Biophysical Society Bulletin | May 2023

Biophysicist in Profile

Officers President Taekjip Ha President-Elect Gabriela Popescu Past-President Gail Robertson Secretary Erin Sheets Treasurer Samantha Harris Council Patricia Bassereau Margaret Cheung Henry Colecraft Martin Gruebele Kumiko Hayashi Syma Khalid Susan Marqusee Emmanuel Margeat Elizabeth Rhoades

lent opportunity to learn what’s happening in every single research area.” “While in this field, I have witnessed the transition from classic physiology to com putational or engineering-based biology, such as bioengineering. …[R]ecently, the Elon Musk -led company, Neuralink, now plans to embed a computer chip in the human brain to control an electric device or convert and transmit external stimuli back to a biological recipient, i.e., the brain. I don’t know if their plan will succeed, but the trend is certainly flipping science fiction to non-fiction,” Mo motani says. “Unfortunately, I am not in the generation that saw this trend in vision during our training, but future biophysical scientists like my students will undoubtedly live in this exciting future. I believe the adaptability of the biophysical field will tolerate this drastic tran sition, and my job is not to block innovative ideas of current trainees but to provide any possible opportunities to broaden their views, not to focus on the information from the past but to know how to tackle unknowns.” The biggest challenge of his career has been bridging two cultures as he has traveled reg ularly between Japan and the United States. “I have two homes, Japan and the U.S., which are indeed culturally very different. I spend about the same time in both countries. Some times, I have lost sense of which side I am on,” he shares. “Many people may think [the countries] share virtually the same values, but after I learned so much behind the scenes, I think they are very distinct from each other, which is true for how science is viewed as well. To overcome transcultural confusion, I go back and forth between these two locations to confuse my sense of where I am and be long. I had a tough time during the pandemic because international travel was blocked.” He has helped his trainees with bridging these cultural gaps as well. Yukari Tanae shares, “I

joined the global competition for graduate and undergraduate students by FUJIFILM this year. Professor Momotani was the coach of my team and he supported us all the time until that project finished. It was my first time working on that kind of project, and it did not feel easy to communicate in another language regarding the academic program, especially in a specific area. He advised me when I strug gled to proceed but did not overly interfere. It helped my confidence that he commended my work. In addition, he trains me how to speak English more naturally and convey my opinion appropriately. He has organized a regular ses sion for students to practice English speaking over two years. I join it almost every day, it is a precious opportunity to practice English in my daily life.” Outside of work, Momotani spends time with his family, travels, and socializes outside of work circles. “I also help overcome cultural barriers between English-speaking countries and Japan as an interpreter and facilitator, as I am familiar with technical terminologies in both languages and business cultures in both societies,” he shares. His own desire to foster connection is reflect ed in what he values most about belonging to the Biophysical Society. “The Biophysical Society greatly helps to keep people work ing in the field connected. Also, it is a place you ask for help. Whenever you are looking for somebody to solve any problem, from research to career, there is always somebody to help. Extensive diversity among people and the fields provides this capacity,” he details. “I also love that the Biophysical Society pro motes undergraduate research. I supervise a Biophysical Society Student Chapter, which is the only one in Japan. The students es tablished this Chapter with the great help of the Biophysical Society staff. The Biophysical Society is supportive no matter where you are in the world.”

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

Jörg Enderlein Editor-in-Chief

Society Office Jennifer Pesanelli Executive Officer Newsletter

Executive Editor Jennifer Pesanelli Managing Editor John Long Production Ray Wolfe Meredith Zimmerman Proofreader/Copy Editor 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 © 2023 by the Biophysical Society. Darren Early Laura Phelan

Give back to the community. Learn how to get involved. www.biophysics.org/get-involved

Printed in the United States of America. All rights reserved.

May 2023

3

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