Biophysical Society Bulletin | March 2022

March 2022

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

Get ready to celebrate the seventh Biophysics Week, March 21–25, 2022! Biophysics Week is a global celebration to honor biophysicists and the significant contributions biophysics has made to science. It also provides an opportunity to foster connections in the community and increase public awareness of the progress and benefits of biophysics research. Throughout the week, there will be many Affiliate Events taking place virtually and in-person, organized by members from all over the world. Check them out and plan to participate. In addition, BPS has organized a week of special events, featured resources, and special offerings dedicated to celebrating biophysics, including: Celebrate BiophysicsWeek 2022 • National Science Foundation Webinar about Grant Funding and Applications • National Institutes of Health Webinar about Grant Funding and Applications • Biophysicist Profiles • Lesson Plans • Featured Blog Posts • BPS Membership Specials • Classical Lay Summaries • 2022 Biophysics Week T-shirt For the most updated schedule and information, please check the Biophysics Week website at biophysics.org/BiophysicsWeek. Follow along on social media using #BiophysicsWeek and let us know how you are celebrating! Thank you to our 2022 BiophysicsWeek Partners • On-Demand Feature - Biophysics 101: Liquid-Liquid Phase Separation: Biophysical Fundamentals to Cellular Function • Career Development Webinar

These Biophysics Week Partners have committed to supporting and promoting the public awareness of the importance of biophysics in science.

Inside

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President’s Message Biophysicist in Profile

Member Corner Communities

Stay Connected with BPS

Public Affairs Publications

Career Development

Important Dates

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Cheers for Volunteers

President’s Message

Creating Change Last November Jennifer Pesanelli , Executive Officer of the Biophys- ical Society (BPS), invited me to accompany her to “President’s School,” a seminar in leadership where I learned the ABCs of how organizations work. For a scientist whose past leadership experience was conducted more by the seat of my pants than guiding principles,

it is sometimes important to ignore disciplinary boundaries and traverse multiple scales in the quest to make advances or challenge dogma. My own attendance at the Annual Meeting may look like a random walk to some as I dart among Sub- groups and platform presentations on ion channel biophysics, cardiac physiology, mechanisms of protein translation and folding, condensate biology, and spectroscopic methods de- velopment. As president, I will support all scientific disciplines represented in the Society and incentivize integration across diverse fields of biophysics. Another point of great concern to many BPS members is dissemination of information and an increasing array of publication models. We wish simply for a fair review process and a fair cost basis without paywalls wherever possible. Formerly as a member of the BPS Publications Committee, I engaged in much discussion on this matter both with other committee members and with colleagues around the world. I note a marked diversity of opinions. At a minimum, I believe we should embrace current trends that remove unnecessary roadblocks to publishing results of our studies while main- taining high standards inherent in peer review. As president, I will support the role of BPS in expediting our ability to com- plete our work, disseminate the information, and benefit in a timely way from the advances of our colleagues. With a newly established editor-in-chief at the Biophysical Journal and two new journals launched in the past two years, Biophysical Re- ports and The Biophysicist , I believe our Society’s full potential and impact may be achieved. BPS’s greatest resource is its membership, but we face significant barriers to participation due to pandemic disease, economic inequality, and a dwindling pipeline in some STEM fields. We need to be nimble in implementing technology to maintain our community and promote synergies even when travel is interrupted or is less feasible for those with limited resources, which has been a problem long before the pan- demic hit. International journal clubs, seminars, and, increas- ingly, meetings of other scientific societies are delivered online. There are challenges associated with these platforms but potential advantages in terms of broader access. Coun- cil’s decision to offer Subgroup Saturday talks on-demand following the 2022 Annual Meeting is an important first step, and perhaps something we want to continue even after the threat of pandemic disease abates. As BPS president, one of my primary objectives is to promote scientific interactions in unconventional ways. Still, no one Society activity is as important to me as the Annual Meeting. It is the heart and soul of our community. As I write this column in January 2022, I am thrilled, yet nervous,

