Biophysical Society Bulletin | November 2021
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November 2021
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 2022 Fellows The Biophysical Society is proud to announce it has named seven distinguished members as its 2022 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 biophys- ics. The newest honorees will be recognized during the Biophysical Society’s 66th Annual Meeting. The 2022 Fellows are:
Roger Cooke , University of California, San Francisco, USA, for landmark discov- eries inmotor proteins, which defined the current lever-armmechanisms in myosin and first defined its “super-relaxed” state, and the mechanism, structure, and energetics of kinesins.
Karen Fleming , Johns Hop- kins University, USA, for rig- orous and incisive contribu- tions to our understanding of the thermodynamics of membrane protein folding and for her tireless devotion to promoting gender equity in science. Martin Karplus , Harvard University, USA, for the development of multiscale models for complex chem- ical systems andmolecular dynamics simulations of biological macromolecules.
Angela Gronenborn , University of Pittsburgh, USA, for her pioneering work in the use of nuclear magnetic resonance to probe the structure and function of macromolecules in biology and for her out- standing commitment to and impact on the biophysics community as a whole. Stephen Kowalczykowski , University of California, Davis, USA, for his seminal biophys- ical and biochemical studies, including advancing “visual biochemistry,” that have con- tributed to our understanding of the complex protein-DNA interactions involved in DNA recombination and DNA replication. Pernilla Wittung-Stafshede , Chalmers University, Sweden, for her pioneering research accomplishments that have enhanced our understanding of protein biophysics, with an emphasis onmetallopro- tein folding, macromolecular crowding effects, andmetal transport mechanisms.
Roger Cooke
Karen Fleming
Angela Gronenborn
Message from BPS Biophysicist in Profile Inside
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Publications Public Affairs
Martin Karplus
Stephen Kowalczykowski
Career Development Cheers for Volunteers Grants and Opportunities
Dame Carol V. Robinson , University of Oxford, United Kingdom, for advancing the field of native mass spec- trometry of proteins and protein complexes.
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Annual Meeting Member Corner In Memoriam Important Dates
Dame Carol V. Robinson
Pernilla Wittung-Stafshede
BPS congratulates ArdemPatapoutian, who has been awarded the 2021 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine along with David Julius “for discoveries of receptors for temperature and touch.”
Message fromBPS
Evolution of the BPS Annual Meeting
The First National Biophysics Conference was held in Columbus, OH in 1957. From 1957 to 2020, in-person meetings were a consis- tent and regular highlight of the year for the Biophysical Society (BPS) and our thousands of members and attendees from around the world. For those of you who joined us in San Diego in February 2020, perhaps you recall that BPS Lecturer Sunney Xie came to us virtually from China? Travel bans were just starting and the coronavirus, though prolifer- ating, had not yet been declared a pandemic. In 2021, holding face-to-face scientific conferences was nearly impossible due to COVID-19, and many organizations, including BPS,
Besides the recorded content being available on-demand, scientific posters from BPS 2022 will be available in an online poster gallery to anyone registering for either the in-person meeting or the on-demand content. The online poster gallery is in addition to the face-to-face poster sessions in San Fran- cisco and should broaden the impact of poster presenters by making their posters viewable in advance of the meeting and accessible to their colleagues who are unable to attend. More information about the poster gallery will be available after the abstract programming is completed in late November. Along with the processes and systems to support the on-de- mand content, the in-person meeting presents some chal- lenges that did not exist for prior meetings. Keeping attend- ees safe from COVID-19 is a priority for both BPS and the city of San Francisco. Currently, San Francisco requires proof of vaccination for all large, indoor events, which includes BPS 2022. We will be working with a vendor to collect and validate vaccination information in advance of the meeting. When you receive our emails about vaccine verification, please respond! Providing your information ahead of time will be essential to making your onsite badge pickup and getting you to your first session a smooth process. In late September, the US government announced an easing of travel restrictions, opening its borders to international travelers vaccinated with a US Food and Drug Administra- tion- or World Health Organization-approved vaccine. The timing of the news was critical, as we had heard from many international members who, wondering if they would be able to travel, were unsure if they should submit an abstract by the October 1 deadline. We quickly sent messages to mem- bers and prospective attendees letting them know about the changing restrictions. The announcement provided some relief and bolstered abstract submissions. If you haven’t sub- mitted an abstract yet, we invite you to submit a late abstract before January 6! Our Annual Meeting has evolved over 65 years and, despite adaptations such as recording sessions for on-demand viewing, enabling an online poster gallery, and implementing a vaccination verification system, the core of the BPS Annual Meeting remains the same: outstanding science accompanied by a first-rate exhibit hall, numerous professional develop- ment and career opportunities, lively poster sessions and competitions, inclusive networking events, and more. San Francisco remains one of the most popular Annual Meeting locations and we can’t wait to reconnect with you!
