatics 10F Optical Microscopy & Superresolution Imaging 10G Single-Molecule Spectroscopy 10H Optical Spectroscopy: CD, UV-VIS, Vibrational, Fluorescence 10I Force Spectroscopy & Scanning Probe Microcopy Bioengineering And Biomaterials 11A Bioengineering

4F Excitation-Contraction Coupling 4G Cardiac, Smooth & Skeletal Muscle Electrophysiology 4H Muscle Regulation 4I Intracellular Transport Channels 5A Voltage-gated Na Channels 5B Voltage-gated Ca Channels 5C Voltage-gated K Channels 5D TRP Channels 5E Ligand-gated Channels

5F Ion Channel Regulatory Mechanisms 5G Ion Channels, Pharmacology & Disease 5H Other Channels Cytoskeleton, Motility & Motors 6A Skeletal Muscle Mechanics, Structure & Regulation 6B Cardiac Muscle Mechanics & Structure 6C Cardiac Muscle Regulation 6D Smooth Muscle Mechanics, Structure & Regulation 6E Actin Structure, Dynamics & Associated Proteins 6F Microtubules, Structure, Dynamics & Associated Proteins 6G Kinesins, Dyneins & Other Microtubule-based Motors 6H Myosins 6I Cytoskeletal Assemblies & Dynamics 6J Cell Mechanics, Mechanosensing & Motility 6K Cytoskeletal-based Intracellular Transport 6L Bacterial Mechanics, Cytoskeleton & Motility Bioenergetics 7A Membrane Pumps, Transporters & Exchangers 7B Energy Transducing Membrane Protein Complexes 7C Electron & Proton Transfer 7D Light Energy Harvesting, Trapping & Transfer 7E Mitochondria in Cell Life & Death

11B Biosensors 11C Biosurfaces 11D Micro- and Nanotechnology 11E Biomaterials Biophysics Education 12A Biophysics Education

Techniques To allow attendees to search for ab- stracts based on specific techniques in addition to areas of research, during abstract submission you will be asked to select the technique used in your research from among a list of broad topics. The technique categories for the 2019 Annual Meeting are listed here.

• Analytical Ultracentrifugation • Atomic Force Spectroscopy • Bioinformatics • Calorimetry • Cell/Tissue Imaging & Mechanics • Computational Chemistry • Electron Microscopy & Superreso- lution • Electrophysiology • Fluorescence • Light Microscopy & Superresolution Imaging • Mass Spectrometry • Microfluidics & Microfabrication

• Molecular Modeling • Molecular Dynamics Simulations • Nanotechnology • Nuclear Magnetic Resonance/EPR Spectroscopy • Optical Spectroscopy (CD & UV-VIS) • Single-Molecule Methods • Vibrational Spectroscopy (Infrared & Raman) • X-Ray & Neutron Scattering & Diffraction • X-Ray Crystallography • None/Other

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Career Development

What to Expect in a Letter of Recommendation

include a brief introduction to how you met, how long you have known each other, and the nature of that relationship. It will then go on to state your general accomplishments and strengths, including publications and awards. In addition, the writer may provide a specific example of something that you have done that has impressed them. This could be trouble- shooting a difficult protocol, taking a leadership role in a proj- ect, or demonstrating engagement and scientific ownership. These specific examples are particularly helpful in providing concrete examples of your excellence; they also underscore that the writer is well acquainted with you and your work. A letter will also include a discussion of your strengths in general, and why you are suited for what you want to do. It may also include a statement about your limitations, although generally most mentors will not write a negative letter without alerting you that they are considering doing so. Some letters may also include a relative ranking of your abilities within your cohort, although these tend to not be perceived as particularly meaningful because they are highly subjective. The letter will generally conclude with a broad statement about how well suited you are for the task at hand. Many mentors take great pride in a well-crafted letter that highlights a trainee that they have worked with and they enjoy having the opportunity to showcase that person. In ad- dition, many have a fairly standard approach to writing letters and can approach the task easily. That being said, timing is everything, and some common courtesies will aid in helping someone who is busy or under stress get you the letter you need in time. So, give your letter writer as much notice as possible and send a polite reminder closer to the date it is due. Be sure to provide all information required for logging in to websites for upload and who the letter should be ad- dressed to. Make your request brief, but polite, and be sure to proofread and thoughtfully edit your email. Put the request in context (what you are applying for), and offer to provide addi- tional information if they agree to write your letter. If they do, thank them briefly. This is a great opportunity to demonstrate professionalism, and you can bet that it will be noticed. Also, don’t stress if it is the last minute for a reason that was out of your hands. It happens, we have all been there. Just acknowl- edge the extra accommodation and thank them again.