Gail Robertson

it was eye opening. My new education taught me to lead strategically and not meddle unnecessarily in the activities of the hard-working BPS staff and volunteer committees. I also learned that an effective scientific society leads cultural change, rather than reacting to it. As I begin my term as presi- dent, this lesson is at the forefront of my mind. Our annual meeting generally takes place during Black History Month, recognized in the United States and by several other governments throughout the world. Each year in February, a flurry of activities animates the media and our communities, honoring the memory of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. , noting the progress of the Black Lives Matter movement, and uncover- ing ever more illuminating insights into the direct historical links among black slavery, white privilege, and the structural racism that preserves racial inequities today. These are great t-shirt and Twitter opportunities (@hergologie, #BLM), but as a scientific society we have the power to do more. Over the decades I have watched the Society actively encour- age participation by women and engage international scien- tists. These were all intentional acts—they didn’t just happen organically, and they require constant vigilance to sustain. I want to make sure the invitation is received by everyone, including BIPOC and LGBTQ+ individuals and others who don’t have an acronym that resonates. I am encouraged by a notable recent effort, the member-driven Justice for Under- represented Scholars Training in Biophysics (JUST-B) poster session at the 2022 Annual Meeting. Ongoing efforts by BPS staff and member-volunteers extend throughout the year with Biophysics Week and each issue of The Biophysicist , both focused on reaching young scientists. As president I will fully support these and other activities to enhance diversity, equity, and inclusion. BPS is uniquely poised to “be the change,” and I would feel my leadership squandered were I not to fully invest in these efforts and inspire others to do the same. Scientifically, the Biophysical Society promotes methodolog- ical innovation, cross-disciplinary studies, and multiscale approaches. BPS has been a beacon for me as discoveries have led me over many different scientific landscapes. I feel

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President’s Message

Officers President

Gail Robertson President-Elect Taekjip Ha Past-President Frances Separovic Secretary Erin Sheets Treasurer Samantha Harris Council Patricia Bassereau Henry Colecraft Erin C. Dueber Martin Gruebele Gilad Haran Kumiko Hayashi Syma Khalid Francesca Marassi Susan Marqusee Carolyn A. Moores

anticipating next month’s in-person meeting. I want to see my friends and colleagues and ask experts questions about new approaches we are trying in my lab. I want to meet train- ees and support their poster presentations by taking time to ask a question. I want to see presentations of the latest technologies from my gear-head colleagues. Triply vaccinated, masked, and among others of the same ilk, I am willing to take this chance for now. I do lament the anticipated absence of many of our members outside the United States for whom the barriers to travel may be insurmountable. Their involvement is crucial to our long-term success. But we soldier on, with the BPS staff bearing the greater burden of uncertainty,

weighing costs beyond just the hit to the budget, and responding by implementing every possible safety measure, save canceling the meeting. I am deeply grateful for their efforts and apologetic for the new gray hairs sprouted in the process. I welcome the membership to contact me via email (garobert@wisc.edu) or Twitter (@hergologie) and give me the opportunity to listen to your concerns and big ideas. I am honored to serve in a capacity that enables me to repay a debt of gratitude to the Biophysical Society. — Gail Robertson

Kandice Tanner Valeria Vasquez Biophysical Journal Vasanthi Jayaraman Editor-in-Chief The Biophysicist Sam Safran Editor-in-Chief Biophysical Reports

Do you know a biophysicist who deserves recognition? Nominate a colleague for a Society Award DeadlineMay 1 For information and to submit a nomination, visit www.biophysics.org/awards-funding/society-awards.

Jörg Enderlein Editor-in-Chief

Society Office Jennifer Pesanelli Executive Officer Newsletter Executive Editor Jennifer Pesanelli Managing Editor John Long

Get Involved. The Biophysical Society provides many opportunities for members to get involved and give back to the biophysics community.

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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 © 2022 by the Biophysical Society.

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Biophysicist in Profile

Jörg Enderlein Areas of Research: Single-molecule fluorescence spectroscopy, superresolution optical microscopy, and nano-optics

Institution Georg August University

At-a-Glance

Jörg Enderlein became interested in physics from an early age, dreaming of becoming an astrophys- icist. As his career progressed, he realized that the biophysical universe held just as much interest, and it is still keeping him captivated after many years.

Jörg Enderlein

Jörg Enderlein , professor of physics at Georg August Universi- ty in Göttingen, Germany grew up in East Berlin. His mother was an elementary school teacher and his father worked as a lawyer. “My parents were not professionally involved in any scientific activity,” he shares, “however, both were highly edu- cated and supported my scientific interest in any way possible by giving me books and popular science magazines, and by enabling me to attend a special high school with enhanced natural sciences curricula.” Enderlein became interested in natural sciences at an early age. His parents gave him a popular physics book when he was 13 years old, and he knew then that he wanted to be- come a physicist. He attended the Heinrich-Hertz secondary school, a top East German school with special emphasis on natural sciences. “From there, I went to Odessa in the former Soviet Union (today Ukraine) and started studying physics at Ilya Mechnikov University there, from 1981 to 1986,” he recounts. “After that, I returned to Germany and obtained my PhD in physical chemistry from Humboldt University in Berlin.” After completing his PhD, he worked for three years in Berlin as a research scientist with PicoQuant, a then-newly-founded company specializing in pulsed laser systems and high-speed electronics for scientific research. “My transition to biophys- ics began when I learned about the spectacular work by the late Richard Keller about the detection and spectroscopy of single fluorescent molecules, which triggered a technological revolution in biophysics. This work was a huge methodologi- cal breakthrough and started the whole field of single-mole- cule biophysics. When I learned about his work around 1990, I was instantly fascinated and completely switched my field of research,” Enderlein recalls. “At that time, the spectacular results by the Keller group initiated a huge German-wide research initiative that tried to catch up with these achieve- ments and to develop single-molecule biophysics. PicoQuant was part of this research initiative with the expressed goal to develop the cutting-edge technology (pulsed picosecond sol- id-state lasers, high-speed electronics for time-resolved sin- gle-photon counting, ultrasensitive detectors) for single-mol-