hosted their annual meetings virtually. While it was not pos- sible to replicate online all the symposia, networking events, committee programs, and collaborating opportunities that are so loved at the BPS Annual Meeting, we were able to host five days of outstanding science with Subgroup “Monday,” platform talks, posters, and a handful of special sessions such as the BPS Lecture and the President’s Symposium on Building an Inclusive Biophysical Society. Despite positive feedback about the virtual event, the number one comment we received on the post-meeting survey was some version of “I can’t wait to meet in-person again!” As we reported in the July/August issue of the BPS Bulletin , Council and the Annual Meeting Program Chairs met virtually for Spring Council to discuss the format for the 2022 Annual Meeting. At that time, vaccines were becoming more readily available, restrictions were easing, and optimism was high that the pandemic was coming under control. We decided to move ahead with the in-person meeting in San Francisco. Recognizing that not everyone would be able to travel, Council decided that the symposia on Subgroup Saturday in San Fran- cisco would be recorded and offered on-demand after the meeting. Recordings of the BPS Lecture, the award talks, and the workshops will also be available online after the meeting. Council did consider whether live-streaming sessions during the Annual Meeting would be feasible, but that option was extremely cost-prohibitive, as it would have nearly doubled the expense of the in-person event.
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Biophysicist in Profile
Officers President Frances Separovic President-Elect Gail Robertson Past-President Catherine A. Royer Secretary Erin Sheets Treasurer Samantha Harris Council Henry Colecraft Michelle A. Digman Erin C. Dueber Marta Filizola Gilad Haran Kumiko Hayashi Francesca Marassi
Cliff Brangwynne Areas of Research
Institution Princeton University and Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Biophysical principles of intracellular organization
At-a-Glance
Cliff Brangwynne describes himself as a late bloomer in science, not developing a strong interest in the subject until his later teen years. Once he learned about the unsolved mysteries inherent to the field, he couldn’t wait to learn more—and he has spent his career as a biophysical engineer doing just that.
Cliff Brangwynnne
Susan Marqusee Joseph A. Mindell Carolyn A. Moores Kandice Tanner Biophysical Journal Jane Dyson Editor-in-Chief The Biophysicist Sam Safran Editor-in-Chief Biophysical Reports
Cliff Brangwynne was raised in the Boston area in the same house in which his mother grew up. “As a kid I went to a Catholic school that was basically across the street from my house in Boston—if you’re picturing some of those Ben Affleck - Matt Damon movies of working class Irish-Catholic Boston, that’s not too far off,” he jokes. His big family did not include any scientists when he was a child, but there are several in his generation. “I have a large extended family full of electricians, plumbers, painters, and nurses—a wonderful, loving, and high-energy (read: loud) bunch. None of that generation graduated from college, but my mom in particular had this strong appreciation for the value of education. And for some rea- son my sister and I, and several of our cousins, became scientists,” he shares. Brangwynne had no particular interest in science as a child, but dove in during his later high school years. “I was a bit of a ‘late bloom- er’—no chemistry sets in the basement or math team Olympiads,” he remembers, “but sometime in the middle of high school I started reading pop-science books about quantum mechanics and became aware of these myste- rious and unsolved problems at the root of our physical world. I enjoyed thinking about this and wanted to learn more.” He attended Carnegie Mellon University, from which he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in materials science and engineering, minoring in physics. “Probably the biggest struggle of my career was getting started during the college years. I was pretty resource-challenged in college and led a sort of threadbare bohemian existence. I was also not really sure how to
combine my different interests, and where that would lead,” he recalls. “I knew I liked physics and engineering, but I also was fascinated by biology. In the beginning, it wasn’t at all clear to me how to combine these, because at the time I couldn’t find many people working at this interface. But I think I was able to manage this uncertainty with the help of some terrific mentors—if you’re a young aspiring scientist unsure of how to get started, step one is to find a good mentor who can give you advice. Many people have themselves had great men- tors and are eager to pay it forward.” He con- tinues, “I was able to overcome some of this uncertainty by letting my curiosity about the natural world guide me—I pursued research because it seemed interesting, not because I thought it might be a good career or impress anybody or something. Slowly I started to see how to bring my different interests together in a fruitful way.” Following his graduation, he earned his PhD from Harvard University in applied physics. Brangwynne then undertook a postdoctor- al position in Dresden, Germany at the Max Planck Institute for Cell Biology and Genetics, spending some of his time at the Max Planck Institute for the Physics of Complex Systems. “There I began studying this interesting class of intracellular organelles that don’t have an enclosing membrane. During this time, I was fortunate to make an important discovery about these structures, showing that they rep- resent condensed liquid states of biomolecular matter, that form through a kind of intracellular phase transition known as liquid-liquid phase separation,” he explains. Continued on next page
Jörg Enderlein Editor-in-Chief
Society Office Jennifer Pesanelli Executive Officer Newsletter Executive Editor Jennifer Pesanelli Managing Editor John Long
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 © 2021 by the Biophysical Society.