Over the course of your training, you will be required to request more letters of reference than you ever thought possible. Beginning with your admis- sion to grad school, and progressing through fellowship and funding applica- tions, postdoctoral positions, and ultimately the job market, those that are involved in your training become

a frequent source of insight into the skills, personality traits, and experiences that make you special. What can you expect from this experience and how can you facilitate the drafting and acquisition of reference letters that will get you where you want to be? What should I contribute to a letter? As you progress through your career, you will also likely write letters of refer- ence for yourself. It is not unusual to provide a draft of a letter to a letter-writer, which allows the opportunity to highlight what you consider to be the most important aspects of your CV and training. At the student level, this often isn’t the case, and most mentors expect that they will have to draft some- thing from scratch. However, for a first-time letter from a mentor, you should provide at a minimum a copy of your CV. In addition, it can be helpful to draft a brief paragraph (even in an email) describing what you think your best skills or traits are, including an example of a situation in which you feel like you have excelled. This is a good time to remind them of your goals and ambitions, and how this letter can help you achieve them (“a fellowship at this stage in my career will significantly advance my goal of being a primary investigator”). What will be in your letter and how long will it be? Most reference letters are at a minimum two pages long, and some are longer. Generally, they include a section about why that person is qualified to write you a letter of recommendation, including their position and publication history, and their history of mentoring trainees. The letter will also usually

Numbers By the

One thousand sixty people have registered for Biophysical Society career webinars, and many others have viewed the recorded webinars on-demand.

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Career Development

Postdoc to Faculty Transition

• Practice your chalk talk with an audience, because the goal is to be engaged with your colleagues during the talk and to show your teaching skill. • Somewhere low on your initial list of possible depart- ments may end up seeming like a much better fit once you have visited, and vice versa. Job searching is a self-limiting process, with only one or two options at the end, so it’s usually an easy choice. Science Communication Careers: Journalism, Writing, PR, and Other Paths September 18, 2018, 2:00 pm Eastern Presenter: Alaina G. Levine There are many career opportunities for those interested in combining their love of science with articulating those ideas to members of the public. Learn about the different career paths you can take, how to market yourself to per- spective employers, what skills to hone now, and how to set yourself up for success in science communications.

Each year at the Annual Meeting, a small group of postdocs sign up for the Postdoc to Faculty Q&A: Transitions Forum and Luncheon, a closed door information session with new and experienced faculty. Though not a complete summary of the discussion at the 2018 session, a few pieces of advice for the job search and transition process are shared below. • The most important thing in your career is your reputa- tion. Whenever you submit a paper or grant, three or four people will form an opinion, and it’s hard to change. Don’t rush submissions before you are ready. • Tailor your cover letter for every job and department you are applying for. Use it as an opportunity to explain how your research fits into the department and addresses their needs. Having a standard letter signals that you do not have a strong interest in the position, having not put much effort into the application materials. • If you’re asking for letters of recommendation, you may give the letter writers a bullet list of ideas for what to include. Don’t give every letter writer the same list, so that the letters do not all end up the same. Ask the writ- ers to send the letters directly, rather than sending them yourself.

