Biophysical Society Bulletin | July/August 2018

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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