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Biophysicist in Profile
In 2011, he joined the faculty of Princeton University, where he is currently the June K. Wu ’92 Professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering and a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator. “My lab at Princeton focuses on understanding the biophysical principles of intracellular organization, partic- ularly how phase separation drives compartmentalization and function within cells. We use approaches from materials sci- ence and soft matter physics, combined with cell and molecu- lar biology techniques, to understand and engineer living cells. This work is really exciting and meaningful to me because it weaves together the two threads of my prior training, in ma- terials physics and cell biology. My findings on the liquid na- ture of P granules were the productive collision of these two threads,” he explains. “My research falls into a few different areas related to emergent intracellular organization. One as- pect of this is genomic organization, where phase-separated biomolecular condensates are forming in, on, and around the genome, in ways we don’t really understand. A second area of interest is in protein aggregation disease, where liquid-like condensates seem to gel or solidify, which appears to under- lie pathologies such as ALS and Alzheimer’s. A third area is in technology development, where we try to come up with new ways to probe and engineer the phase behavior in living cells, with the potential for various applications in biotechnology and therapeutics.” Brangwynne has received several prestigious awards for his work, including a MacArthur Foundation Fellowship, the Blav- atnik Award for Young Scientists, the Human Frontier Science Program Nakasone Award, and the Wiley Prize in Biomedical Sciences. “Biophysics is fascinating because, of course, cells obey the laws of physics!” he says. “For that reason, biophysics has broad applications. I’m increasingly interested in not only un- derstanding but also engineering cells for human health. Peo- ple started referring to me as a ‘biophysical engineer,’ which is a term that I kind of like, in that we’re both asking, ‘What
is the underlying biophysics at play in cells?’ and also asking, ‘How can we translate that knowledge into bioengineering approaches that exploit the underlying physics?’” The most rewarding part of the work for Brangwynne is working collaboratively to bring an idea to fruition. “I like constructing things—treehouses, short stories, scientific pa- pers, research programs. To me, one of the most exciting and rewarding aspects of being a PI is to share a vision, assemble a team, and try to inspire them and work together with them to make the dream into a reality,” he shares. “Working togeth- er with students and postdocs and watching them learn and grow through the process is particularly meaningful.” One of his fondest memories from the BPS Annual Meeting is sharing convention center space with a tattoo convention. “Right at the boundary was the room hosting one of the first meetings of the Intrinsically Disordered Proteins (IDP) Subgroup. I recall thinking this appropriate, since both were sort of outcasts!” he jokes. “Years later, a lot of my lab’s work started to intersect strongly with IDPs, so I look back on that first encounter with IDP scientists and laugh.” When he is not working, Brangwynne spends his time with his family. He also has several hobbies, including ice hockey, jogging, and trail running, the latter with his German short- haired pointer. “I also like to fish—and sometimes even catch them,” he jokes. “I occasionally make noise on the banjo and ukulele.” To early career biophysicists, he advises: “Pay attention to the things that you find the most interesting. If you dive deep and become fully immersed in some area or set of questions that you find you are passionate about, you are going to make progress and see new things that have not been seen before. I do take into consideration the big picture, and try to position my work strategically, but mostly I just do things that I think are interesting and cool, and the rest seems to sort itself out.”
For more information, visit www.biophysj.org.
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Publications
(a)
Know the Editor Andreas Janshoff
Georg-August-Universität Göttingen
Editor, Membranes Biophysical Journal
Andreas Janshoff
What are you currently working on that excites you? Currently, my group is working on exploring the nature of active matter at different length scales, from subcellular networks to tissue-like cell ensembles. This is done in the context of wound healing and particularly addresses the entanglement of mechanical properties with pivotal cellular processes such as adhesion, motility, growth, differentiation, and development. Research on natural living systems is closely linked to our work on artificial model systems, which we design to mimic essential features of living cells. Compartments are formed from tailored membranes that enable them to mirror certain aspects of living cells. In this way, we are trying to create so- called “living foams” consisting of interconnected contractile microcompartments that in the future could serve as “living band-aids” in the early process of wound healing. The third cornerstone of our research is dedicated to the quantitative understanding of membrane fusion processes by creating model systems that allow us to study specific aspects of this crucial step in neuronal information transmis- sion. What has been your biggest “aha” moment in science? Interestingly, in my scientific life, there has never been such a singularity where I have felt that we can “rip the mask off of nature,” but rather there have been these many, yet rare, moments in which the models and the overarching work- ing hypothesis suddenly agree with the actual experiments. Much more often, however, the opposite was true, that the experiments tended to shatter the models and the associat- ed hypothesis, but that’s the point where the research really starts to get interesting, and where you hit on something new.
0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0 0.0 “To gain insights into the role of stoichiometric binding in biomolecular liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS), we de- veloped theories for LLPS driven solely by interactions that stabilize stoichiometric protein complexes in dilute solution and for alternate scenarios in which auxiliary interactions also contribute. Application of our formulations to experimen- tal measurements of dilute- and condensed-phase protein concentrations of the SynGAP/PSD-95 condensate model of postsynaptic densities reveals that its assembly involves interactions auxiliary to those stabilizing the 3:2 SynGAP/ PSD-95 complex in dilute solution, exemplifying a synergy between specific and stochastic interactions in the assembly of biomolecular condensates.” 0.2 0.4 0.0 0.2 0.4 0.8 BJ Editor’s Pick Assembly of model postsynaptic densities involves interac- tions auxiliary to stochiometric binding Yi-Hsuan Lin, Haowei Wu, Bowen Jia, Mingjie Zhang, Hue Sun Chan 1.0 (c) 0.6 0.8 1.0 0.6
(d
0.0 0.2 0.4 0
Accepted Version Published October 8, 2021 DOI:https:/doi.org/10.1016/j.bpj.2021.10.008
Numbers By the A total of 30% of Biophysical Society members reside outside of the United States.
