Biophysical Society Newsletter | November 2017

Newsletter NOVEMBER 2017

DEADLINES

2018 Society Fellows Named

62 nd BPS Annual Meeting February 17–21, 2018 January 15, 2018 Early Registration and Late Abstract Submission 2018–2019 Congressional Fellowship December 15, 2017 Applications Biophysics Week 2018 March 12–16, 2018 January 15, 2018 Affiliate Event Registration #MyBiophysics Video Submission

The Biophysical Society has selected eight 2018 Fellows. The award recognizes Society members who have demonstrated sustained excellence in science and have contributed to the expansion of the field of biophysics. The awards will be presented on Monday, February 19, during the Awards Ceremony at the Biophysical Society’s Annual Meeting in San Francisco.

Patricia Bassereau , Institut Curie Research Centre, France, for her important experimental contributions to understand the physics of biomembranes using reconstituted systems. James Bowie , University of California, Los Angeles, for his seminal contributions to our un- derstanding of the folding and stability of membrane proteins Astrid Graslund , Stockholm University, Sweden, for her pioneering studies of chemical biology ribonucleotide reductase radicals in DNA and bioac- tive peptides, and as a tireless advocate of promoting novel biophysical studies. Roderick Mackinnon , Rockefeller University, for his transforma- tive impact on understanding ion channel structure and function.

Sheena Radford , University of Leeds, United Kingdom, for her leadership in protein biophysics, revealing fine details about pro- tein folding and misfolding both in vitro, and in diseased states. H. Lee Sweeney , University of Florida, for his crucial contribu- tions toward the biophysical understanding of myosin and muscular dystrophy and for translating these discoveries into practical therapies. Sriram Subramaniam , National Cancer Institute, National Insti- tutes of Health, for his seminal contributions to the cryo-EM field and related disciplines in- cluding electron tomography and focused ion beam imaging. Harel Weinstein , Weill Cornell Medical College, for his sig- nificant contributions to the biophysics of G-protein coupled receptors, neurotransmitter trans- porters, and membrane dynamics.

CONTENTS

2 4 5 6 8 9

16 16 17 17 17 18 19 20

Biophysicist in Profile

Molly Cule

Public Affairs Publications

Members in the News From the BPS Blog Grants and Opportunites

Of Science and Stability

Biophysical Society

Thematic Meeting

Student Center

2017 Nobel Prize in Chemistry

Subgroups

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Annual Meeting Subgroup Saturday

Obituary

Upcoming Events

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Biophysicist in Profile MEGAN VALENTINE

BIOPHYSICAL SOCIETY

Officers President Lukas Tamm President-Elect Angela Gronenborn Past-President Suzanne Scarlata Secretary Frances Separovic Treasurer Kalina Hristova Council

Megan Valentine grew up in the small town of Tamaqua, in the coal regions of northeastern Pennsylvania. Her father worked in a factory that made office furniture, and her mother was a medical transcriptionist. Val- entine was a curious child, interested in how and why the world worked the way it did. “I was naturally drawn to science classes and trivia games when I was growing up,” she says. “I also loved reading about the lives of famous scientists, and particularly physicists who unlocked the secrets of atomic energy and astrophysics.” When she started her undergraduate studies at Lehigh University, she thought she might end up teaching high school science or working in an engineering firm, but after a taste of scientific research, she was hooked. “I decided to major in physics in college, and became involved in polymer physics research, which I found had a great balance of fundamental dis- covery and practical applications to improve technologies and products,” she explains. “Biological materials offer some of the most interesting polymer systems so my interest in biophysics grew from that. Later, I be- came fascinated with how biological systems can move, sense, and actively respond, and how their physical properties enable this.” Valentine was the first in her family to graduate with a bachelor’s degree, receiving her bachelor of science in physics in 1997. She then earned a master’s degree in physics from the University of Pennsylvania in 1999, followed by her PhD in physics from Harvard University in 2003. She went on to work as a postdoctoral fellow in biological sciences at Stanford University, where she studied motor proteins using optical traps.

Zev Bryant Jane Clarke Bertrand Garcia-Moreno Teresa Giraldez Ruben Gonzalez, Jr. Ruth Heidelberger Robert Nakamoto Arthur Palmer Gabriela Popescu Marina Ramirez-Alvarado Erin Sheets Joanna Swain

Megan Valentine

Biophysical Journal Jane Dyson Editor-in-Chief

Society Office Ro Kampman Executive Officer

Newsletter Executive Editor Rosalba Kampman Managing Editor Beth Staehle Contributing Writers and Department Editors Dorothy Chaconas Daniel McNulty Laura Phelan Raelle Reid

In 2007, she accepted a faculty position as assistant professor of mechanical engineering at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB), but deferred her start date to 2008 so that she could build sophis- ticated microscopy rooms that provided temperature control in a low noise (acoustic, electromagnetic, vibration) environment. “There were a number of problems with the renovation, and my labs were not completed until 2011. Since I could not pursue the experiments I had proposed in my job application and my tenure clock was running, I started a number of new collaborations and moved my research into entirely new directions. In hindsight, this was seren-

Caitlin Simpson Elizabeth Vuong Ellen Weiss Production Ray Wolfe Catie Curry

Valentine at her desk in the Mechanical Engineering Department, UCSB.

