Biophysical Society Bulletin | November 2020

November 2020

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

Society Names 2021 Fellows The Biophysical Society is proud to announce its 2021 Class of Fellows. This award is given to Society members who have demonstrated sustained excellence in science and have contributed to the expansion of the field of biophysics. The 2021 Fellows will be recognized during the Biophysical Society’s 65th Annual Meeting. The 2021 Fellows are:

Hashim Al-Hashimi , Duke University, USA, for devel- oping and deploying NMR methods that reveal the dynamic nature of nucleic acids and their functional complexes.

Hermann Gaub , University of Munich, Germany, for his breakthrough introduction of single-molecule force spectroscopy to directly quantify biomolecular inter- action forces.

Vincent Hilser , Johns Hop- kins University, USA, for outstanding contributions to protein biophysics by combining creative and rigorous ensemble-based theories with state-of-the art experimental strategies to understand how proteins function and evolve. Carol Post , Purdue Uni- versity, USA, for her fun- damental work spanning molecular simulation, NMR and theory in the areas of virus infectivity, kinase activity, and pro- tein thermodynamics. Ada Yonath , Weizmann Institute, Israel, for sem- inal contributions to the structural understanding of the ribosome and its function.

Hashim Al-Hashimi

Hermann Gaub

Vincent Hilser

Sarah Keller , University of Washington, USA, for pioneering, fundamental experimental contribu- tions to the understand- ing of miscibility phase transitions in membrane systems. Lukas Tamm , University of Virginia, USA, for im- pactful contributions to our understanding of the structural biology and functional biophysics of cell membranes and membrane proteins.

Leemor Joshua-Tor , Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, USA, for her contributions to our understanding of the molecular basis of nucleic acid regulatory processes, in particular RNA interference (RNAi) and DNA replication.

Carol Post

Leemor Joshua-Tor

Sarah Keller

President’s Message Biophysicist in Profile Inside

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Public Affairs Annual Meeting

Ada Yonath

Lukas Tamm

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Publications

Career Development

Grants and Opportunities

BPS Congratulates Jennifer Doudna who won the 2020 Nobel Prize in Chemistry along with Emmanuelle Charpentier “for the development of a method for genome editing.”

Member Corner Upcoming Events

President’s Message

Promoting Science in the COVID-19 Pandemic “I don’t think the science knows, actually”…. Donald Trump, September 14, 2020.

Moreover, it is increasingly clear to me that the consequenc- es of climate change and global pandemics are inextricably linked to inequality and discrimination. Beyond what each of us can do individually to promote both science and inclusion in decision-making, scientific societies like the Biophysical Society also have a role to play. Systemic racism and discrimination have played a role in the disproportionate effects of current disasters on minority communities. We, in BPS, must recognize that this systemic racism is present in our Society, as it is in any organization. When I became BPS President last February, I noted that one of my priorities while in this position would be to increase efforts within the Society to attract and retain more un- der-represented members, particularly among students and early career members. The embarrassingly small proportion of minority members in BPS arises from multiple and com- plex origins, but we must commit to change. The Society’s Committee on Inclusion and Diversity (CID) has been working for some time already in this area, and I wanted to highlight these efforts while President and launch some new initiatives to further advance our goal of increasing the diversity of BPS membership. We begin this effort by listening to minority viewpoints in science. Accordingly, this year’s virtual Annual Meeting will feature a President’s Symposium on Diversity in Science. Like the Society lecture, this symposium will be open to anyone who wishes to attend. BPS is also setting up a task force on diversity, equity, and inclusion to address the larger picture as a complement to CID’s charge of organizing spe- cific activities designed to promote diversity. Finally, we are exploring funding mechanisms for fostering young minority biophysicists within our Society, providing support as they navigate their career paths. In terms of promoting science-based policy and science funding, the BPS Public Affairs Committee (PAC) has been very busy since the onset of the pandemic. Most recently, PAC helped facilitate BPS participation in the virtual Rally for Medical Research seeking to increase the overall investment in scientific research and the National Institutes of Health. PAC and others in the Society were influential in organizing a virtual symposium, “Biophysicists Address COVID-19 Chal- lenges” on October 29. PAC also worked to include BPS sig- natures on more than two dozen coalition letters with sister Societies so far this year. These letters advocated for COVID funding and reporting, supported the National AI Initiative and science funding in general, and opposed proposed changes in student visas. Indeed, the BPS participated in the Amicus brief against these changes in support of the global nature of

I am writing this BPS President’s column on September 20, to be published in the BPS Bulletin in early November. Perhaps more than

