Biophysical Society Bulletin | September 2018

Annual Meeting

Biophysical Society Annual Meeting Abstracts by David W. Piston, WashingtonUnversity School ofMedicine in St. Louis

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The Biophysical Society Annual Meeting is always one of the highlights of my year. This meeting has become quite large and diverse, so no matter which direction my research is heading, there seem to be several overlapping communities relevant to that area at the meeting. My group has always found the Annual Meeting to be a great place to get feedback on our latest research, whether focused on new approaches, new models, or new mechanistic insights.

David W. Piston

Which abstract category should I choose? The breadth of the meeting can make it a challenge to find the right audience for your presentation, and a common ques- tion I hear from my colleagues is how to choose the best abstract category. This is not a trivial question, and should be given some attention during the submission process since the Program Committee will try to honor your choice when scheduling the abstract for presentation. The list of abstract categories provided might feel a little overwhelming, especially if your work falls in between categories or fits into more than one category. However, rather than thinking about which category best fits your work, you should use these categories to target your work to the best audience. Most biophysicists have interests in bio- logical questions as well as novel physical and chemical techniques to address those questions. As a project progresses, the optimal audience might well shift as well. For example, we use live cell microscopy to study hormone exocytosis, which might fit into a number of different categories. Sometimes, we are developing new ap- proaches, so we would choose 10F Optical Microscopy & Super Resolution Imaging

because we want to discuss our work with experts in imaging approaches. At oth- er times, this work has focused on Ca2+ activity (4D Calcium Signaling), molecular regulation of secretion (4C Exocytosis & Endocytosis), or mathematical models of the stimulus-secretion coupling (8B Cellular Signaling & Metabolic Networks). Over a few years, a single focused project will be seen by a broad audience depending on the specific aspect of the project at that time. In each case, we make the choice based on where we expect to find the experts who can give us the most rigorous feedback on the work. This approach is most effective if you also tailor the presentation for your expected audience, which will also max- imize their interest in your work. If you aren’t sure where your right audience will be, you can search through previous years’ programs. Should I request a poster or platformpresentation? Whether as a presenter or in the audience, I enjoy both the poster and platform ses- sions. Both types of sessions are crowded with a wide range of attendees – includ- ing leaders in the field – and each has some advantages. For young researchers,

The Society really tries to include all levels of scientists in the Annual Meeting program and resources available to the membership and I think that is one of the most special parts of the Society. —Linda Columbus, University of Virginia

September 2018

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