Register Today at biophysics.org/webinars

Grants & Opportunities

Alexander Hollaender Award in Biophysics The Alexander Hollaender Award in Biophysics is pre- sented every three years and carries with it a $20,000 prize. The Award recognizes outstanding contributions made to the field of biophysics. Application Restrictions: Please note that self-nom- inations are not accepted. International nominees are eligible for nomination. Deadline: October 1, 2018 Website: http:/www.nasonline.org/programs/awards/ alexander-hollaender-award.html

Fulbright US Student Program The Fulbright US Student Program offers research, study, and teaching opportunities in over 140 countries to recent graduates and graduate students. It is the largest US exchange program offering opportunities for students and young professionals to undertake inter- national graduate study, advanced research, university teaching, and primary and secondary school teaching worldwide. Who can apply: US graduate students and recent undergraduates Deadline: October 9, 2018 Website: https:/us.fulbrightonline.org/

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Networking

Spring 2018 Call for Networking Event Awardees Congratulations to all applicants who were selected to receive a BPS mini-grant from the spring 2018 Call for Networking Events. New and renewing networking event awardees include: Biophysics Party July 6, 2018, in Lisbon, Portugal The First Biophysical Society-Sponsored Conference on Harnessing Scholarly Biophysical Potential in Africa July 6, 2018, in Kakamega, Kenya Symposiumon Current Trends in Biophysics in Ghana September 12, 2018, in Cape Coast, Ghana Lisbon Biophysics NetworkingMeeting: FromProtein Dynamics toMembrane Biophysics October 12, 2018, in Lisbon, Portugal Biophysics Graduate Research and Networking Symposium October, 2018, in Urbana, IL (date TBD) Each year, the Membership Committee provides mini-grant opportunities. Applications that are selected will receive up to $500 to help host the event. Please visit https:/www.biophysics.org/networking-events for more information.

The Biophysical Society is grateful to its 2018 Industry Partners.

Gold Member

Silver Members

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

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Member Corner

Members in the News

Santiago Schnell , University of Michigan, and Society member since 2009, was elected as a Corresponding (Foreign) Fellow of the Academia de Ciencias de América Latina.

Randy Wadkins , University of Mississippi and former Biophysical Society Congres- sional Fellow, and Society member since 1996, was selected as the Democratic candidate for Mississippi’s 1st Congressional District.

Santiago Schnell

Randy Wadkins

Frances Separovic , University of Melbourne and Society member since 1985, was selected as a committee member of the International Council for Science’s Regional Committee for Asia and the Pacific.

Frances Separovic

Important Dates

BPS Thematic Meetings Multiscale Modeling of Chromatin: Bridging Experiment with Theory March 31–April 5, 2019, Les Houches, France December 1, 2018 Abstract Submission Deadline The Heart by Numbers: Integrating Theory, Computation and Experiment to Advance Cardiology September 4–7, 2018, Berlin, Germany

63 rd BPS Annual Meeting March 2–6, 2019, Baltimore, Maryland July 1, 2018 Abstract Submission and Registration Open

Biophysics Week March 25–29, 2019 March 9–13, 2020

Become Involved: Join a Committee

Student Spotlight Ani Nichol

Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine, New Mexico State University As you move forward in science, what type of research do you see yourself doing? Why? After finishing my bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science, I hope to conduct research about osteopathic manipula- tive techniques and their effects on the immune system at a cellular level. I am excited to continue my education and hope to help establish a stronger scientific foundation for osteopathic manipulative treatment research.

The Biophysical Society committees are essential to the implementation of the Society’s stated purpose to lead development and dissemination of knowledge in biophysics. Society members who wish to be considered for a committee appointment are encouraged to submit a volunteer form, which can be found at https:/www.surveymonkey.com/r/ 2019CommitteeVolunteers. Individuals who submit volunteer forms prior to October 1, 2018, and have paid their 2019 membership by January 2019 will be notified of their appointments by mid-March 2019.

Ani Nichol

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