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. Canadian GST No. 898477062. Postmaster: Send address changes to Biophysical Society, 5515 Security Lane, Suite 1110, Rockville, MD

dipitous because it forced me to identify and leverage local resources and expertise at UCSB — for example, marine-inspired materials, and marine model organisms — which are now a major focus of my lab's portfolio.”

20852. Copyright © 2017 by the Biophysical Society. Printed in the United States of America. All rights reserved.

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Since 2014, Valentine has been a tenured associate professor of mechanical engineering. Her lab has two main research thrusts. “In the first, we explore the mechanics of living materials, including vascu- lar and neural tissues and marine adhesives derived from mussels, and the regulation of force-generat- ing molecules, like motor proteins,” she explains. “In the second, we aim to make materials that cap- ture the amazing properties of living materials in synthetic materials. Much of this work is currently focused on development of bio-inspired coatings, tough gels, and adhesives. These have applications in dentistry, healthcare, and soft robotics.” Working on such interdisciplinary projects has been a rewarding — yet challenging — proposi- tion. "Since I am collaborating on a broad set of projects, ranging from vascular biology to ma- terials science, I must work hard to maintain a current knowledge of the literature and to develop my professional network in each field,” she says. Another rewarding aspect of her career has been working with students, Valentine says, “Particu- larly students who are first generation to college, for whom obtaining a college or advanced degree will provide enormous opportunities — including opportunities to give back to the community.”

with a smile on her face. She is an outspoken, strong, brilliant woman who genuinely cares for her students. [She taught me] self-presentation, or confidence. Especially as a young female un- dergraduate physics student, this was a skill I really had to learn. She once pointed out the inflec- tion in my voice when responding to quantitative questions, and I still think of it regularly.” Giving back to her community is important to Valentine. “I make efforts to volunteer and contribute to my community. One organiza- tion I am particularly proud to support is the UCSB Guardian Scholars program, which develops the academic and personal success of students who have been part of the foster care system,” she says. “These

Valentine arriving at Santa Barbara Airport on her birthday.

students have faced tremendous challenges and I am honored to be able to provide what I can — whether through financial support, advisement and mentorship, or by simply celebrating their successes.”

As she moves forward in her career, she plans to continue building a strong portfolio of interdisciplin- ary, collaborative research. “I plan to continue my efforts to train a diverse cohort of scientists and engineers to tackle these important problems,” she

“ I must work hard to main- tain a current knowledge of the literature and to develop my professional network in each field. ”

She recently complet- ed a three-year term on the Society’s Early Careers Committee as well. “The Early Careers Committee focuses on providing career and profes-

Profilee-at-a-Glance Institution University of California, Santa Barbara Area of Research Understanding force generation, transmission, and regulation in soft living matter

sional development advice and opportunities for junior members of the Society, including many activities offered during the Annual Meeting,” she explains. “As a postdoc, I was very fortunate to receive a Burroughs Wellcome Career Award at the Scientific Interface, which provided me with great networking and professional development opportunities. I see my work on the committee as a great way to pay that investment forward.”

shares, “and develop the professional skills they need to become the next generation of leaders in industry, academy, and policy.” Veronica Pessino , University of California, San Francisco, worked in Valentine’s lab as an un- dergraduate student. "She was a fantastic mentor — I really couldn’t have asked for a better role model,” she says. “Megan commands the room

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Public Affairs

Washington, DC. The Biophysical Society is a sponsor of the Award, which honors obscure or odd-sounding federally funded research that led to significant breakthroughs or outcomes, in order to convey the value of basic research and of allowing scientists to pursue independent research interests. Three teams of researchers were recognized for: 1. Research on how mussels stick to surfaces, funded by the US Department of Agriculture, that resulted in a new soy-based glue for ply- wood, replacing a cancer-causing agent. 2. Research on chytrid fungi, which led to unlocking the mystery of mass die-offs of amphibians around the globe. 3. Research into fuzzy logic and fuzzy sets, by a computer scientist funded by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research and the National Science Foundation, that proposed concepts for mathematicians to use to deal with impre- cise knowledge. The findings have been ap- plied to efficiency improvements for HVAC systems and healthcare devices. “The Golden Goose Award reminds us why politicians must leave scientific research to the scientists,” said Jim Cooper (D-TN). “This year’s winners prove how obscure and even unbeliev- able studies can change the world as we know it. We must continue to support our scientists whose brilliance and ingenuity keep America the greatest nation on earth.” BPS Congressional Fellow BPS 2017–18 Congressional Fellow Yasmeen Hussain will be working in the office of Represen- tative Bill Foster (D-IL), handling a broad science portfolio, which could include topics ranging from science education to space to genetics, as well as legislation in front of the House science com- mittee during the coming year. She started her po- sition at the end of September, after a few weeks of orientation and training through the AAAS Science and Technology Fellowship program.