Catherine A. Royer

anything I have heard over the past few years, I found those words most ominous. Actually, I am convinced that scientists DO know, and that we need to reinforce this message around the world as clearly and forcefully as possible. Now more than ever, the urgency of science-based public policy and interna- tional agreements is clear. Today, in the United States we exceeded 200,000 deaths from COVID-19, the disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Corona virus cases are skyrocketing in Europe and elsewhere. The government of Israel — yesterday I believe — imposed a second lockdown. While many governments around the world are listening to scientists, a science-based approach to controlling the pandemic is far from being globally accepted, most notably in the United States. The global economy has been severely disrupted by the pandemic, with the effects felt even in regions that have managed to suppress spread of the virus. In the United States, minority communities have been hit exceptionally hard by both the pandemic and the ensuing economic catastrophe. Disenfranchised communities else- where in the world likewise suffer more heavily from the vi- rus. The strong and disproportionate susceptibility of minority communities in the United States arises in large part from entrenched systemic and structural inequalities grounded in discrimination based on race and ethnicity. In addition to a global pandemic, the planet is being ravaged by the impacts of climate change. Currently, much of the western United States, like Australia last year, is burning, with dozens of lives lost, countless homes and massive expans- es of woodland and the intrinsic biodiversity laid to waste. Indeed, the dismissive quote about science from the US Presi- dent noted above was in response to a question from Califor- nia State officials about climate change. In addition to fires, many parts of the country are experiencing massive storms and flooding. The recent derecho in Iowa destroyed hundreds of homes and businesses, and I have lost count of the disas- trous hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico. Again, while all victims of these more and more frequent disasters need aid, given their fragile support networks, poor and minority communi- ties suffer disproportionately from the loss of property and income resulting from such events.

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President’s Message

Officers President Catherine A. Royer President-Elect Frances Separovic Past-President David W. Piston Secretary Erin Sheets Treasurer Kalina Hristova Council Linda Columbus Michelle A. Digman

the scientific endeavor. Other letters advocat- ed that the United States remain a member of the World Health Organization, in support of science, Dr. Fauci, and public health initiatives. Whatever the national and international situation is at the time you read this column, rest assured that the Biophysical Society will continue to advocate for inclusive science, and in particular, biophysics, and the necessary mechanistic information it provides, which can

be used in so many ways to address current and future global challenges. To experience the enthusiasm present in BPS for fantastic biophysics, remember to renew your mem- bership, register for the 2021 Annual Meet- ing, and read and submit your work to the Biophysical Journal . Your involvement will help BPS remain a strong and forceful advocate for science. — Catherine A. Royer

Erin C. Dueber Marta Filizola Gilad Haran

Francesca Marassi Joseph A. Mindell Carolyn A. Moores

Anna Moroni Jennifer Ross David Stokes Pernilla Wittung-Stafshede Biophysical Journal Jane Dyson Editor-in-Chief The Biophysicist Sam Safran Editor-in-Chief

Society Office Jennifer Pesanelli Executive Officer Newsletter Executive Editor Jennifer Pesanelli Managing Editor Beth Staehle

Production Catie Curry Ray Wolfe Proofreader/Copy Editor Laura Phelan 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 © 2020 by the Biophysical Society. Printed in the United States of America. All rights reserved.

Mark your calendars and plan to participate in the 6th Annual BiophysicsWeek!

Celebrate and promote biophysics by planning a virtual event. Biophysics Week is a global campaign to increase public awareness and support for biophysics research. Every year, the Biophysical Society, along with Biophysics Week Partners and Affiliate Event Organiz- ers, hosts events and activities in communities around the world all week long. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all BPS Affiliate Events for 2021 will be virtual.

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Biophysicist in Profile

Emily M. Mace Areas of Research Lymphocyte migration, innate immune cell differentiation

Institution Columbia University

At-a-Glance

Emily M. Mace , Assistant Professor of Pediatric Immunology at Columbia University, got started in science unintentionally, after she was inspired by a PhD scientist who taught her college cell biology course. Now, years later, she says she considers herself an aspirational biophysicist, “but I am highly motivated to understand how forces and the physical environment influence single-cell behavior, and throughout my training I have been drawn to cross-disciplinary approaches that span cell biology, immunology, and biophysics. I was fortunate to be able to explore that as a postdoc and have established this as a deliberate trajectory now that I have my own research group.”

Emily M. Mace

Emily M. Mace never pictured herself working as a scientific researcher. She does not remember quite what she did see herself doing when she was a child growing up in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, but she says, “I know running a research lab wasn’t in the picture! I remember reading a book about the astronomers who work on the Hale Telescope at Palomar Mountain when I was a teenager, and I do credit that as inspiration for some of my love of sitting in a dark room for long periods of time, with microscopes in my case.” She left high school before graduating, but eventually re- turned to community college with the goal of finishing up her high school requirements and pursuing a nursing degree. “I realized pretty quickly that nursing wasn’t going to be for me, but I took a cell biology course taught by a PhD scientist who described her experiences in research,” Mace says. “I was hooked by both the fascination of understanding how cells and systems worked, and by her description of the excite- ment of bench science.” She completed her undergraduate degree in microbiology and immunology from the University of Saskatchewan in 2003 and then moved to the University of British Columbia to pur- sue her PhD in genetics. She worked in Fumio Takei ’s lab in the Terry Fox Laboratory - BC Cancer Research Centre. From 2010 to 2016, Mace did postdoctoral work with Jordan Orange , first at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and then at Baylor College of Medicine. “I started my postdoc at the time that several exciting papers came out on asymmetric division of T cells being influenced by cell-cell contacts, and I started thinking about whether this process might be relevant for innate cells,” she shares. “I was also very interested in cell migration and development and decided to focus on trying to define how natural killer cells (an innate immune cell) interact with stromal cells and the extracellular matrix as they under- go differentiation.” She had joined Orange’s lab with the goal