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Public Affairs
Applications Are Open for the Biophysical Society 2022–2023 Congressional Fellowship Interested in using your science skills to inform science policy? Does spending a year working on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, helping develop policy sound exciting? The Biophysical Society’s Congressional Fellowship program is your opportunity to participate directly in the process of lawmaking that impacts how research is funded and regulated. This year-long opportunity provides fellows a chance to utilize their science knowledge to inform the public policy process. Fellows will gain firsthand knowledge and experience on how Congress works and will participate in the esteemed AAAS Science and Technology Fellows program that provides ongoing training and networking opportunities during the fellowship year and beyond. Visit https:/www.biophysics.org/policy-advocacy/congressional-fellowship to learn about the program and apply. The application deadline is December 10, 2021 . BPS Comes Together to Support NIH at the Rally for Medical Research Apollo-like “mission control” center to coordinate the many branches of government already involved with pandemic preparedness.
The Rally for Medical Research, the seminal advocacy event in support of medical research funding at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), was held virtually this year on September 23. The Rally puts a spotlight on the incredible research that the NIH funds. This year, approximately 435 scientists, physicians, and health research advocates from 46 states and the District of Columbia participated in more than 279 virtual meetings with 92 Senators, 187 Representatives, and their policy staff. Several Biophysical Society (BPS) members were able to participate in the virtual meetings from their labs, offices, and homes. We would like to recognize and thank Michael Rudo- kas and Walid Fahssi for participating in virtual meetings as well as the members who participated in the email advocacy campaign in support of continued, predictable funding for the scientific research efforts supported by the NIH. White House Rolls Out Pandemic Preparedness Plan On September 3, the White House outlined an ambitious $65.3 billion plan to transform the United States’ pandemic response. The Administration hopes to launch the plan with $15 billion set aside in a budget reconciliation bill now before Congress (but not certain to pass). It asks Congress to provide the rest of the funding over the next decade. It calls for an
The 27-page plan only offers a rough outline of funding needs; however, it does suggest several specific actions. For vaccines, it calls for more research on 26 families of viruses known to infect humans. It would also lay the groundwork to develop, test, and approve vaccines against new emerg- ing pathogens within 100 days—three times faster than COVID-19 shots were ready for use—and produce enough vaccine for the United States within 130 days and for the world in 200 days. Vaccine makers would be funded to maintain excess production capacity at their existing plants. A clinical trials network would be at the ready, set up to enroll 100,000 participants within a few weeks, which would lead to answers more quickly than did the 30,000-person studies staged for COVID-19 vaccines. New technologies such as skin patches or nasal sprays would simplify providing vaccines, and more effort would go into developing animal models for all potential viral families. House Science Committee Approves $45 Billion Blueprint for Research Scientific research in the United States continues to see big leaps in funding. In this case it is for the research facilities at the national laboratories. As part of the House Democrats’ $3.5 trillion budget blueprint, the Department of Energy (DOE) would see an appropriation of approximately $45 billion.
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Public Affairs
The legislation authorizes 5- and 10-year spending plans for agencies under DOE’s jurisdiction, including the National Sci- ence Foundation (NSF), the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Ad- ministration (NOAA), and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). The increases are aimed at boosting research across many disciplines, including efforts to combat climate change and bolster innovation. Among the key funding increases this bill would support is an additional $15 billion for DOE over the next five years, of which almost $13 billion would be managed by its $7-billion- a-year Office of Science. NSF, which operates at a funding level of $8.5 billion per year, would be authorized to spend an additional $11 billion over the next 10 years, with some $7.6 billion spread across its eight research and education direc- torates (including a technology directorate being stood up this year) to strengthen existing programs. The Department of Commerce, the department overseeing both NIST and NOAA, would be authorized to spend $5 billion over the next decade on programs to promote regional innovation. Those programs include applied research and testing new technol- ogies that would foster economic development. In addition, NOAA would receive $4.2 billion over the next five years for myriad programs aimed at understanding and adapting to climate change. NIST would be allotted $4.2 billion over the next decade. Some $1.2 billion would be devoted to funding projects in 10 areas of technology, including artificial intel- ligence, quantum information science, and advanced man- ufacturing, which are seen as keys to economic growth and national security. Around theWorld WHO Establishes New Center with Germany toMonitor Emerging Diseases Germany and the World Health Organization (WHO) have teamed up to launch a new hub aimed at accelerating efforts to detect and respond to new disease outbreaks. The German government pledged $100 million to stand up the WHO Hub for Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence, which was formally inaugurated on September 2. One goal of the project is to bring together, in real time, information on emerging public health crises—but exactly how the new hub will operate is still under discussion. To accomplish this task effectively, however, officials often need a wide range of information, including social and demo- graphic data on communities where an outbreak is occurring, travel patterns, and how people interact with animals or the environment. While there is an abundance of information available, the hub’s focus will be putting it all together and