Rally for Medical Research Five Biophysical Society members joined more

than 400 other biomedical researchers, patients, and family members gathered in Washington, DC, September 13–14, to call on Congress to support medical research by providing sustainable, pre- dictable, and robust funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Participants from the Biophysical Society

were Catherine Royer , Rensselaer Polytechnic In- stitute; Kim Ha , St. Catherine University; Vidhya Sivakumaran , Intelligent Medical Objects; Allen Price , Emmanuel College; and Catherine Volle , Cottey College. They were each placed on a team with others from their state to visit congressional offices and make the case for the federal invest- ment in NIH. The Society is a sponsor of the Rally, and the BPS logo was included on the Rally website and at the event. The Society was also listed as a sponsor in a full-page ad that appeared in the Capitol Hill publication, Roll Call , on September 14. In addition, BPS members in the United States were encouraged to participate in a national day of action by sending letters, making phone calls, and posting on social media. Through a call to action sent on September 13, the Society generated 185 messages to Capitol Hill from 54 individuals. Golden Goose Award Three teams of researchers, whose work might have sounded odd or impractical at the time it was conducted, but which led to major human and economic benefits, were honored at the Sixth Annual Golden Goose Award ceremony held on September 27, at the Library of Congress in

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Publications BJ – Know the Editors Jason Kahn

CAP: minicircle binding, and eight years later that DNA strain in supercoiled minicircles may deform TBP. Q. Who would you like to sit next to at a dinner party? Leonardo da Vinci. Q . At a cocktail party of non-scientists, how would you explain what you do? I help their children become world citizens who make ethical choices informed by science. I make protein-DNA assemblies, which I hope will im- prove human health. Q. How do you stay on top of all the latest developments in your field? Fifth amendment.

Univeristy of Maryland Editor, Nucleic Acids and Genome Biophysics

Jason Kahn

Q. What are you currently working on?

We exploit the world’s smallest DNA looping proteins to evaluate DNA flexibility, enhance genome engineering, and create protein-DNA nanostructures. I am becoming a better collabora- tor, educator, mentor, evaluator, and human. Q. What are you currently working on that particularly excites you? See above; the best thing about my job is that I can say that. Also, collaborating on launching fledgling #3. Q. What have you read lately that you found really interesting or stimulating? Interesting? William Gibson and Neal Stephenson . Stimulating? Unfortunately, the Times , the Post , and signs at marches. Q. What has been your most exciting discovery as a biophysicist? Occasions when DNA topology intruded on protein-DNA bending or looping. I am known for using bent DNA to control minicircles and loops. My most cited collaborations are on nucleosome positioning, LNA nearest neighbor parameters, and DNA rod mechanics. Q. What has been your biggest “aha” moment in science? A bipartite “aha,” recognizing that cyclizing bent CAP:DNA is quasi-thermodynamically linked to

Biophysical Journal Announces

Microtubules and Motors The latest collection of articles from Biophysical Journal showcasing recent research and thinking about the dynamics, organization, thermodynamics, and kinetics of microtubules and their motors. This online collection was curated by David Sept, editor for the Section on Molecular Machines, Motors, and Nanoscale Biophys- ics. All articles will be freely accessible online until November 24, 2017.

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Of Science and Stability Empowering Girls and the Disenfranchised to Build a Lasting Peace

In a society ready to rebuild, BPS member Yuly Sanchez has found a way to use science to engage with those hit hardest by decades of strife. Work- ing with the National University of Colombia’s Social Innovation for Peace project, which seeks to develop strategies for inclusion and promote the social appropriation of knowledge, Sanchez has been leading a project to build up trust, empower- ment, and knowledge for the people of Tumaco. During the 2016 Biophysical Society Annual Meeting, Sanchez connected with BPS Education Committee members and learn about a newly launched Society initiative known as BASICS: Biophysics - A Step-by-Step Introduction to Concepts for Students , which provides lesson plans for K-12 students on elementary biophysical concepts. Dur- ing this meeting, BPS was also able to procure a number of wooden microscopes kits from Chro- ma/Echo Labs, and provide Sanchez with two dozen kits and a lesson plan on light microscopy to take with her. Once back in Colombia, Sanchez put both of these to good use in the Social Innova- tion for Peace program after proposing their use in an activity. Sanchez launched her project on February 11, 2016, on the first annual International Day of Women and Girls in Science. The United Nations General Assembly created the day, which recog- nizes that full and equal access to and participation in science, technology, and innovation for women and girls of all ages is imperative for achieving gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls. According to a recent study conducted at the National University of Colombia, women have low participation rates in the university’s courses related to the quantitative sciences, and are conferred just a small percentage of STEM degrees granted in the country. Since launching her project, Sanchez has worked with more than 200 minority students and has witnessed success in using the hands-on exercise of

Sanchez, front, with participants in the Scientific Women and Girls Building Peace Program.