of learning quantitative imaging and light microscopy, so she had the opportunity there to do high-resolution and superres- olution imaging, as well as develop live cell imaging tech- niques to measure and define complex modes of migration of NK cells on stroma. “I was fortunate to be at the University of Pennsylvania at the beginning of my postdoc, so I had the opportunity to participate in the Motor Club there with Erika Holzbaur , Michael Ostap , and others, and that and other expe- riences there really broadened my thinking. I was also lucky to have had a wonderfully supportive postdoc mentor and the opportunity to pursue many projects and ideas, so there were a lot of chances to learn and explore, especially in the fields of light microscopy and cell biology.” Following her postdoc, she was an assistant professor at Baylor College of Medicine from 2016 to 2018. Mace is now an Assistant Professor of Pediatric Immunology at Columbia University. Her lab focuses on innate immune cell migration and differentiation. “We have three main lines of investigation in the lab. One is focused on cell migration and interactions between immune cells and complex microenvironments (tis- sue) and how those interactions affect NK cell differentiation. We are interested in how cell migratory properties are both acquired as cells develop and influenced by their immediate environments. Traditionally much of this work has been in two-dimensional, fairly artificial models, but we are trying to extend this into physiologically relevant 3D human tissue models. We also investigate the cytoskeletal regulation of NK cell migration and how integrins and other adhesion mole- cules participate in this process. Finally, we have a project on the role that cell cycle and proliferation play in NK cell differ- entiation.” Her big picture goal is to better understand how signaling and physical properties in the microenvironment influence human innate lymphocyte development and homeostasis. Mace shares, “Ultimately, I see each of the projects described

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Biophysicist in Profile

above converging on better understanding of how human cells are both generated and function within tissue. How do they integrate both biochemical and physical cues to exert function and travel in their environment? I also am compelled by being able to link events across scales. Understanding how signaling on the single-molecule scale is connected to cellular and ultimately systems-wide responses, especially through the use of innovative imaging, is thrilling to me.” As it is for many new PIs, her transition from trainee to inde- pendent investigator has been an ongoing challenge. “It really feels like flying the plane while you are building it,” she says. “As with any other challenge, I think the way I have faced it is by just putting one foot in front of the other. My approach has always been I will keep going until someone tells me I can’t anymore, which thankfully isn’t the case yet.” Her peer networks and senior mentors have been crucial to helping her to feel more comfortable and confident. “Groups like New PI Slack, folks on science Twitter, and being engaged in groups like the BPS Committee for Professional Opportunities for Women have made it a much less scary venture.” “ There is no greater feeling than discovering something, even something small, and to discover something and then get to run with that idea with a diverse and talented group of people is amazing ” In this period of adjusting to running her own lab, Mace has been learning how to balance and manage different lines of investigation. “I have a lot of interests and there are always a lot of things going on, so deciding how many collaborations to take on and how to structure time, energy and resources to multiple different projects can be difficult,” she shares. On the other hand, the most rewarding aspect of her work is sharing the joy of discovery with her lab. “I am so grateful that I get to work with and learn from the amazing students,

Mace with her lab members.

postdocs, and other trainees that have joined my lab. There is no greater feeling than discovering something, even some- thing small, and to discover something and then get to run with that idea with a diverse and talented group of people is amazing,” she says. “I also love the challenges and flexibility of academic research. Having the freedom to pursue our ideas, to write, think, and seek knowledge, is a true privilege. I also still get a lot of satisfaction from doing bench science and having the chance to tinker on the amazing microscopes we have available to us is a great way to decompress and remind myself why I got into all this in the first place.” In her leisure time, Mace likes to go hiking or bird watching, and to walk and bike around New York City. Her advice to those just starting out in their careers is to “Pursue the questions that are most exciting to you and seek out the knowledge and techniques needed to approach them so you can build your own niche.”

The Biophysical Society is grateful to its Industry Partners.

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

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Public Affairs

Make PolicyWork for Science—Apply for the 2021-2022 BPS Congressional Fellowship 

The BPS Congressional Fellowship is an opportunity to embed science into the daily work of House and Senate offices. Members of Congress rely on their staff to bring expertise and knowledge to all aspects of the work they are tasked with. Working in public policy may not be the obvious next step in a career focused on scientific research, but it can impact policy and how you approach your research and funding in the future. This year-long program provides a unique opportunity to work with a Member of Congress or committee, bringing your first-hand knowledge of science and scientific research to the public policy process. BPS is now accepting applications for the 2021–2022 fellowship year. The BPS Congressional Fellowship is part of the esteemed AAAS Science and Technology Fellows program and is open to Regular and Early Career BPS members who are either US citizens or hold a visa allowing them the right to work in the United States. Visit the website for more details about the pro- gram or contact Leann Fox at fellowship@biophysics.org or (240) 290-5606. The application deadline is December 18, 2020 . 

Congressional FellowAnnounced

nation’s health agencies to maintain the integrity and protocols in place to develop, test, and approve vaccines in the United States. The increasing pressure to expedite development, testing, and distribution of vaccines for COVID-19 sets a dangerous precedent putting politics above science and the safety of the public. Echoing similar concerns on political pressures, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar issued a memo barring the nation’s health agencies, including the Food and Drug Administration, from signing any new rules regarding the na- tion’s foods, medicines, medical devices and other products, including vaccines. Senate Introduces the Science and Transparency Over Politics (STOP) Act On September 21,33 Senators joined Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Senate HELP Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-WA), to introduce the Science and Transpar- ency Over Politics (STOP) Act, legislation to fight back against political interference by the Trump Administration in the work of experts and the nation’s public health agencies.