ecule biophysics, and I joined them as a research scientist responsible for the scientific aspects of their activities.” Following his time with PicoQuant, he joined Keller’s lab at Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico as a postdoc- toral fellow. “During my postdoc,” he explains, “I developed extensive models and programs for single-molecule fluo- rescence spectroscopy, in particular for fluorescence lifetime spectroscopy, and applied these models and programs to the single molecule analysis of DNA.” In 1997, Enderlein joined Regensburg University in Regens- burg, Germany as an assistant professor. Then in 2001, he became a group leader at Forschungszentrum Jülich, the big- gest research lab in Germany. “My career has been far from linear. After my PhD, I held in total seven positions in different institutions, and before becoming a group leader at the For- schungszentrum Jülich, there was never a full guarantee that I could continue forever my academic career,” he shares. “This situation of longtime uncertainty has become even worse for the younger generation of research scientists in Germa- ny. Dwindling base funding has more and more eliminated permanent staff scientist positions in German universities, which makes an academic career extremely insecure, be- cause before getting an appointment to a full professorship in Germany (typically around the age of 45), there is absolutely no guarantee that one can stay in science. I could survive this long period of career insecurity only with my infinite enthusi- asm for doing physics.” Following his time at Forschungszentrum Jülich, he was appointed full professor of biophysical chemistry at Eber- hard Karls University in Tübingen, Germany before moving in 2008 to his current position as full professor in the physics department of Georg August University. “In 2010, my team developed a new spectroscopic-microscopic technique, Met- al-Induced Energy Transfer Spectroscopy and Imaging, which exploits plasmonics for achieving exceptional spatial reso- lution in optical imaging,” he explains. “Since January 2021, my research is funded by an Advanced Researcher European

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Biophysicist in Profile

Research Grant (AdR ERC) with the goal to develop this tech- nique further and to apply it to diverse fields of biophysics: for example, super-resolution imaging of cells and subcellular organelles, structural biology of proteins and protein com- plexes, lipid membrane biophysics, and many more.” In addi- tion to his research work, Enderlein serves as the founding Editor-in-Chief for the Biophysical Society’s gold open access journal, Biophysical Reports , which launched in early 2021. “As a young man, my dream was to become an astrophysicist, and I still have deep interest in developments in astronomy, astrophysics, and cosmology, but I discovered that the ‘bio- physical universe’ is no less fascinating, surprising, and cap- tivating,” he says. “Biophysics is at the fascinating interface between physics and biology, the first being the lead science of the 20th century, whereas the latter is the lead science of the 21st century. The idea to apply the incredibly successful methods and concepts of physics to the incredibly complex and deep questions of biology is extremely fascinating.” “We see an incredible development of new experimental methods, such as cryo-EM, single-molecule fluorescence, super-resolution optical microscopy, advanced NMR, smart labels for live cell functional imaging, etc., that yield an in- credible wealth of information about the functioning of cells with molecular resolution. Together with dramatic advances in modeling (one spectacular example is the recent successes

of alpha-fold in predicting protein structure), I hope that in the years to come we will be able to reproduce living systems (bacteria, cells, organs) in silico, helping us to understand their complex functioning with huge practical implications for drug design, medicine, but also environmental preserva- tion,” he continues. “One particularly big challenge where I expect dramatic advances in the not-too-distant future is our understanding of the working of the brain and consciousness. Here again, advances in neuroimaging have seen tremen- dous methodological progress, which allows us meanwhile to watch neuronal activity with single-neuron resolution in brain organoids or small mouse brains.” When he is not working, Enderlein reads many popular sci- ence books, to feed his interest in natural sciences outside of biophysics. “On the other side, literature, art, and classical music have always been an absolutely indispensable part of my life,” he shares. “I am also politically active in supporting many LGBTQ and human rights activities.” For those just starting out in their careers, he advises: “Al- ways stay curious and be open for new directions and ideas, always question yourself and your research results (or, as Richard Feynman wrote, ‘The first principle is that you must not fool yourself—and you are the easiest person to fool’), and despite all our desire to be successful, always stay an honest person who never gets eaten up by ambition and ego.”