understanding what it means. Ideally, the hub will become the foundation of a new global surveillance architecture for COVID-19 and other pathogens. Peru’s Controversial NewPresident Is Bringing High Hopes to Scientists With the surprising election of Peru’s new president, Pedro Castillo , in June, citizens are expecting some major changes to address poverty and inequality. Castillo, a former school- teacher, has appointed a leading scientist as a top adviser and said he will address systemic problems in Peruvian science, including low budgets, a weak governance system, and a lack of prospects for young researchers. He has also vowed to better manage the country’s response to the pandemic. Peru currently has one of the highest mortality rates in the world from COVID-19. In May, after he had won the first round of the elections, Cas- tillo promised to significantly increase health and education budgets, elevate science and technology’s role, and create a new science ministry. In a May 22 letter, 50 Peruvian scien- tists, most of them trained outside Peru, welcomed those proposals and urged Castillo to adopt a new national science, technology, and innovation policy. Peru’s science system, the letter said, requires “profound changes that have been postponed by governments in recent decades and that the pandemic has brought to light.” That same month, Castillo asked physicist Modesto Montoya of the National University of Engineering, one of the country’s best-known scientists, to create a panel to outline a new ca- reer path for scientists and a structure for a future Ministry of Science to replace the leadership role of the National Council of Science and Technology (CONCYTEC). The informal group met with Castillo at the presidential palace on August 27, and Montoya, who has a good relationship with the new presi- dent, was appointed presidential adviser on scientific matters on September 8. Researchers also hope the new administration will do more to stop or reverse Peru’s brain drain. The country currently offers financial incentives to bring researchers home and set them up at a Peruvian institution, but the system does not guarantee good working conditions after their arrival. Wheth- er Castillo can make good on his lofty promises remains to be seen.
Connect with BPS
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Career Development
“ReadMe” When StuckWhileWriting As a graduate student, I often struggle with writing papers, abstracts for confer- ences, and presentations. I tend to have negative thoughts that create a complete “writer’s block” inmy head and lead to procrastination. Of course, procrastinating to avoid the emotions I feel when writing only leads tomore stress and anxiety as important work is left undone!
therefore, your biophysics knowledge does have many gaps and is not entirely structured starting fromhigh school onward. You indeed have a lot to learn, and this is what a PhD program is—a learning platform for you. By reading more papers on a relevant subject, you can bridge the gaps in knowledge andmake your written thoughts more logical and coherent with a big picture of the research in the lab. “I will never finish this PhD.” Not true again! A full 99% of people who reach year 8 (just like you) finish their PhD within the next year or two, and so will you. You have already passed your preliminary examination with flying colors and your proposed research projects satis- fied the committee completely. No going back, only forward! “My writing is juvenile, oversimplified, and lazy.” Your first draft might not be great, but if you have two or three (or ten) edits on top of it, you are capable of construct- ing complex but coherent sentences that flow and convey the message clearly. Remember the first-year composition award! “I am all alone in the writing process, and I simply cannot work alone.” You are not writing alone: your principal investigator supports you every step of the way. They love editing and making suggestions as long as you play your part and meet them halfway. You are lucky to have them as your supervisor. They will proofread all your writing. You also have a very supportive family who are your biggest fans. They believe in your ability to do great things in the world. They are inspired by you and your perseverance every day. Remember to be kind to yourself. You are not terrible at writ- ing: it is an essential part of your thought process and your life! Lower your head and begin writing. . . the rest will fall into place. — Molly Cule
If you ever feel this way, youmight find it helpful to take a closer look at your negative thoughts and challenge the way you think. Take the following conversation, for example, betweenme and myself about some common thoughts I have when I sit down to write. “I hate writing.” That is not true—you like writing emails and short notes because you love communicating with people, whether it’s about science, life, or feelings. You also enjoy doing brief write-ups for your fam- ily and friends with data you found about all sorts of topics: taxes, vaccines, flight tickets, college programs, and trips. You love writ- ing lists of things and tasks. You cannot plan anything or make an important decision without making a written report about it first. “I am a bad writer.” This is not valid. Judging by the fact that people respond to your messages and emails and nod their heads when reading what you wrote, you are reasonably good at communicating your thoughts in writing. Also, remember that you received an award during your master’s program in the first-year composition in English class among international students. “I am a complete fraud in science (or more precisely biophys- ics); that’s why I have a hard time writing about the research I’mdoing.” You do have a background in accelerator physics (undergrad plus a one-year contract job) andmedical physics (master’s thesis);
Please Consider Making a Donation
Your tax-deductible donation will help make a difference to the biophysics community. Your donation will help support travel awards, public affairs activities, and resources and programs for biophysicists. To donate, please visit www.biophysics.org/donate
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Cheers for Volunteers
Nagarajan Vaidehi Committee for Inclusion and Diversity (CID)
Nagarajan Vaidehi
Grants & Opportunities IBSA Foundation Fellowships The IBSA Foundation awards five fellowships every year, each worth €30,000, to young researchers under the age of 40 from universities and research institutes around the world who have distinguished themselves for their skills and have ongoing projects of particular relevance in five areas of research: dermatology, endocrinology, fertility/ urology, orthopedics/main medicine/rheumatology, and a special 2021 category on “regenerative medicine.” Who can apply: Please see website for full eligibility re- quirements. The call is open to PhDs, postdocs, research fellows, and residents. Deadline: December 31, 2021 Website: https:/www.ibsafoundation.org/en/fellow- ships/call-2021 Volunteering is clearly a two-way street. We learn from others’ experiences and share our experiences with others. It is a great platform for meeting colleagues within BPS from diverse backgrounds and to share their experiences. Listening to ideas and thoughts that my colleagues on the committee provide in discussions of issues related to diversity showed everyone’s commitment to the work and has really enriched my experience as a woman biophysicist. Is this your first volunteer position for BPS? If not, what other positions have you held? No. Prior to this position I have served on the Education Com- mittee. Why do you volunteer? Volunteering is one way to understand the needs of the next generation of biophysicists and to share knowledge and per- sonal experiences as a scientist in navigating career goals. What has been a highlight from your volunteer experience?