The Society is pleased to announce that it has selected Samantha Anderson , PhD, as its 2020–2021Congressional Fellow. Anderson will spend a year working on legislative and policy areas requiring scientific input in the office of Representa- tive Debra Haaland (D-NM-01). She will also participate in the American Associa- tion for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)’s Science and Technology Fellow-

Samantha Anderson

ship Program, which includes a year-long seminar series on issues related to science policy. Anderson received her PhD in biochemistry from the University of Wisconsin, Madison. Learn more about the fellowship program at: https:/www. biophysics.org/policy-advocacy/congressional-fellowship. Science, Not Politics: The Battle for Vaccine Approval On September 22, the Biophysical Society (BPS) joined with 78 other science and health organizations on a news release and ad in the Wall Street Journal to urge the leadership of the

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Public Affairs

The STOP Act would create a task force within the Pandemic Response and Accountability Committee charged with conducting a thorough investigation into any political interference with decisions made by scientific agencies of the Department of Health and Human Services in connection with the pandemic response. Under this bill, the reports would be released to committees of jurisdiction and could be made public. Additionally, the task force would have full discretion to release any information that it deems is in the public interest and may be important to public safety. Around theWorld Europe Set Targets for Research Missions In September, the European Union (EU) revealed proposed ob- jectives for its much-hyped “missions,” which will concentrate research funding on tackling problems in five broad areas: cancer, adapting to climate change, carbon-neutral cities, healthy waters, and soil health. The missions could receive hundreds of millions of euros per year from Horizon Europe, the forthcoming seven-year, €81 billion research program, and additional funds from other EU programs. The five published reports contain the recommendations of the advisory boards charged with designing the missions, made up of scientists, politicians, entrepreneurs, and other luminaries. Each proposes long-term goals and more detailed interim targets, which the European Commission will review before making its final decision. But it is still unclear how the missions will be organized and managed, and what their budgets will be, casting some doubt on whether they will be ready by the January 2021 start of Horizon Europe. Costa Rica NewGeneration of Scientists, but Lacks Job Opportunities Costa Rica’s renowned biodiversity has made it a go-to destination for biologists from around the world, but in recent decades, a concerted effort has been made to train and grow scientific research talent from within. The government has also been encouraging a trend in bringing foreign-trained Costa Rican scientists back home to work, train, teach, and conduct research in their native country. The blossoming has a downside, however; the country is struggling to absorb all of the researchers it is producing. Many nations face a scarcity of research faculty jobs, but it is

an especially painful paradox given the natural riches beck- oning scientists in Costa Rica. Costa Rica’s growing pool of PhD tropical biologists marks a departure from 30 years ago. Then, for example, just 13 of 32 faculty (41 percent) at the University of Costa Rica (UCR) School of Biology had a doc- torate degree. Now, 80 percent hold that degree, and a PhD is mandatory for new hires. One obstacle, several scientists say, is Costa Rica’s reserva  system. Its intent, to lure back and retain talent by assuring doctoral candidates a job, once made sense. But now, with an abundance of researchers trained overseas who are ready to compete for academic jobs, the reserva cannot keep pace. A shortage of funding has reduced the number of Costa Ricans receiving scholarships to pursue doctoral degrees; at UCR they dropped from nearly 50 a year as recently as 2016 to just 22 last year. That could reduce the competition for jobs. But the same funding shortage could limit jobs at home. Another impacting factor is a university pension system that appears to be discouraging older faculty from retiring and creating new openings. The country now spends about 0.4 percent of its gross domestic product on science, down slightly from previous years. What changes will be needed to preserve the robust growth in scientific research careers in Costa Rica remain unclear at this point.

Physics World readers save 30% Use the code PHYSWLD30 at checkout to claim your discount. This offer is valid through 2020. BPS members are entitled to 30% off all books in the BPS biophysics series and all books in the IOP bookstore. Use the code BPS30 at checkout to secure the discount.

store.ioppublishing.org

BPS and IOP, developing a library in biophysics.

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Annual Meeting

Missed the Early Abstracts Submission Deadline? Submit a Late Abstract Today! Deadline: January 8, 2021

Thank you to our sponsors: Bruker Corporation Dynamic Biosensors GmbH Elements SRL Leica Microsystems Mad City Labs Molecular Devices Nanion Technologies NanoSurface Biomedical Sophion Bioscience A/S

All late abstracts will be programmed each day of the meeting and grouped by topic to correspond with the presentations of abstracts submitted by the October 1 deadline. SYMPOSIUM Wednesday, February 24 Best of Biophysical Journal :  Genomes to Populations 10:00 am –11:30 am For the first time, the BPS Annual Meeting will feature a Tuesday, February 23 Live Q&A: Careers in Industry 2:00 pm –3:30 pm Have you wondered what your scientific career options are if you don’t go into academia? The Biophysical Society invites you to attend an exclusive career session exploring science careers

symposium to highlight the best science recently published in Biophysical Journal .  Editor-in-Chief Jane Dyson will chair the symposium and with Associate Editors will select outstanding research on a range of subjects for presentation. Speakers will also feature the recipient of the 2020 Paper of the Year Award for exceptional work by a young investigator.  Plan to attend this session to hear about recent work from leaders in biophysics. 

outside of academia. The session will feature several industry expert panelists who will answer questions and share their experiences including the steps they took and the decisions they made throughout their careers. This is a great opportunity for attendees to hear from industry professionals and get tangible advice for identifying and pursuing various careers outside of academic research.