Situated in a tropical climate off the Pacific Ocean, Tumaco is a port city and municipality in Colombia’s Nariño Department, located on the southwestern corner of the country. Pre- dominately populated by Afro-Colombians and indigenous peoples, it is an area that has been hit hard by years of conflict between the government, paramilitary groups, narco-traffickers, and left- wing guerrilla forces. As recently as 2015, a series of explosions and attacks left the city virtually disconnected from the rest of the country for days. It is an area that has experienced more than three times the national rate of murders from 2011 to 2013 as a result of guerrilla atrocities and, accord- ing to Human Rights Watch, Tumaco’s rates of poverty, illiteracy, and infant mortality are more than double the national average. Given its history, Tumaco’s residents have been among the most vulnerable people in Colombia. However, in recent years, with a peace process underway, and through government and nongovernmental organization-backed interventions, life is finally beginning to improve in Tumaco.

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building wooden microscopes as a way to engage these disenfranchised populations. This past summer, Sanchez was able to continue her efforts in Colombia with the project Scientific Women and Girls Building Peace. Although just one small part of the process, Sanchez’s work to narrow the achievement gap through sparking an early interest in science may ultimately be an essential component of building a lasting peace by offer- ing an entry point for women’s engagement and addressing some of the social inequities that lay at

the root of the conflict. The Biophysical Society has since provided Sanchez with additional microscopes and looks forward to continuing its support of her work and engaging with others like her. If you or someone you know is working on an outreach project and wants to find ways to work with the Society, con- tact Daniel McNulty at dmcnulty@biophysics.org. To download the BASICS lesson plans men- tioned in this article visit biophysics.org.

Students use the BPS provided wooden microsocpes in the BASICs experiment.

Call for Networking Events Do you have an idea for a networking event and want to hold one in your area? BPS will be accepting networking event proposals until November 15. If selected, you will receive up to $500 through the Membership Commit- tee's mini-grant program to host your event. For more information about networking events and proposals, see the full criteria and submit here: http://www.biophysics.org/Meet- ings/NetworkingEvents/tabid/2930/Default. aspx

Employment of biophysicists and biochemists is projected to grow eight percent from 2014 to 2024, about as fast as the average for all occupations in the United States. Numbers By the Source: http://www.bls.gov/ooh/life-physical-and-social-science/biochemists-and-biophysicists.htm

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Conformational Ensembles from Experimental Data and Computer Simulations Thematic Meeting

Participants at the Berlin Thematic Meeting had the opportunity to network through multiple poster sessions and social functions.

In August, approximately 170 biophysicists, computational chemists, physicists, biochemists, and structural biology researchers gathered in the Harnack House in Berlin, Germany, for this Bio- physical Society Thematic Meeting. The meeting brought together several different scientific disciplines and communities to discuss and present research concerning conformational ensembles of macromolecules. A particular focus of the meeting was how one can use computational methods together with a highly diverse set of in- tegrative structural biology approaches to produce novel insights into complex biological systems. The meeting had sessions that described state-of- the-art methods for experimental characterization of complex and dynamic biomolecular systems, as well as computational methods to study these systems. Several talks presented recently developed Bayesian and maximum entropy-based meth- ods for integrating increasingly accurate physical models of molecules with experimental data, and pros and cons of the different approaches were discussed in an engaging and constructive man- ner. Other sessions highlighted how integrative structural biology methods, in which numerous

sources of experimental data are combined, can be used to study systems where traditional structural biology approaches have difficulties. The meeting also presented state-of-the-art applications of a wide range of methods, often combined, including Bragg and diffuse X-ray diffraction, SAXS/WAXS, NMR, cryo-EM, single-molecule FRET, chemical cross-linking, and others. Finally, a series of talks described how these methods, when combined with computational analyses and simulations, can produce novel insights into dynamic and confor- mationally heterogeneous systems. Excellent poster sessions culminated in the Bio- physical Journal Poster Awards, being presented to two students and two postdocs for their outstand- ing contributions (see October 2017 Newsletter). The meeting organizers Kresten Lindorff-Larsen , University of Copenhagen; Helen Berman , Rutgers University; Andrea Cavalli , Institute for Research in Biomedicine; and Gerhard Hummer , Max Planck Institute for Biophysics, coordinated 25 invited speakers,12 talks selected from submit- ted abstracts, 120 contributed posters, and hosted participants from five continents.