American Association for Cancer Research – Anna D. Barker Basic Cancer Research Fellowship This fellowship encourages and supports postdoctor- al or clinical research fellows to establish a successful career path in cancer research. This fellowship provides $110,000 over a two-year period to support the salary and benefits of a fellow working on a mentored basic cancer research project. Who can apply: Please see website for full eligibility requirements. The call is open to postdoctoral fellows, clinical research fellows, or equivalent. Deadline: January 25, 2022 Website: https:/www.aacr.org/grants/aacr-anna-d-bark- er-basic-cancer-research-fellowship/ When not volunteering for BPS, what do you work on? I am a computational chemist, and in my research group we develop advanced molecular dynamics simulation methods and apply these methods to understand the inner workings of the largest superfamily of membrane proteins, called G protein coupled receptors. As a Chair of the Department of Computational and Quantitative Medicine and Associate Di- rector of the Cancer Center at City of Hope, I am also actively involved in expanding the impact of computational and quan- titative methods in analyzing patient-related data to provide knowledge that would aid the treatment decision-making process for the physicians. In my spare time I love to teach, read books, and play with kids. Do you have advice for others who might be thinking about volunteering? Yes, please do so. This is loud and clear. I have learned a lot and also contributed to BPS through volunteering. It gives an opportunity to touch people’s lives beyond your own sphere of influence.
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Annual Meeting
Professional Development This year’s Annual Meeting will feature a wide variety of professional development sessions for attendees at every career level. Sunday, February 20 Postdoctoral Breakfast 7:30 am –8:30 am Monday, February 21 Biophysics 101 - Liquid-Liquid Phase Transition: Biophysical Fundamentals to
Thank you to our sponsors: Axiom Optics Beckman Coulter Life Sciences Bruker Carl Zeiss Microscopy LLC Cell Press Chroma Technology Curi Bio Elements srl IOP Publishing Journal of General Physiology (JGP) LEICA MICROSYSTEMS INC LUMICKS Mad City Labs Inc
Cellular Function 1:30 pm –3:00 pm
Being a postdoc is not easy and there can be many challenges along the way. This breakfast presents an opportunity for postdoctoral Annual Meeting attendees to meet and discuss the issues they face in their current career stage. Attendees will have the opportunity to hear and learn from speakers who will share their jour- neys, experiences, and success stories. The World Outside the Lab 1:00 pm –2:30 pm Have you started thinking about the next career step? Are you wondering if you can apply your academic skills in industry? Or what skills outside of academia you may bring to the lab? Join us to explore career options in consulting, industry, and academia. Panelists with science back- grounds, now involved in a wide variety of careers, will share their personal expe- riences and answer questions from the audience. Teaching Science Like We Do Science 2:00 pm –4:00 pm This interactive, hands-on workshop focuses on practice-applicable, easy-to- use strategies and tools that educators at any level of biophysical science education can use to assess what their students take away from their teaching, and where changes to their educational methods might be appropriate.
Rohit Pappu (Washington University in St. Louis, USA), Gary Karpen (University of California, Berkeley, USA), and Alexandra Zidovska (New York University, USA) will teach on this exciting topic in the field of biophysics. More details to come soon. Speed Networking 4:30 pm –6:30 pm Enjoy refreshments while connecting with biophysicists in an informal environment. Space is limited and pre-registration is recommended to ensure a spot. Register today through the BPS Annual Meeting website! Tuesday, February 22 Founding, Establishing, and Maintain- ing a Research Laboratory at Primarily Undergraduate Institutions 12:00 pm –1:30 pm Get guidance on founding, establishing, and maintaining a research laboratory at Primarily Undergraduate Institutions (PUIs). Panelists are faculty members at PUIs who have been successful in their positions and will share their experiences and answer your questions.
Malvern Panalytical Nanion Technologies Nikon Instruments Physics Today Sophion Bioscience A/S Sutter Instrument
Submit a Late Abstract Today! Deadline: January 6, 2022 All late abstracts will be programmed each day of the meeting and grouped by topic to correspond with the pre- sentations of abstracts submitted by the October 1 deadline. Present your research and receive feedback from the global biophysics community.