The annual biophysics meeting provides a great atmosphere for the collaborative nature of scientific research. Poster sessions are one of the greatest opportunities to discuss data and receive constructive criticism from such a wide variety of experts.

Call for New and Notable SymposiumSpeakers

The Biophysical Society is seeking suggestions fromSocietymembers for speakers to be featured in the annual NewandNotable Symposium. This symposium is unique in that, through a series of brief talks, attendees hear about late-breaking and exciting science. If you have a colleaguewho should be considered, visit https:/www.surveymonkey.com/r/ T3362M6 and complete the required information fields by December 3, 2020.

— Briana Watkins

University of Miami

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Annual Meeting

Annual Art of Science Contest Opens

Wednesday, February 24 Responding to the Coronavirus Threat through Investments in Fundamental Biomedical Research 12:00 pm –1:30 pm Effectively containing and limiting the spread of COVID-19, as well as responding to future pandemics of emerging, as yet unknown, infectious diseases, will require substantial increas- es in our knowledge of how this virus and other pathogens infect humans, how the human immune system responds to infection, and how to leverage this understanding to develop new vaccines and drugs. In the United States these needs can only be addressed by substantial increased funding for fundamental biomedical research, as supported through congressional appropriations to federal agencies such as the National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation, and Department of Energy. Thursday, February 25

Entries are due December 2, 2020 Do you have an eye-catching image that resulted from your research? Showcase the artistic side of scientific imaging, enter the 2021 BPS image contest, The Art of Science! Monetary prizes will be awarded for first, second, and third place. Submit today at biophysics.org/2021meeting

Family Care Grants Deadline: December 15, 2020

Meet the Editors 2:00 pm –3:00 pm

Family Care Grants are now available for BPS virtual Annual Meeting attendees. The grants will provide families with flexible financial assistance that can be applied towards extra expenses incurred for dependent care during the meeting. For more information and to apply, visit https:/www.biophysics.org/ 2021meeting.

Join the conversation with editors of the Society’s journals: Biophysical Journal , The Biophysicist , and Biophysical Reports . These leading scientists will discuss their respective journals, explain why BPS journals are the best place for your work, and answer your questions about how to get your work pub- lished in these journals.

Subgroup Symposia at the BPS Annual Meeting Monday, February 22, 2021 Subgroup Symposia at the 2021 Annual Meeting are scheduled for morning and afternoon sessions to allow registrants to attend multiple Subgroup Symposia to accommodate all research areas. Early Sessions (10:00 am –2:00 pm ) Bioenergetics, Mitochondria, and Metabolism Biopolymers in vivo Channels, Receptors, and Transport Mechanobiology Membrane Fusion, Fission, and Traffic Late Sessions (2:00 pm –6:00 pm ) Bioengineering Biological Fluorescence Cryo-EM Intrinsically Disordered Proteins Macromolecular Machines and Assemblies Membrane Structure and Function Membrane Transport Motility and Cytoskeleton Multiscale Genome Organization Nanoscale Approaches to Biology Physical Cell Biology

biophysics.org/ 2021meeting

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Annual Meeting

Bioenergetics, Mitochondria, and Metabolism Subgroup Co-Chairs: Miguel Aon , Johns Hopkins University, USA, and Gyorgy Csordas , Thomas Jefferson University, USA. 2021 Program Co-Chairs: Miguel Aon , John Hopkins University, USA, and Sonia Cortassa , National Institute on Aging, NIH, USA. Symposium Title: Mitochondrial and Metabolic Mechanisms of Lifespan and Healthspan Extension. Speakers: Ann Chiao , University of Washington, USA Mitochondrial Function in Cardiac Aging and Healthspan Rafael de Cabo , National Institute on Aging, NIH, USA The Impact of NAD(P)H: Quinone Oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1)  on Health and Mitochondrial, Glucose, and Lipid Metabolism John Denu , University of Wisconsin - Madison, USA Mitochondrial Metabolism and the Epigenome Deborah M. Muoio , Duke University Medical Center, USA Mitochondrial Adaptations to Bioenergetic Stress Plácido Navas , Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Spain CoQ Homeostasis in Metabolic and Mitochondrial Disorders Bioengineering Subgroup Chair: Samir Iqbal , University of Texas - Arlington, USA. Speakers: Andrew Ferguson , University of Chicago, USA Reconstructing Protein Structure and Dynamics from Experimental Observables Xiaoting Jia , Virginia Tech, USA Flexible Multifunctional Fibers for Brain Interfacing Salman Khetani , University of Illinois at Chicago, USA Engineering Miniature Human Tissues for Disease Modeling and Drug Development Katsuo Kurabayashi , University of Michigan, USA Blood Biomarker Digital Microarray Analysis for Systemic Inflammatory Disorders Biological Fluorescence Subgroup Chair:  Jay Knutson , National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, NIH, USA Speakers: Paola Borri , Cardiff University, United Kingdom Coherent Raman Scattering Microscopy for Quantitative Label-free Bioimaging Katharina Gaus , University of New South Wales, Australia Single-Molecule Imaging of T Cell Receptor Signalling