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The 2017 Nobel Prize in Chemistry Goes to… Three Biophysicists! While it might be called the Nobel Prize in Chemistry, three biophysicists have been selected to receive the 2017 award “ for developing cryo-electron microscopy for the high-resolution structure determination of biomolecules in solution. ” The re- cipients, Jacques Dubochet , Joachim Frank , and Richard Hen- derson , have all been members of the Biophysical Society. BPS member Sriram Subramaniam, NIH, noted the timeliness of this award since “we are witnessing an explosion of interest in the application of cryo-EM methods to analyze structures of biological macromolecules.” “It is absolutely terrific that biophysicists Richard Henderson, Jacques Dubochet, and Joachim Frank have been honored with the Nobel Prize in Chemistry this year,” noted BPS President Lukas Tamm in a press release issued by BPS. “By developing cryo-EM into a technique that can now visualize macromolecules and large molecular complexes at near-atom- ic resolution, they have revolutionized structural biology. The resolution revolution that they have unleashed is still unfold- ing before our eyes. Based on their fundamental discoveries and technical developments, we can expect to learn a tre- mendous amount of exciting new biology for many years to come.” With the prize so squarely rooted in biophysics, it’s no sur- prise that many BPS members’ research and careers are based on these earlier findings. David Stokes , a co-chair of the new BPS Cryo-EM Subgroup, reflects on Henderson’s influence on his own career: “I first met Richard at the very first Gordon Conference for 3DEM in 1985. I was finishing my PhD and was interested in working in his lab as a postdoc. He was very approach- able, even for a young grad student. We discussed a potential project and laid out a plan for a fellowship application, which of course involved 2D crystallography of bacteriorhodop- sin. Although that particular application was unsuccessful, Richard helped me find another position in London and encouraged me to use the LMB in Cambridge as a second base, where state-of-the-art EM and computing facilities were available and advice on image reconstruction was generously provided by many renowned scientists. If you wanted to talk to Richard, the best option was to catch him after 8 pm in

Jacques Dubochet Joachim Frank Richard Henderson

the computer room where you could get his full attention for hours on end. His advice was bountiful and the message was always optimistic and full of encouragement. It seemed like everything was doable.” In regards to Frank’s work, Subramaniam commented that “The computational tools that most people use for recon- structing 3D structures from images of individual protein complexes are still based on methods that Joachim Frank pioneered in the 1970’s and 1980’s along with many others such as Marin van Heel and Steve Ludtke , providing a base for further algorithmic developments essential for high resolution structure determination by cryo-EM.” Dubochet, who recently reflected on his early work in electron cryomicroscopy in a Biophysical Journal perspective piece, also has directly affected the work and careers of several BPS members. Subramaniam pointed out that “the experi- mental methods that most people in the field use for prepar- ing specimens for analysis by cryo-EM are still very similar to those pioneered by Jacques Dubochet and co-workers in the 1980’s.” Stokes attributes some of his research success to Dubochet, “I was really lucky to get some early images of vitrified actin filaments from Paula Flicker and Ron Milligan . I was too young and naive to know Jacques Dubochet at that time, but his vitrification technique nevertheless played a very important role in my PhD thesis research and, in fact, in virtually all of my subsequent publications.” Dubochet, an honorary professor of biophysics at the Uni- versity of Lausanne, has been a member of the Biophysical Society since 1996, and has published several articles in Bio- physical Journal . Frank, a HHMI investigator and professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics at Columbia University, has been a member of the Biophysical Society since 1992 and a frequent contributor to Biophysical Journal . He has presented his research at the Society’s annual meeting regularly and was named the Biophysical Society’s National Lecturer in 2005. Henderson, Program Leader at the Medical Research Council’s Laboratory of Molecular Biology, United Kingdom, joined the Society in 1994.

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Career Events

Thank you to our sponsors:

From putting potential students in touch with top biophysics programs, to assisting job seekers with resume critiques, to providing networking opportunities for mid-career professionals, this year’s Annual Meeting will feature a wide variety of career-enriching events for attendees at every career level.

AAT Bioquest Allen Institute for Cell Science ALVEOLE Asylum Research, an Oxford Instruments Company Bruker Corporation Burroughs Wellcome Fund Carl Zeiss Microscopy Cell Press Cellular Dynamics International Chroma Technology Corporation Dynamic Biosensors GmbH FUJIFILM Dimatix Inc HEKA Elektronik HORIBA Scientific Journal of General Physiology KinTek Corporation LUMICKS Mad City Labs Malvern Instruments Ltd MDPI Molecular Devices Nanion Technologies GmbH Pall Fortebio Photonics Media Physics Today Princeton University Press Sophion Bioscience A/S Sutter Instrument TA Instruments Wyatt Technology

Career Transitions The World Outside the Lab:

Professional Development Teaching Science Like We Do Science Sunday, February 18, 2:00 pm –3:30 pm This interactive, hands-on workshop will provide participants with practical tools and evidence- based recommendations for bringing biophysics education to life in the lab, the classroom, and the community. Experienced educators will share their first-hand experiences in brief presentations. The session focus will be on collaborative group discussions, during which participants will design an individualized action plan for implementing active learning techniques and effective assessment strategies in their teaching practice. Moderators will offer guidance and advice on adequate projects for any educational level. How to Project Your Best Self: Confidence Matters Just as Much as Competence Monday, February 19, 2:30 pm –4:00 pm Bringing your best self to interviews, conferences, talks — all aspects of your career — means project- ing confidence. While competence matters, studies show that representing yourself with confidence has a huge impact on success. Women are often less self-assured than men: they underestimate their abilities, they predict that they will do worse on tests than they do, and they are not sure that they are qualified to take that next step. This session will discuss the studies that show this confidence gap, how this gap affects career decisions made by women at multiple stages, and will conclude with strategies to overcome this barrier. Understand- ing the confidence gap concerns not only women, but also anyone who recruits, trains, mentors, or advocates for women.