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Public Affairs

Senate Releases Draft Pandemic Preparedness Legislation At the end of January, the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee Chair Patty Murray (D-WA) and Ranking Member Richard Burr (R-NC) released a discus- sion draft of the Prepare for and Respond to Existing Viruses, Emerging New Threats, and Pandemics Act (PREVENT Pandemics Act). The PREVENT Pandemics Act is a bipartisan bill focused on strengthening the nation’s public health and medical preparedness and response systems in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Of particular interest to the science community, the PREVENT Pandemics Act will 1) authorize $3 million to establish a Na- tional Task Force on the Response of the United States to the COVID-19 Pandemic; 2) ensure accountability at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) by requiring Senate confirmation of the agency’s director, an agency-wide strate- gic plan to be developed every four years, and a Government Accountability Office study on how programs and activities align with the strategic plan; 3) establish a Public Health Information and Communications Advisory Committee; 4) reauthorize a network of Centers for Public Health Prepared- ness and Response; 5) authorize $70 million for fiscal years 2023 through 2027 to address social determinants of health and improve health outcomes; 6) authorize $2 million for a National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine study on the effects of health disparities on health outcomes, including related to public health emergencies; 7) provide for updates to biosurveillance capabilities and infectious disease data collection to improve public health situational aware- ness; 8) authorize $10 million to improve public health data collection; 9) direct the Department of Health and Human Services to continue conducting research on the long-term health effects of COVID-19; and 10) direct the Food and Drug Administration to issue guidance to modernize and improve clinical trials. Senators Introduce the Tracking Pathogens Act On January 31, Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Bill Cassi- dy (R-LA) introduced a bipartisan bill, known as the Tracking Pathogens Act, to strengthen and expand genomic sequenc- ing of pathogens to identify new threats and better prepare for the next pandemic. The bill would authorize sustained funding of $175 million per year for fiscal years 2023 through 2027 for genetic surveillance and genomic sequencing.

The Tracking Pathogens Act would enhance the United States’ ability to prepare for future pandemics by issuing guidance to support collaborations for genomic sequencing, including the use of new and innovative approaches and technology for the detection, characterization, and sequencing of pathogens, to improve public health surveillance and preparedness and re- sponse activities. The bill will direct government health agen- cies, including the CDC and National Institutes of Health, to expand and improve activities related to genomic sequencing. Finally, the bill will award grants to public health agencies and partnerships to establish centers of excellence to promote in- novation in pathogen genomics and molecular epidemiology. The contents of the Tracking Pathogens Act will be included in the draft Senate HELP Committee pandemic preparedness Australian Academy of Science Calls Attention to Political Interference In January, the Australian Academy of Science spoke out against political interference in the nation’s research system and the damage being done to the reputation and integri- ty of Australian research. The Academy reports that of the four known occurrences of political interference, three have occurred in the last three years. The Academy, which is made of up Australia’s leading scientists, expressed its concern in late December that six Australian Research Council Discov- ery Projects had been rejected using ministerial veto. This was despite the projects being recommended for funding by independent panels, all with deep knowledge of the relevant fields. Academy President John Shine said it is reasonable that governments align some proportion of funding schemes with widely agreed national priorities and strategic objectives, and that they are made clear when calling for proposals. However, within those criteria, merit, as identified by independent peer review, should remain the central basis for allocating which research to support. Workshop Brings Scandinavian Biophysicists Together An international workshop with a focus on biomechanics took place in Oslo, Norway, assembling biophysicists mainly from Nordic countries. Biophysics is interdisciplinary by nature and its subfield biomechanics is no exception. On October 29 and 30, legislation, the PREVENT Pandemics Act. Around theWorld

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Public Affairs

researchers working in diverse subjects with a special focus on biomechanics came together at the oldest preserved wooden building in Oslo. The former farmhouse Tøyen Hov- edgård dates back to 1679. It belongs to the Museum of Nat- ural History and is located in the center of the Oslo Botanical Garden. The workshop included a series of 21 short talks, and the meeting provided an opportunity for direct scientific ex- change and stimulated new collaborations and grant proposal ideas. The opening speech was given by the director of the University of Oslo Life Science Initiative, Carl Henrik Gørbitz . Gørbitz presented examples of biomechanics problems and applications and emphasized the importance of the subject in contemporary life science research. Below are examples of particularly interesting talks, which underline the wide range of subjects covered by the field of biomechanics:

such enhancement are not sufficiently explored. Sleep was shown to be associated with specific blood flow patterns that affect the flow of cerebrospinal fluid, which is thought to enhance brain waste clearance in sleep. Tapio Ala-Nissilä from Aalto University in Finland presented computational simulations depicting polymer translocation through nanopores. This is of importance for developing tech- nology for rapid and inexpensive sequencing of human DNA, for example by forcing DNA though a nanopore and reading its sequence during the translocation process. Joakim Stenhammar from Lund University in Sweden contrib- uted with new results on the behavior of microswimmers, such as bacteria. He showed through simulations and theory that bacteria can swim synchronously even in very dilute suspensions. His team suggested that collective motion was driven by mutual rotations of the bacteria. Jonas Ries from the Cell Biology and Biophysics Unit of the European Molecular Biology Laboratory in Heidelberg, Germany showed amazing examples of the capabilities of super resolution microscopy, in particular single molecule localization microscopy. His group increased the throughput and imaging speed of this method to capture structure and dynamics of molecular machines in cells, and specifically visu- alized the locations of individual proteins within the machin- ery involved in clathrin-mediated endocytosis. Ries developed a model of how the mechanical force, which is required to pull on the membrane and form a vesicle, is produced by the cell. It has been a long-standing question how the clathrin coat is formed and the membranes are deformed during vesicle formation. It is encouraging that, despite all current difficulties, research- ers are coming together again in such an inspiring atmo- sphere to engage in discussions, share ideas, and form new collaborations. — Irep Gözen , BPS Ambassador, Norway

Director of UiO Life Sciences, Carl Henrik Gørbitz, giving the opening speech. Photo credit: Irep Gözen.

Nathalie Jurisch-Yaksi from the Norwegian University of Sci- ence and Technology presented her group’s findings on the impact of flow of the fluid that surrounds the brain and spinal cord, the cerebrospinal fluid, in the development of zebrafish, an animal model to study development and gene function of vertebrates. She emphasized that little was known about how the nervous system generates specific flow patterns and how cerebrospinal fluid flow controls neurogenesis and neural activity. Using a combination of live imaging and genet- ic tools, her team identified that motile cilia act jointly with other physiological factors to regulate cerebrospinal fluid flow dynamics in the developing zebrafish ventricles. Another scientist from University of Oslo, Laura Bojarskaite , also investigated cerebrospinal fluid flow patterns, this time in the context of sleep. She explained that the waste clear- ance from the brain is significantly more efficient during sleep than during wakefulness, yet the underlying mechanisms of

Participants in the workshop. Photo credit: Larissa Lily, Centre for Molecular Medicine Norway.

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Publications

Know the Editor Antje Pokorny Almeida

University of North Carolina Wilmington

Editor, Membranes Biophysical Journal

Antje Pokorny Almeida

At a cocktail party of non-scientists, how would you explain what you do? Patterns. I look for patterns in observations, which is some- thing I share with many of my biophysics colleagues. Non-sci- entists almost invariably assume that scientists either con- struct useful gadgets or develop a medication of some sort. So, rather than describe what particular problem I’m working on, I explain that we are finding patterns in nature—princi- ples according to which “stuff works”. Then, depending on the facial expression of the person I’m speaking with, I either go find another cocktail or illustrate what that means in the context of a problem I’m currently working on. Who would you like to sit next to at a dinner party (scientist or not)? More than anything, I would like to have one more dinner with two of the people who have had more of an influence on my life and how I view science than anyone else. Tom Thomp- son and Rod Biltonen , both of the University of Virginia. Tom passed away this December at the age of 95, and Rod doesn’t remember much thermodynamics. But yes, I would like to see Rod throw back his head again and laugh out loud when I ask him how important his beloved Second Law of Thermody- namics could possibly be, since it only came in second. During their active time, both were teachers and mentors of a kind that I aspire to be. Yes, one more dinner would be good.

Editor’s Pick Biophysical Journal Modelling coronavirus spike protein dynamics: implications for immunogenicity and immune escape Genevieve Kunkel , Mohammad Madani , Simon J. White , Paulo H. Verardi , Anna Tarakanova “Presents dynamic mechanisms of coronavirus S proteins that encode antibody binding and cellular fusion properties. These mechanisms may offer an explanation for the wide- spread nature of SARS-CoV-2 and more limited spread of SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV. A comprehensive computational characterization of SARS-CoV-2 S protein structures and dy- namics provides insights into structural and thermal stability associated with a variety of S protein mutants. The findings allow for recommendations about the future mutant design of SARS-CoV-2 S protein variants that are optimized to elicit neutralizing antibodies and resist structural rearrangements that aid cellular fusion and are thermally stabilized. The integrated computational approach can be applied to optimize vaccine immunogen design and to predict escape of vac- cine-induced antibody responses by SARS-CoV-2 variants.”

FollowBPS Journals on Twitter @BiophysJ @BiophysReports @BiophysicistJ

Version of Record Published November 9, 2021 DOI:https:/doi.org/10.1016/j.bpj.2021.11.009

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Biophysical Society Thematic Meeting

Physical and Quantitative Approaches to Overcome Antibiotic Resistance Stockholm, Sweden | August 14–18, 2022

ORGANIZING COMMITTEE Peter Kasson , University of Virginia, USA Joanna Slusky , University of Kansas, USA Georgios Sotiriou , Karolinska Institute, Sweden

This meeting will explore the interface between biophysical research and the microbiology of drug resistance, highlighting the breadth of work that spans these two fields and encouraging new synergies to tackle this global health problem.