Marcelo Nollman , CNRS - Montpellier, France Through the Looking-glass: Imaging-based Chromosome Conformation Capture in Single Cells Thorsten Wohland , National University of Singapore - Centre for BioImaging Sciences, Singapore Beyond Imaging FCS: Multi-parametric Fluorescence Microscopy Biopolymers in vivo Subgroup Chair: Daniel Harries , Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel. 2021 Program Co-Chairs: Silvia Cavagnero , University of Wisconsin - Madison, USA, and Bin Zhang , Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA. Speakers: Grant Jensen , California Institute of Technology, USA Imaging Biopolymers in vivo Directly with Cryo-ET: Trim5 Nets and IRE-1 Helices Jennifer Lippincott-Schwartz , Howard Hughes Medical Institute, USA Mitochondria Health and Deterioration Under Nutrient Stress Depend on Lipid Trafficking Pathways set up and Controlled by Vacuolar Phase-separated, Sterol-rich Microdomains Jose Onuchic , Rice University, USA Energy Landscapes, Order and Disorder, and Protein Sequence Coevolution: from Proteins to Chromosome Structure Lucia Strader , Duke University, USA Condensation of a Plant Transcription Factor Driven by an Oligomerization Domain and IDR Iva Tolic , Ruder Boskovic Institute, USA Optogenetic Control of Spindle Microtubule Crosslinkers Reveals that Bridging Fibers Promote Chromosome Alignment by Overlap Length-Dependent Forces Channels, Receptors, and Transporters Subgroup Chair: Lucia Sivilotti , University College London, United Kingdom. Speakers: John Baenziger , Ottawa University, Canada The Structural Basis for Lipid-Sensing in a Pentameric Ligand-Gated Ion Channel Han Chow Chua , Copenhagen University, Denmark Structure and Function of the Human Sodium Leak Channel NALCN Anna Duncan , Oxford University, United Kingdom Jostling for Position: Defining How Multiple Lipid Species Interact with Inward Rectifier Potassium (Kir) Channels

Kirill Nadezhdin , Columbia University, USA Structure and Function of TRPV Channels

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Annual Meeting

Cryo-EM Subgroup Chair: Charles (Chuck) Sindelar , Yale University, USA.    2021 Program Co-Chairs: Michael Cianfrocco , University of Michigan, USA, and Andres Leschziner , University of California - San Diego, USA. Speakers: Keynote Speaker: Helen Saibil , Birkbeck University of London, United Kingdom Cryo EM of Dynamic Complexes Gira Bhabha , New York University Langone Health, USA Tunnels for Lipid Transport Across the Bacterial Cell Envelope Tristan Croll , Cambridge University, United Kingdom Physics-based Interactive Model Building with ISOLDE Radostin Danev , University of Tokyo, Japan Pushing the Limits of Cryo-EM for G Protein-coupled Receptors Yimo Han , Rice University, USA Monolayer Graphene Grids Enable 2.6-Å Reconstruction of 52-kDa Streptavidin Siew Siew Pang , Monash University, Australia (Presentation title not available) Lori A. Passmore , Cambridge University, United Kingdom Mechanistic Insights into Molecular Machines that Regulate Gene Expression Dimitry Tegunov , Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry - Göttingen, Germany Resolving Protein Dynamics in situ with Deep Learning Lexi Walls , University of Washington, USA Visualizing the SARS-CoV-2 Spike in Complex with Neutraliz- ing Antibodies Sharon G. Wolf , Weizmann Institute, Israel Revealing Mitochondrial Architecture in Vitrified Cells by CryoSTEM Tomography Intrinsically Disordered Proteins Subgroup Chair: Nicolas Fawzi , Brown University, USA. 2021 Program Co-Chairs: Robert Best , National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, NIH, USA, and Alessandro Borgia , St. Jude Children’s Hospital, USA. Speakers: Keynote Speaker, Founder of IDP Subgroup: Keith Dunker , Indiana University, USA On the Evolution of IDRs, IDDs, and IDPs Alexander K. Buell , Technical University of Denmark The Thermodynamics of Misfolding into Amyloid Fibrils

Rosana Collepardo , Cambridge University, United Kingdom Liquid-like Chromatin Organization from Multiscale Modelling Beat Fierz , Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Switzerland Dynamic Control Mechanisms of Local Chromatin Access Hagen Hofmann , Weizmann Institute, Israel Allostery through DNA Drives Phenotype Switching Allie Obermeyer , Columbia University, USA Design of Protein-based Complex Coacervates in Cells Anđela Šarić , University College London, United Kingdom Pathways of Amyloid Formation in Solution and on Lipid Membranes Wenwei Zheng , Arizona State University, USA Computational Models for Liquid-Liquid Phase Separation of Intrinsically Disordered Proteins Macromolecular Machines and Assemblies Subgroup Chair: Catherine Musselman , University of Colorado - Anschutz, USA. Speakers: Carlos A. Castañeda , Syracuse University, USA Function and Mechanisms of UBQLN2-mediated Phase Transitions in Protein Quality Control Aaron Hoskins , University of Wisconsin, USA Using Single Molecules to Map the Pathways of Spliceosome Active Site Formation Vignesh Kasinath , University of California - Berkeley, USA Structural Insights into the Regulation of Gene Silencer PRC2 Cheryl Kerfeld , Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, USA Diversity, Structure, Function, Assembly and Engineering of Primitive Protein-Based Organelles: Bacterial Microcompartments Anna-Lena Steckelberg , University of Colorado - Anschutz, USA Viral Manipulation of Translation and RNA Turnover Lovorka Stojic , Queen Mary University of London, United Kingdom Long Noncoding RNAs: New Guardians of Genome Integrity During the Cell Cycle Mechanobiology Subgroup Chair: Michael Sheetz , Columbia University, USA.  Speakers: Keynote Speaker: Xavier Trepat , IBEC Barcelona, Spain Mechanical Multitasking: The Forces that Enable Epithelia to Fold, Migrate, Divide and Die