Many Ways to Use Your PhD Skills Sunday, February 18, 1:00 pm –2:30 pm Have you ever wondered how you can apply the skills learned while working on your PhD in a ca- reer away from the bench? This panel will explore multiple career options that exist in government, industry, and academia. Panelists with science backgrounds, now involved in a wide variety of careers, will share their personal experiences. Industry Panel Monday, February 19, 1:00 pm –2:30 pm Are you interested in pursuing a career in industry? Stop by to hear from a panel of experts who work in bio-related industries. Panelists will discuss how to find, select, and apply for industry internships, providing attendees with useful tools and resources. Postdoc to Faculty Q&A: Transitions Forum and Luncheon Tuesday, February 20, 12:00 pm –2:00 pm This question-and-answer luncheon is designed for postdocs actively applying for academic faculty positions. Discussion will be led by a panel of new faculty in basic science and/or medical school de- partments and experienced faculty who have served as department chairs and/or part of faculty search committees. Topics for discussion include how to prepare the curriculum vitae, the interview process, networking, how to negotiate the job offer, and advice for new faculty as they balance research with their department obligations. To reserve a box lunch, you must pre-register. Attendance is limited to the first 60 participants. Registration is available on the Annual Meeting website.

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Fueling Discovery through Biophysics

Funding Opportunities at Primarily Undergraduate Institutions Tuesday, February 20, 12:00 pm –1:30 pm

Call for New and Notable Symposium Speakers

This session is aimed at helping PUI faculty find funding for establishing or maintaining an active and productive under- graduate research laboratory. We Don’t Think the Way We Think We Think: Seeing and Addressing Unconscious Bias and Stereotype Threat Tuesday, February 20, 1:15 pm –2:45 pm This workshop will help participants gain insight into the complex interplay of unconscious bias and stereotype threats, that have a significant impact on the way we perceive, evalu- ate, and behave towards others and ourselves. Participants in the workshop will engage in interactive and reflective strate- gies in a respectful and supportive atmosphere and will gain an awareness of individual strategies to protect themselves from being influenced by unconscious or unintended biases. Leveling the Playing Field is a new series of annual work- shops designed to increase your skill in addressing the barriers faced by women in science. Are you all in favor of increasing professional opportunities of women but don’t know how to contribute? These ’hands-on’ sessions can help you to become more effective in improving the climate for women in bio- physics at all stages of their careers. The 2018 workshop aims to increase your effectiveness in raising awareness of the scientific contributions of women in biophysics, using social media and other means. “ Undergraduate workshops and Q&A sessions helped me think through upcom- ing decisions and allowed me to interact with accomplished biophysicists.” ” Leveling the Playing Field Tuesday, February 20, 2:30 pm –4:00 pm

The Biophysical Society is seeking suggestions from Society 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 are planned at least nine months before the meeting, the New and Notable Sympo- sium program is not finalized until December. If you have a colleague who should be considered, visit https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/newnotable2018 and complete the required information fields by December 4, 2017.

— Lauren Thurlow

biophysics.org/ 2018meeting

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Subgroup Saturday Annual Meeting Symposia

The Society’s 15 subgroups, including the newly formed Cell Biophysics Subgroup will hold symposia and business meetings on Saturday, February 17, 2018, in San Francisco, California. For complete session information for each subgroup visit www.biophysics.org/2018meeting.

Bioenergetics Subgroup Co-Chairs: Elizabeth Jonas , Yale University, and George Porter , University of Rochester, Subgroup Co-Chairs Morning Symposium: Mitochondrial Signaling in Neurodegeneration Program Co-Chairs: Tatiana Rostovtseva , National Institutes of Health, and Elizabeth Jonas , Yale University Zu-Hang Sheng , National Institutes of Health Mitochondrial Transport and Energy Homeostasis in Axonal Degeneration and Regeneration Philip Morgan , University of Washington Mitochondrial Effects on Anesthetic Sensitivity and Anesthetic- Induced Neurodegeneration Michelangelo Campanella , University of London, UK Neurodegenerative Loss of Mitochondrial Quality via the 18kDa Protein TSPO Tatiana Rostovtseva , National Institutes of Health Alpha-Synuclein-Induced Mitochondrial Dysfunction: Role of Vdac and Membrane Composition Mark Cookson , National Institutes of Health Kinase Signaling and Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Familial Parkinson’s Disease Afternoon Symposium: Energy Signaling and Interorganellar Communication Program Co-Chairs: Karin Busch , University of Munster, Germany, and Miguel Aon , National Institutes of Health Katayoon Dehesh , University of California, Riverside Title not yet available Sally Mackenzie , University of Nebraska, Lincoln Choreography of Plastidial Retrograde Signaling Network in Interorganellar Communication Angelika Rambold , Max Planck Institute, Germany