Abstract Submission Deadline: May 2, 2022

Early Registration Deadline: May 20, 2022

For more information, visit www.biophysics.org/2022Stockholm

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Cheers for Volunteers

What has been a highlight from your volunteer experience?

My volunteering for the Committee for Inclusion and Diver- sity sparked a deep interest in the topic of inequality. Thus, I enrolled and successfully completed the Diversity Certificate Program that was offered by the Office of Inclusion, Equi- ty, and Diversity at my home institution (The University of Tennessee Health Science Center). Through this program, I came to the realization that diversity has many dimensions. I learned how to listen and to hear. In the end, I became a bet- ter person, perhaps even a better mother, better wife, better mentor for students, and hopefully, a better member of the society that extends beyond biophysics. Do you have advice for others who might be thinking about volunteering? Yes, absolutely, you should go for it! At the very least, volun- teering looks good on one’s CV. But it also offers tremendous opportunities for networking. You get to know the kitchen, how things are organized, how it works. Once you gain this knowledge, you feel more comfortable in defining your place in a professional world and in society in general. I believe that volunteering is a great opportunity to express yourself. More- over, you do it with a group of people just like you, and you get a sense of support. When not volunteering for BPS, what do you work on? Of course, laboratory and house chores are always there, and the more you do, more is out there to land on your plate. For the soul, I play piano or work around my rose garden. I am also a koi pond and aquarium hobbyist. Last but not least, I am a certified stroke and turn judge with USA Swimming. I really enjoy time at the pool when my kids are swimming. Family trips to swim competitions are the best things that are happening in my life these days.

Anna Bukiya Committee for Inclusion and Diversity (CID)

Anna Bukiya

Is this your first volunteer position for BPS? If not, what other positions have you held? Yes, this is my first volunteer position at BPS, although I also volunteer at other societies where I am a member. I co-chair the Animal Research and Ethics Committee at the Research Society on Alcoholism. I also volunteer for the Competition Committee within the Cardiovascular Division of the American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics. Why do you volunteer? I feel that science is so much more than just benches and experimental notebooks. On a larger scale, I want to be a part of a positive change; I want to take an active role in it. I think that this desire is fueled by my childhood experience of despair and helplessness when my parents took refuge from a military conflict in my birthplace, Republic of Georgia. I saw them suffering, my childhood shattered into pieces. Yet, I could not change anything. Volunteering gives an amazing opportunity to make a difference, to make a change, and to make my voice count.

The Biophysical Society is grateful to its Industry Partners.

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

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Member Corner

Members in the News

Fifteen Biophysical Society members were named 2021 American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Fellows.

In the Section on Biological Sciences: Patricia Clark , University of Notre Dame and member since 1995; Donald Engel- man , Yale University and member since 1979; Amy Gladfelter , University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill and member since

Patricia Clark

Donald Engelman

Amy Gladfelter

Linda Kenney

Eva Nogales

Scott Showalter

In the Section on Chemistry: Penny Beuning , Northeastern University and member since 2007; Stephen L. Mayo , California Institute of Technology and member since 1999; Stefan Stoll , University of Washington and member since 2014; and Lynmarie Thompson , University of Massachusetts, Amherst and member since 1991. 2016; Linda Kenney , University of Texas Medical Branch and member since 1985; Eva Nogales , University of California, Berkeley and member since 2000; and Scott Showalter , Pennsylvania State University and member since 2009.

Penny Beuning Stephen L. Mayo Stefan Stoll

Lynmarie Thompson

In the Section on Medical Sciences: Vasanthi Jayaraman , University of Texas Health Science Center and member since 1996; Patricia Clark , Univer- sity of Notre Dame and member since 1995; Constance Jeffery , University of Illinois, Chicago and member since 2002; Bjorn C. Knollmann , Vanderbilt University and member since 1999; and Michael A. Weiss , Indiana Uni- versity School of Medicine and member since 1980. In the Section on Physics: Thomas C. Irving , Illinois Institute of Technology and member since 1991.

Vasanthi Jayaraman

Patricia Clark

Constance Jeffery Bjorn C. Knollmann Michael A. Weiss

Thomas C. Irving

Student Spotlight

Shreya Pramanik Theory and Bio-Systems Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces What skill have you learned in your studies that you find useful in other aspects of your life? In my life as a PhD student, I learned the importance of collaboration. Academics is a challenging field, and as busy students, we sometimes tend to ignore mental health. Such times call for a chat with friends and colleagues. Talking to others helps to broaden scientific knowledge and maintain peace of mind.