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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

Annual Meeting

Otger Campas , University of California - Santa Barbara, USA Fluid-to-Solid Transitions and Tissue Fluidization in Embryonic Tissues Stuti Desai , University of Texas Medical Branch, USA Collective Behavior of Salmonella in Persistent Infections Lisa Manning , Syracuse University, USA Geometric Signatures of Heterotypic Cell-Cell Interactions in Confluent Tissues Sweta Murthy , Oregon Health & Science University - Vollum Institute, USA The Molecular Basis of Mechanically Activated Ion Channels OSCAs Celeste Nelson , Princeton University, USA How to Build an Epithelial Tree Matthew J. Paszek , Cornell University, USA Control of Membrane Morphological Transitions by the Glycocalyx  Omer Shafraz , University of California - Davis, USA Mapping Transmembrane Binding Partners for E-cadherin Ectodomains Sara Wickström , University of Helsinki, Finland Nuclear Mechanotransduction: Regulation of Cell Fate and Integrity Membrane Fusion, Fission, and Traffic Subgroup Chair: Jenny Hinshaw , National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive Kidney Diseases, NIH, USA. Speakers: Elizabeth Chen , University of Texas - Southwestern, USA Mechanical Tension Drives Cell-Cell Fusion David DiGregorio , Institut Pasteur, France Mechanisms Underlying the Diversity of Calcium-dependent Synaptic Vesicle Fusion Dynamics Adam Frost , University of California - San Francisco, USA Membrane Mechanics: New Insights from Cryo-EM and Cryo-EM-guided Simulations Gregory Melikian , Emory University, USA Inhibition of Viral Fusion by Interferon-induced Transmembrane Proteins Dragomir Milovanovic , German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Germany A Phase of Synapsin and Synaptic Vesicles Recruits Alpha-synuclein Carole Parent , University of Michigan, USA Extracellular Vesicles as Key Regulators of Dictyostelium and Neutrophils Chemotaxis

Simon Scheuring , Weill Cornell Medicine, USA High-speed AFM: Membrane Deformation Protein Complexes in Action Joshua Zimmerberg , Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, NIH, USA The Pathway for Membrane Fusion and Fission in Exocytosis and Viral Entry Membrane Structure and Function Subgroup Chair:    Sarah Veatch , University of Michigan, USA. Speakers: Fredric Cohen , Rush University, USA Dynamic Regulation of the Chemical Potential of Plasma Membrane Cholesterol by Growth Factors Ana J. Garcia-Saéz , University of Cologne, Germany Interplay between the Cellular Machinery for Apoptosis and Mitochondrial Division Martin Girard , Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research - Mainz, Germany Insights into Regulation of Cell Membranes through Regulated Ensembles Félix Goñi , Basque Center for Biophysics (EHU), Spain Can we Dispense with Sphingolipids? Correlation between Membrane Lipid Composition and Biophysical Properties in Sphingolipid-restricted Mammalian Cells Kristen A. Johnson , University of Texas - Southwestern, USA Cholesterol Accessibility in Membranes Benjamin Machta , Yale University, USA (Pre)Wetting of Protein Droplets to Critical Membranes Sarah Shelby , University of Michigan, USA Immune Receptors and the Membrane Microenvironment Feng Yuan , University of Texas - Austin, USA Membrane Bending by Protein Phase Separation Membrane Transport Subgroup Chair: Ming Zhou , Baylor College of Medicine, USA. Speakers: Oliver Beckstein , Arizona State University, USA The Transport Cycle of a Sodium/Proton Antiporter Susan K. Buchanan , National Institute of Diabetes and Diges- tive and Kidney Disease, NIH, USA Structural Insight into Toxin Secretion by Contact Dependent Growth Inhibition of Transporters Nancy Carrasco , Vanderbilt University, USA (Presentation title not available) David Drew , Stockholm University, Sweden The Molecular Determinants for Unlocking Substrate Translocation in GLUT Transporters

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Annual Meeting

Multiscale Genome Organization Subgroup Co-Chairs: Tom C. Bishop , Louisiana Tech Universi- ty, USA, and Tamar Schlick, New York University, USA. Speakers: Yamini Dalal , National Cancer Institute, NIH, USA Bungee Jumping into Fragile Sites in the Human Cancer Genome: Mapping Nano-elasticity of Variant Chromatin Structure Michele Di Pierro , Northeastern University, USA Across Space and along Polymers: Epigenetics’ Conflicting Means of Shaping Chromosomes Hitoshi Kurumizaka , University of Tokyo, Japan Nucleosome Contribution to Epigenetic Genome Regulation Catherine Musselman , Colorado University - Anschutz, USA Chromatin Signaling: The Importance of Histone Tail Conformation Lars Nordenskiöld , Nanyang Technical University, Singapore Structure and Dynamics of Telomeric Chromatin Garegin Papoian , University of Maryland, USA Nucleosomal Physics from Electrostatics to Elasticity Helmut Schiessel , Leiden University, Netherlands Demultiplexing Information Written along DNA Molecules Andrzej Stasiak , University of Lausanne, Switzerland Topological Analysis of Chromosomal Tracings, Obtained by Serial Fluorescent in situ Hybridization Method, Suggests that Human Chromosomes are Unknotted Nanoscale Approaches to Biology Subgroup Chair: Frederik Westerlund , Chalmers University, Sweden. Speakers: Bianxiao Cui , Stanford University Nanoscale Structures Modulating Cell Signaling at the Nano-Bio Interface Aleksandra Radenovic , Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Switzerland Correlative 3D Microscopy of Single Cells using Super Resolution and Scanning Ion-Conductance Microscopy Felix Rico , University of Aix - Marseille, France Dynamics and Binding Strength of the Spike Protein of SARS-CoV-2 Probed by High-speed Atomic Force Microscopy Ilaria Testa , KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden 3D Optical Nanoscopy in Living Cells Mark Williams , Northeastern University, USA Human FACT Proteins Facilitate both Disassembly and Reassembly of Nucleosomes