Bioengineering Subgroup Chair: Jonathan Rocheleau , University of Toronto, Canada Julio M. Fernandez , Columbia University Protein Folding as a Major Source of Mechanical Work in Physiology Anne S. Robinson , Tulane University Role of Cholesterol in Adenosine A2A Receptor Activity Thorsten Wohland , National University of Singapore Light Sheet Spectroscopy for the Investigation of Biofilms Stuart G. Campbell , Yale University Engineering-Based Approaches to Understanding, Diagnosing, and Treating Inherited Cardiomyopathies Arne Gericke , Worcester Polytechnic Institute Microfluidic Tool for the in Vitro Characterization of Lipid Gradients in Biological Membranes Biological Fluorescence Subgroup Chair: Michelle Digman , University of California, Irvine Sara Abrahamsson , University of California, Santa Cruz Fast 3D Superresolution Microscopy with Multifocus SIM Arnaud Gautier , École Normale Supérieure, Paris, France Hybrid Fluorescent Markers for Reporting and Biosensing on Demand Reto Fiolka , University of Texas, Southwestern Quantitative Imaging of Cellular Morphodynamics and Signal- ing with Light-Sheet Microscopy Alexa Mattheyses , University of Alabama, Birmingham Bridging the Gap: Protein Order and Organization in Cell Adhesion Laura Marcu , University of California, Davis Fluorescence Lifetime Techniques for Biomedical Applications David Piston , University of Washington in St. Louis Resolving Dopamine Receptor Dynamics with Spatial, Temporal, and Spectral Sampling

Organelles Driving Immunometabolism Tobias Walther , Harvard Medical School Title not yet available

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Biopolymers in Vivo Subgroup Chair: Patricia Clark , University of Notre Dame Program Co-Chairs: D. Allan Drummond , University of Chicago, and T.Y. Dora Tang , Max Planck Institute, Germany

Yifan Cheng , University of California, San Francisco Graphene-Oxide Substrate for High-Resolution Single Particle Cryo-EM Exocytosis and Endocytosis Subgroup Chair: Dixon Woodbury , Brigham Young University Tom Kirschhausen , Harvard University Cellular Dynamics Visualized from Molecules to Organisms at Increased Spatio-Temporal Resolution Geert van den Bogaart , Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands Quantitative Microscopy of Snare Complexes in Live Cells Patrik Rorsman , Oxford University, UK Type-2 Diabetes - A Fusion Pore Disease? Michael Tamkun , Colorado State University Trafficking at Endoplasmic Reticulum/Plasma Membrane Contact Sites Katalin Toth , Laval University, Canada Vesicle Heterogeneity and Different Modes of Synaptic Transmission

Keynote Lecture Geraldine Seydoux , Johns Hopkins University RNA Granules: Liquids or Active Condensates? Alex Holehouse , Washington University

A General Framework for Predicting and Understanding Sequence-encoded Phase Diagrams of Intrinsically Disordered Proteins Michelle Meyer , Boston College Re-inventing RNA Regulators: The Structural Plasticity of RNA Structure in RNA-Protein Regulatory Interactions Martin Egli , Vanderbilt University PS2 RNA: SAR and Biophysics Irene Chen , University of California, Santa Barbara Evolution and Encapsulation of Functional RNA Keynote Lecture John Chaput , University of California, Irvine Extending the Concepts of Heredity and Evolution to Artificial Genetic Polymers Cryo-EM Subgroup Chair: Tamir Gronen , Howard Hughes Medical Institute Elizabeth Villa , University of California, San Diego Opening Windows into the Cell: Bringing Structure to Cell Biology Using Cryo-Electron Tomography Adam Frost , University of California, San Francisco Structural Basis of Mitochondrial Receptor Binding and GTP- driven Conformational Constriction by Dynamin-related Protein 1 Naoko Mizuno , Max Planck Institute, Germany Structural Biology of Cell Shape Formation Gabriel Lander , Scripps Research Institute How Low Can You Go? Size and Resolution Limits Using Conventional Cryo-EM at 200keV Brenda Schulman , Max Planck Institute, Germany Cryo-EM Studies Capturing Dynamic Intermediates in Ubiquitin Conjugation

Sir Bernard Katz Award Speaker Manfred Lindau , Cornell University The Mystery of the Fusion Pore

Intrinsically Disordered Proteins Subgroup Chair: Subgroup Chair: Jean Baum , Rutgers University Daniel Raleigh , Stony Brook University The Biophysics of Amyloidosis Induced Cell Death

Sarah Shammas , University of Oxford, UK Binding Reactions of Disordered Proteins Hue Sun Chan , University of Toronto

Conformational Heterogeneity and Theory of Sequence-specific Functional Phase Separation of Intrinsically Disordered Proteins Hoi Sung Chung , National Institutes of Health Probing Folding and Conformational Dynamics of Intrinsically Disordered Proteins by Single-Molecule FRET Frauke Gräter , Heidelberg Institute for Theoretical Studies, Germany Handshake or High-Five? Two Distinct Modes of Nucleoprin- Receptor Binding

