Biophysical Society Bulletin | November 2019

Biophysicist in Profile

The Weinberg lab currently has several active and on-going projects. “On the cardiac side of the lab, we are building com- putational models to study the role of subcellular localization of the sodium ion channel in cardiac myocytes and how this localization is important for both normal electrical function of the heart and how it is altered in disease. This work is in collaboration with excellent experimental groups led by Steven Poelzing at Virginia Tech and Rengasayee Veeraragha- van at Ohio State. We are also interested in the interactions between electrical and calcium signaling in cardiac cells, in particular in the setting of heart rate variability,” he shares. “On the mechanobiology side of the lab, we are building new models and techniques to study and predict multicellular mechanical interactions in epithelial cells and how these interactions regulate signaling pathways during epitheli- al-mesenchymal transition, a key process in both normal development and pathological settings including fibrosis and cancer metastasis.” “In particular for a computational modeling lab, the most challenging aspect of our work is determining the right level of detail to include in a model,” he explains. “With many of the problems and conditions we study, there is a plethora of experimental data, ranging from the kinetics of biochemical reactions to in vivo responses to pharmacological agents. At the same time, for almost any problem we study, there is a lot of data and information about interactions that we do not know, so it is a significant challenge to determine what proteins, reactions, cell types, spatial details, etc. to include in any model and simulation.” The most rewarding part of Weinberg’s work as a biophysicist is training students, supporting them as they develop into full-fledged scientists. “I hope that one of my most significant contributions can be the training of the next generation. I am particularly motivated to promote interdisciplinary training and interactions. I firmly believe that the best solutions to scientific and biomedical challenges requires insights from people from a wide range of diverse backgrounds and training,” he says. “As the PI of a lab with a computational modeling focus within a biomedical engineering department, I encourage my students to be able to regularly talk to and discuss their work with experimental biophysicists and bioen- gineers, mathematicians, and clinicians, which can often be a challenging task.” Weinberg offers two pieces of advice to students and early career scientists: “As you transition from a trainee to inde- pendent scientist, do not be afraid to move into new research areas. Using techniques and ideas from one field and apply- ing them to a question or problem in another field can often lead to some of the most creative and innovative solutions and insights. Making a transition into a new research area is much smoother when you have strong collaborators in that

new field, and that relates to my second piece of advice: Start establishing a network of mentors and peers early in your career. You will never know which relationships lead to new opportunities and avenues in your career. One of the easiest ways to form a new professional relationship is to just talk to your fellow scientists — and include those both earlier and later in their careers, not just your immediate peers — at as many opportunities as you can find, such as conferences, poster sessions, seminars, networking mixers, etc.” He knows from experience how important those connections can be for both career development and the furtherance of your research: “I first met someone who is now one of my closest collaborators at a conference poster session about 10 years ago.”

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November 2019

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