Shreya Pramanik

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Communities

BPSWelcomes Nine New Student Chapters The Biophysical Society Student Chapter program is open to stu- dents with an interest in biophysics and leadership. The program aims to build active student chapters around the globe, increase student membership and participation within the Society, and promote biophysics as a discipline across college campuses through activities organized by the chapters. BPS now has 43 Student Chapters worldwide, including 9 newly formed ones. See if there’s a local chapter near you! • Alexandria University (Egypt) • AL-MS (University of Alabama/Mississippi State University) Student Chapter of the Biophysical Society (USA) • Amherst College Student Chapter of the Biophysical Society (USA) • Arizona Student Chapter (USA) • Biophysical Society San Diego (USA) • Cedarville University (USA) • Cornell University (USA) • Clemson University (USA) • CWU Biophysics Club at Central Washington University (USA) • Emory University (USA) • Florida State University (USA) • Gā ṅ geya Student Chapter at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Kolkata (India) • Irvine Student Chapter at the University of California, Irvine (USA) • Johns Hopkins University (USA) • Kent State University (USA) • Llano Estacado Young Biophysicists at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (USA) • Milano Student Chapter (Italy) • Mustafa Kemal University (Turkey) • NY Capital District (USA) • Oregon State University Student Chapter (USA) • Biophysics Genoa Student Chapter (Italy) • Biophysics PashchimStudent Chapter (India)

• Puerto Rico Biophysical Society Student Chapter (USA) • Sanyo-Onoda City University Student Chapter (Japan) • SJU (St. John’s University) Student Chapter of BPS (USA) • Structural Biology and Biophysics Club at Purdue University (USA) • Temple University (USA) • The City of New York (CUNY) Student Chapter (USA) • The University of NewMexico (USA) • UB (University of Buffalo) Biophysics Club (USA) • Uganda Student Chapter (Uganda) • UMASS Lowell Biophysics Student Chapter (USA) • University of California Davis (USA) • University of California, Los Angeles (USA) • University of Chile (Chile) • University of Denver Biophysics Student Chapter of the Biophysical Society (USA) • University of Lethbridge & University of Montana (USA & Canada) • University of Maryland, Baltimore Student Chapter (USA) • University of Maryland - College Park (USA) • University of Michigan (USA) • University of Notre Dame (USA) • University of Toronto Student Chapter of the Biophysical Society (Canada) • Wayne State University (USA) For more information or to learn how to start or join a chapter, please visit www.biophysics.org/student-chapters.

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Communities

Introducing the Next Class of BPS Subgroup Chairs Serving February 2022 to February 2023

Channels, Receptors & Transporters

Bioenergetics, Mitochondria, and Metabolism

Biological Fluorescence

Biopolymers in Vivo

Bioengineering

Sonia Cortassa NIH – National Institute on Aging, USA

Elena Dedkova University of California, Davis, USA

Ravi Radhakrishnan University of Pennsylvania, USA

Sua Myong Johns Hopkins University, USA

Huan-Xiang Zhou University of Illinois at Chicago, USA Membrane Fusion, Fission, and Traffic

Jorge E. Contreras University of California, Davis, USA

Intrinsically Disordered Proteins

Macromolecular Machines and Assemblies

Membrane Structure and Function

Mechanobiology

Cryo-EM

Ariane Briegel Leiden University, Netherlands

Jeanne Stachowiak University of Texas, Austin, USA

Arne Gennerich Albert Einstein College of Medicine, USA

Virgile Viasnoff Mechanobiology Institute, Singapore

Phyllis Hanson University of Michigan, USA

Ingela Parmryd, University of Gothenburg, Sweden

Membrane Transport

Nanoscale Approaches to Biology

Motility & Cytoskeleton

Multiscale Genome Organization

Indra Schroeder University of Jena, Germany

Marija Zanic Vanderbilt University, USA

Ken’ya Furuta National Institute of Information and Com- munications Technology, Japan

Yamini Dalal NIH – Center for Cancer Research, USA

Anna Panchenko Queen’s University, Canada

Chan Cao École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Switzerland

Physical Cell Biology

Single Molecule Forces, Manipulation, & Visualization

Theory and Computation

To learnmore about BPS Subgroups or to become a member visit biophysics.org.

