Biophysical Society Bulletin | March 2019

Public Affairs

Grants & Opportunities A Call for Multinational Research Projects on PersonalizedMedicine for Neurodegenerative Diseases This opportunity is co-funded by the EU Joint Programme - Neurodegenerative Disease Research (JPND) and the European Commission. Proposals are invited for ambitious, innovative, multinational and multidisciplinary collaborative research projects to change the trajectory of neurodegenerative diseases through the development of precision medicine approaches. Deadline: Pre-proposals are due March 12, 2019; full proposals are due June 25, 2019. Website: http:/www.neurodegenerationresearch.eu/ initiatives/annual-calls-for-proposals/open-calls/per- sonalised-medicine-2019/ India Launches Two Science Channels, Hoping toMake Science more Popular According to a report in India Today , India’s Department of Science and Technology (DST) is launching two new science channels – DD Science and India Science – to help spread Around theWorld Chinese Scientist Who Used CRISPR to ”Engineer” HIV-resistant Babies May Face Legal Consequences On January 20, 2019, officials representing the Chinese Minis- try of Health announced that Chinese scientist He Jiankui may face charges for his controversial use of CRISPR technolo- gies. In September 2018, He announced the birth of the first gene-edited babies, twin girls, whose DNA had been altered to be resistant to HIV. The scientist claimed that his use of the technology was approved by local ethics committees, but based on the Ministry of Health’s announcement, this does not appear to be the case. The Ministry accused him of violating federal laws in pursuit of personal fame and fortune. However, legal experts questioned the announcement, citing a lack of clarity in the law. It remains to be seen how the charges – if filed – will be resolved.

scientific information and interest amongst the Indian public at-large. DD Science will be featured on the Doordashan Na- tional TV Channel, which reaches over 90 percent of the Indi- an population, and India Science will be a web-based channel. The DST called this effort a watershed moment for India and hopes the efforts will help to generate public interest in and understanding of science. Two-Thirds of European Scientists and Engineers Considering Leaving UK due to Brexit According to a report in Chemistry World , a survey found that nearly two-thirds of European scientists and engineers work- ing in the United Kingdom are considering leaving the country as a result of Brexit. Scientists cited access to funding and job insecurity as their primary motivators. The British Parliament recently rejected Prime Minister Theresa May’s initial Brexit deal, leaving limited time for a new deal to be negotiated before the March 29 deadline. Connect with BPS

Mass Spectrometric Assays for the Reliable and Reproducible Detection of Proteins/Peptides of Importance in Obesity Research (U01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Applications are invited from institutions and organizations proposing the development of targeted mass spectrometric assays for proteins and peptides of primary interest to the obesity research community. The proposed assays should be highly reproducible, easily transferable to other laboratories, easy to multiplex, and validated in human plasma or serum. Deadline: April 17, 2019 Website: https:/grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/ RFA-DK-19-001.html

March 2019

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