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BPS Career Center February 19-22, 2022
Education & Career Opportunities Fair Sunday, February 20, 1:00 pm –3:00 pm This fair will provide opportunities for attendees to meet with representatives from educational institutions as well as indus- try and government agencies. Students and postdoctoral can- didates will be able to meet with representatives from colleges and universities with leading programs in biophysics. Attendees can connect with representatives from industry and agencies who will provide information about employment and funding opportunities at their institutions/companies. Stop by the fair to learn about the variety of opportunities available and to talk one-on-one with representatives from participating organizations! Representatives interested in reserving a table at this fair to connect with attendees and display information about their program or opportunities, please register at https:/www.bio- physics.org/store/products/product-details?ProductName=ed- ucation-careeropportunitiesfair. Questions? Contact Caitlin Simpson at Society@biophysics.org. Call for New and Notable SymposiumSpeakers The Biophysical Society is seeking suggestions from Soci- ety members for speakers to be featured in the annual New and Notable Symposium in San Francisco. This symposium is unique in that, through a series of brief talks, attendees hear about late-breaking and exciting science. Unlike other symposia, which were planned at least nine months prior to the meeting, the New and Notable Symposium program is not finalized until December. If you have a colleague who should be considered, visit www.surveymonkey.com/r/DYQJ3L2 and complete the required information by December 2, 2021.
The Career Development Center is available for your profes- sional development needs. Attend workshops and one-on- one career counseling sessions to gain valuable advice and perspectives for your career. Career consultants will lead sessions on networking, demystifying the job search, market- ing your value, and much more! Reserve one-on-one sessions to review your CV and get personal advice on achieving career goals. Take advantage of the on-site BPS Job Board postings for exciting opportunities in your field. Registration is required for the limited number of one-on-one career counseling sessions. Please sign up for these appoint- ments on-site at the meeting beginning Saturday afternoon, February 19. These signups are on a first-come, first-served basis, one session per person. Please come to your appoint- ment prepared with resumes, CVs, and any other appropriate materials. Registration is not required for the workshops, but please arrive on time. Check www.biophysics.org/2022meeting/pro- gram/career-development-center/ for additional details and schedule. Annual Art of Science Contest NowOpen Entries are due December 1, 2021 Do you have an eye-catching image that resulted from your research? Showcase the artistic side of scientific imaging. BPS members attending the 2022 Annual Meeting may enter the annual BPS Image Contest, The Art of Science. Monetary prizes will be awarded for first, second, and third place. Submit today at biophysics.org/2022meeting
COVID-19 Updates For the latest about proof of vaccination and COVID-19 updates, visit biophysics.org/2022Meeting. biophysics.org/ 2022meeting
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Subgroup Symposia at the BPS Annual Meeting Saturday, February 19, 2022 Subgroup Symposia at the 2022 Annual Meeting are scheduled for morning, afternoon, and evening sessions to allow attend- ees to attend multiple Subgroup Symposia to accommodate all research areas. Morning Sessions (8:30 am –12:30 pm ) Bioengineering Biological Fluorescence Intrinsically Disordered Proteins Macromolecular Machines and Assemblies Membrane Structure and Function Membrane Transport Motility and Cytoskeleton Single-Molecule Forces, Manipulation, and Visualization Afternoon Sessions (1:30 pm –5:30 pm ) Bioenergetics, Mitochondria, and Metabolism Biopolymers in vivo Channels, Receptors, and Transporters Mechanobiology Membrane Fusion, Fission, and Traffic Multiscale Genome Organization Nanoscale Approaches to Biology Physical Cell Biology Theory and Computation Evening Session (6:00 pm –10:00 pm ) Cryo-EM
Bioenergetics, Mitochondria, and Metabolism Subgroup Co-Chairs: Evgeny Pavlov , New York University, USA, and Uwe Schlattner , University of Grenoble-Alpes, France 2022 Program Co-Chairs: Karin Busch , University of Muenster, Germany, and Carmen Mannella , University of Maryland, USA Symposium Title: New Insights into Mitochondrial Function Speakers: Liron Boyman , University of Maryland, USA Mitochondrial Calcium Signaling and the Regulation of ATP Pro- duction Investigated with Novel Imaging Approaches Tzviya Zeev-Ben-Mordehai , Utrecht University, The Netherlands The Remarkable Sperm Mitochondrial Sheath: Insights from Cryo-Electron Tomography Andrea Dlaskova , Czech Academy of Sciences, Czechia Remodeling of Cristae Ultrastructure during Hypoxia and Sub- strate-Dependent Metabolic Change Adam Fenton , University of Pennsylvania, USA Mitochondrial Adaptor TRAK2 Activates and Functionally Links Opposing Kinesin and Dynein Motors Veronica Eisner , Pontifica Catholic University, Chile Mitochondrial Nucleoid Dynamics Perturbation by OPA1 Dis- ease-causing Mutants Bioengineering Subgroup Chair: Michael Sacks , University of Texas at Austin, USA 2022 Program Chair: Guy Genin , Washington University in St. Louis, USA