Hiro Furukawa , Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, USA Architecture and Function of Neuronal Machinery Kavita Iyer , Virginia Commonwealth University, USA Cyro-EM and Functional Studies of RyRs Carrying Mutations Leading to “Leaky” Phenotype Han Sun , Leibniz Research Institute for Molecular Pharmacol- ogy (FMP) - Berlin, Germany Ion Permeation in Non-selective Cation Channels Noah Trebesch , University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA Mechanistic Insights from Molecular Dynamics Simulations of Large-Scale Conformational Transitions in the INDY Transport Cycle Motility and Cytoskeleton Subgroup Co-Chairs: Sanford (Sandy) Bernstein , San Diego State University, USA, and Kenneth (Ken) Campbell , University of Kentucky, USA. Speakers: Motility & Cytoskeleton Early Career Award Winner: Marija Zanic , Vanderbilt University, USA Dynamic Architecture of the Microtubule Cytoskeleton: Un- derstanding by Building Joseph Atherton , King’s College London, United Kingdom The Mechanism of Selective Kinesin Inhibition by Kinesin Binding Protein Krishna Chinthalapudi , Ohio State University Medical College, USA Structural Basis of Nonmuscle Myosin-2 Regulation Nadia Daneshparvar , Florida State University, USA Cryo-EM Structure of Drosophila Thick Filaments Melissa Gardner , University of Minnesota, USA A Tug-of-War at the Plus-end: Kinesin-14 Motors and Plus- end Microtubule Dynamics Michael J. Greenberg , Washington University in St. Louis, USA SARS-CoV-2 Infects Human Engineered Heart Tissues and Models COVID-19 Myocarditis Thomas Kampourakis , King’s College London, United Kingdom The N-terminal Lobe of the Myosin Regulatory Light Chain is Part of a Sarcomeric Length Sensor in Cardiac Muscle Andrew Mead , University of Vermont, USA A Quick Tail: Larval Zebrafish Muscles are a See-through Win- dow into Mechanisms of Contractile Modulation Nikki Reinemann , University of Mississippi, USA Probing Hierarchical Cytoskeletal Ensembles Using Optical Tweezers Jing Xu , University of California - Merced, USA Cholesterol in Cargo Membrane Amplifies Inhibitory Effect of MAP Tau on Kinesin-1

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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

Annual Meeting

Physical Cell Biology Subgroup Chair:   Melike Lakadamyali , University of Pennsylvania, USA. 2021 Program Chair: Johan Elf , Uppsala University, Sweden. Symposium Title: Mitochondrial and Metabolic Mechanisms of Lifespan and Healthspan Extension. Speakers: Naama Barkai , Weizmann Institute, Israel Disorder Region Guide Transcription Factor to Specific Genomic Sites

Long Cai , California Institute of Technology, USA Spatial Genomics in situ Analysis by seqFISH Nicholas Plachta , University of Pennsylvania, USA Imaging How Cells Choose their Fate, Shape, and Position to Form the Mammalian Embryo Aviv Regev , Broad Institute, USA Design for Inference and the Power of Random Experiments in Biology

Biophysical Society Thematic Meeting

Biophysics at the Dawn of Exascale Computers

Hamburg, Germany | May 24–28, 2021

Molecular biophysics over the next decade will be dominated by three technologies — electron microscopy and tomography, X-ray lasers, and machine learning. Taking us a step closer towards capturing bimolecular assemblies in action, these technol- ogies together with molecular simulations are delivering not only static structures, but movies of cellular functions. One com- mon denominator to this remarkable progress is the advent of graphics processor unit (GPU)-intensive compute resources over the past decade. Already leveraging parallel capabilities, areas of diffraction data and single-particle image processing, hybrid modeling, molecular dynamics and free-energy simulations, and drug design and discovery are frontrunners in leveraging the prowess of exascale computing. Fortuitously overlapping with the inception of the exascale era, this meeting will prepare the biophysics community to start advancing the development and implementation of computational algorithms towards the best use of the exascale computing resources. The meeting brings together experimentalists and theoreticians working in the broad areas of protein folding and assembly, dissection of allosteric pathways, macromolecular interactions and bottom-up structure of cells wherein the large- scale computing is expected to bring forth major discoveries. Molecular and cellular biologists, chemists, physicists, mathema- ticians, and computer scientists will find a common platform to share their innovations and future needs with experts, so as a community we move forward to best adapt ourselves with these world-class resources.

Abstract Submission Deadline: January 22, 2021

Early Registration Deadline: February 8, 2021

For more information, visit www.biophysics.org/2020Hamburg

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