Ulrike Endesfelder University of Bonn, Germany

Zev Bryant Stanford University, USA

Wesley Wong Harvard University, USA

Rommie E. Amaro University of California, San Diego, USA

March 2022

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Career Development

How to Deal with Repeated Rejection in Academia? Although you may hear people exalting the advantages of working in academia, it is well documented that academics face significant amounts of rejection throughout their careers, 1 from being an early-career researcher (ECR) to the

grant writing and grant rejection. In particular, there was a tweet from the Alfred Nobel Foundation sharing a picture of Sir Peter Ratcliffe sitting at his desk working on his EU Synergy Grant application, just after learning he had been awarded the 2019 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. 2 This tweet was followed by the widely disseminated copy of the 1992 desk rejection from Nature magazine that Ratcliffe received for the work that would lead to his Nobel prize. 3 Indeed, the pressure of grant writing is so intense because only a few applications are funded. Although it is estimated that the National Institutes of Health funds ~20% of grant applications, only 10% of the Research Project grant, or R01 grant, is funded. Because of this pressure applied to everyone in academia, rejection is inherent- ly universal. I hope these observations can help ease your worries a little. — Molly Cule 1. Blackwell, K. A. 2010. They’re just not that into your research: rejection in academia. APS Observer 23, https:/www.psychologicalscience.org/observer/ rejection-in-academia. National Institutes of Health: Bioengineering Research Grants The purpose of this opportunity is to encourage collab- orations between the life and physical sciences that: 1) apply a multidisciplinary bioengineering approach to the solution of a biomedical problem, and 2) accelerate the adoption of promising tools, methods, and techniques for a specific research or clinical problem in basic, transla- tional, or clinical science and practice. An application may propose design-directed, developmental, discovery-driv- en, or hypothesis-driven research and is appropriate for small teams applying an integrative approach to increase our understanding of and to solve problems in biological, clinical, or translational science. R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed. Deadline: May 8, 2022 Website: https:/grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/ par-19-158.html 2. https:/ twitter.com/nobelprize/status/1181145476420325376?lang=en. 3. https:/ twitter.com/CVidrioMX/status/1182793935128711169.

ranks of assistant professor and full professor. One way to better prepare ourselves for this is to discuss coping mechanisms for handling rejection.

The discussion of coping mechanisms has been occurring recently in virtual communities and spaces, on the grounds of the current COVID-19 pandemic, particularly in the Twitter space. The first mantra is that rejection is universal. On Twitter, this became widely apparent in 2021 and 2022 from a set of posts from top academics worldwide listing their own PhD school acceptances versus rejections, with the aim of raising awareness of the fact that rejection is universal. ECRs joined in this discussion with their own recent offers and rejections for graduate school, to which top professors joined in with useful feedback. We all win when the academy helps those new to it. Secondly, grant rejection is universal. Nothing made this clearer than Nobel Prize winners sharing anecdotes about Grants & Opportunities Wellcome Discovery Awards This opportunity provides funding for established re- searchers and teams from any discipline who want to pursue bold and creative research ideas to deliver signif- icant shifts in understanding that could improve human life, health, and wellbeing. Who can apply: Applicants’ host organization must be based in the United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland, or a low- or middle-income country (excluding India and main- land China) Deadline: March 24, 2022 Website: https:/wellcome.org/grant-funding/schemes/ discovery-awards

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Career Development

BPS Career Center offers job seekers the tools needed to quickly find and apply for top biophysics jobs available only through the Society.

• POST a CV or an anonymous career profile that leads employers to you • SEARCH and apply to hundreds of biophysics jobs using robust filters • SET UP job alerts that deliver the latest jobs right to your inbox Connecting you to top biophysics jobs!

• ASK the experts your career questions • RECEIVE a free evaluation of your CV

1. Visit https://biophysics-jobs.careerwebsite.com. 2. On the career center homepage, under the Job Seeker section, select “ My Account ”. 3. Log in or create an account by clicking “ Create an Account ” option. 4. Enter all required information to complete your profile. 5. Return to BPS Career Center by clicking the link “ BPS Career Center Home” on the left navigation. Monitor job application activity, check for alerts and messages, or update your CV for employers and recruiters to view. Your CV is more valuable when it’s current and complete. Creating your job seeker account:

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 Contact BPS Career Center customer service department at (727) 497-6565 or email clientserv@communitybrands.com for more information.

March 2022

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Biophysical Society

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March 2022

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

BPS Important Dates

Tahoe BPS Conference Early Registration Deadline March 21, 2022

Biophysics Week March 21–25, 2022

BPS Awards and Fellows Nominations Deadline May 1, 2022

Did you Attend the 2022 Annual Meeting or Register for On-Demand Content? The following is available for a limited time for you to view: • 18 Subgroup Symposia • 4 Workshops • Society Awardee Talks • e-Poster Gallery On-demand content will be accessible March 14–April 30, 2022.

Stockholm Early Abstract Deadline May 2, 2022

Stockholm Early Registration Deadline May 20, 2022

BPS2023 Registration and Abstract Submission Open July 1, 2022

Please visit www.biophysics.org for a complete list of upcoming BPS Important Dates.