Speakers: Horacio Espinosa , Northwestern University, USA
Patrick McGarry , National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland On the Thermodynamics of Cell Contractility and Spreading in 2D and 3D Environments Vivek Shenoy , University of Pennsylvania, USA Regulation of Chromatin Organization by Chemo-Mechanical Cues from the Cell Microenvironment Paul Janmey , University of Pennsylvania, USA Building a Tissue: Mechanical Response Arises from Integrating Cells with Fibrous Networks Christopher Chen , Boston University, USA Cells and Forces: An Ill-Posed Problem? Biological Fluorescence Subgroup Chair: Gilad Haran , Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Speakers: Jerome Wenger , Institut Fresnel, France Improving Single-Molecule Fluorescence Detection with Zero-mode Waveguide Nanoapertures Vaishnavi Ananthanarayanan , EMBL at University of New South Wales, Australia Single-Molecule Imaging of Cytoplasmic Dynein in vivo Reveals the Mechanism of Motor Activation and Cargo Capture Xavier Darzacq , University of California, Berkeley, USA Live Cell Single Particle Tracking Reveals New Mechanisms in Transcription Regulation Christy Landes , Rice University, USA Conformational Changes Impact 3D Antibody Translational Dynamics During Separation through an Ion Exchange Support
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Thorsten Hugel , Freiburg University, Germany Protein Dynamics and Regulation Across Scales: Integrating Fluo- rescence, Neutron Scattering and MD Simulations Biopolymers in vivo Subgroup Chair: Edward P. O’Brien , Penn State University, USA 2022 Program Co-Chairs: Benedetta Bolognesi , Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), Spain, and Alex S. Hole- house , Washington University in St. Louis, USA Speakers: Ibrahim Cissé , Max Planck Institute for Immunobiology and Epigenetics, Freiburg, Germany Super-resolution Imaging of Transcription in Live Mammalian Cells Ilaria Piazza , Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, Germany Protein Structures in Context with Proteome-wide Biophysics Jané Kondev , Brandeis University, USA Neither Too Short, Nor Too Long, But Just Right: Assembly of Scale Invariant Filaments Polly Fordyce , Stanford University, USA Leveraging Microfluidics for High-throughput Protein Expression, Purification, and Deep Biophysical Characterization Mohammed AlQuraishi , Columbia University, USA Protein Structure Prediction in a Post-AlphaFold2 World Ylva Ivarsson , Uppsala University, Sweden Proteome-scale Identification of Short Linear Binding Motifs in the Intrinsically Disordered Regions of Human and Viral Proteomes Rommie Amaro , University of California San Diego, USA Computational Microscopy of SARS-CoV-2 Channels, Receptors, and Transporters Subgroup Chair: Vera Moiseenkova-Bell , University of Pennsyl-
Rosemary J. Cater , Columbia University, USA Structure and Mechanistic Basis of MFSD2A-mediated ω -3 Fatty Acid Transport Inga Hänelt , University of Frankfurt, Germany K+ Uptake at the Limit: Transport Mechanism and Regulation of K+ Pump KdpFABC Cryo-EM Subgroup Chair: Gira Bhabha , New York University School of Medicine, USA 2022 Program Co-Chairs: Danielle Grotjahn , Scripps Research Institute, USA, and Gaia Pagino , Max Planck Institute of Mo- lecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Germany Speakers: Minkyung Baek , University of Washington, USA Accurate Prediction of Protein Structures and Interactions Using Artificial Intelligence Pamela Bjorkman , California Institute of Technology, USA Neutralizing Antibodies Against Coronaviruses Josefina del Mármol , Harvard Medical School, USA Structural Insight into Odor Detection and Discrimination Wanda Kukulski , University of Bern, Switzerland The Architecture of Organelle Contact Sites Revealed by Cryo- CLEM Elizabeth Wright , University of Wisconsin, USA Travels through Virus-infected Cells with in situ Cryo-ET Janet Iwasa , University of Utah, USA Animating Molecular Machines Philipp Erdmann , Human Technopole Foundation, Italy Blobology 2.0: Visualizing LLPS by in situ Cryo-Electron Tomography Intrinsically Disordered Proteins Subgroup Chair: Edward Lemke , Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz – Institute of Molecular Biology, Germany 2022 Program Co-Chairs: Priya Banerjee , University at Buffalo, USA, Galia Debelouchina , University of California San Diego, USA, and Jeetain Mittal , Lehigh University, USA Speakers: Birthe Kragelund , University of Copenhagen, Denmark Combining Order and Disorder Reveals Roles of Disorder Keren Lasker , Scripps Research Institute – La Jolla, USA Molecular Structure and Function of the Bacterial Condensate PopZ
vania, USA Speakers: Juan Du , Van Andel Institute, USA
Activation and Inhibition of the “Taste Channel” TRPM5 Daniel Minor , University of California, San Francisco, USA How to Survive a Toxic Environment - Lessons from Poison Birds and Frogs
Bryan Roth , University of North Carolina, USA New Insights into GPCR Structure and Function
Aashish Manglik , University of California, San Francisco, USA Molecular Puzzles in G Protein-coupled Receptor Signaling
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