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Peter Wright , The Scripps Research Institute Allosteric Regulation of Cellular Signaling Pathways by Intrinsically Disordered Proteins Mechanobiology Subgroup Chair: Alex Dunn , Stanford University Daniel Fletcher , University of California, Berkeley Shaping Actin Network Organization and Composition with Force Vernita Gordon , University of Texas, Austin Bacteria Sense Mechanical Force as a Cue to Form a Pathogenic Biofilm Sevan Hopyan , University of Toronto, Canada Volumetric Morphogenesis in the Mouse Embryo Kristy Red-Horse , Stanford University Blood Flow Stimulated Behaviors that Regulate Artery Size and Shape Shelly Tzlil , Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Israel Elastic-mediated Interactions between Cells: Mechanical Communication in Cardiac Cell Beating Andrés García , Georgia Institute of Technology Synthetic Hydrogels for Mechanotransduction Xavier Trepat , Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia, Spain Physical Forces Driving Migration, Division, and Folding in Epithelial Sheets Membrane Biophysics Subgroup Chair: Jose Faraldo-Gomez , National Institutes of Health Baron Chanda , University of Wisconsin, Madison Generalized Interaction Energy Analysis (GIA) Reveals Voltage Transduction Pathways in the Shaker Potassium Channel Lucie Delemotte , KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden On the Selective Promiscuity of Calmodulin Joseph Mindell , National Institutes of Health Thermodynamic Methods for Measuring Transporter Stoichiometry Régis Pomès , University of Toronto, Canada Molecular Mechanisms of Ion Permeation, Selectivity, and Leakage

Simon Scheuring , Weill Cornell Medicine High-Speed Atomic Force Microscopy: A New Approach to Study Channels and Transporters Tetiana Serdiuk , Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zürich, Switzerland Observing Insertase-and Translocase-assisted Insertion and Folding Pathways of Single Transmembrane Transporters Jessica Swanson , University of Chicago Multiscale Kinetic Modeling of a Cl-/H+ Antiporter: Integrating Simulation and Experiment to Characterize a Complex Ion Exchange Process Membrane Structure and Assembly Subgroup Chair: Tobias Baumgart , University of Pennsylvania Linda Columbus , University of Virginia Differences between Micelles, Bicelles, and Membranes and the Impact on Membrane Protein Structure Syma Khalid , University of Southampton, UK The Cell Envelope of Gram-Negative Bacteria: The More We Know, the More We Don't Know! Alf Honigmann , Max Planck Institute, Germany Membrane Scaffolding at the Tight Junction: Superresolution and Reconstitution Markus Deserno , Carnegie Mellon University Revisiting Membrane Nano-Elasticity: Tilt, Composition, and Higher Order Headaches Sergio Grinstein , University of Toronto, Canada Receptor Mobility Is Regulated by the Cytoskeleton Connected to an Exoskeleton via Transmembrane Pickets: Role in Phagocytosis Martin Ulmschneider , Johns Hopkins University Spontaneous Assembly of Functional Membrane Proteins from Soluble Membrane Active Peptides Thompson Award Speaker Daniel Huster , University of Leipzig, Germany NMR Investigations of Lipid Chains: A Book of Tails Molecular Biophysics Subgroup Chair: Philip Kukura , Oxford University, UK Madhavi Krishnan , University of Zurich, Switzerland Single-Molecule Electrometry: A New Tool for Structure, Conformation, and Interaction Studies on Single Biomolecules in Solution

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Wesley Wong , Harvard University Exploring Nanoscale Biomechanics with Parallel Force Spectroscopy Ilya Finkelstein , University of Texas, Austin Genome-scale Biophysical Profiling of CRISPR Interference Alexandre Persat , Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Lausanne, Switzerland Bacterial Mechanosensing with Type IV Pili Thomas Perkins , University of Colorado Improving AFM Reveals a Multitude of Hidden Dynamics in the Unfolding of a Membrane Protein Madoka Suzuki , Waseda University, Japan Imaging of Heat Production and Heat-mediated Contraction in Single Muscle Cells Justin Benesch , University of Oxford, UK Quantitative Native Mass Spectrometry: Weighing-up the Evolution of Protein Self-Assembly Motility & Cytoskeleton Subgroup Co-Chairs: Carolyn Moores , University of London, Birkbeck College, UK, and Kristen Verhey , University of Michigan Medical School Gregory Alushin , Rockefeller University Cytoskeletal Structural Plasticity in Force Generation and Mechanosensation Tim Clausen , Research Institute of Molecular Pathology, Austria Keeping Muscle Myosin in Shape Wallace Marshall , University of California, San Francisco Flagellar Length Control System: A Paradigm for Organelle Size Regulation Etsuko Muto , RIKEN Brain Science Institute, Japan How Do Microtubules Activate Kinesin and Dynein ATPase Activity Weihong Qiu , Oregon State University The Kinesin-14 GiKin14a Achieves Long-Distance Minus-End- directed Motility via Its N-Terminal Nonmotor Microtubule- binding Tail Margot Quinlan , University of California, Los Angeles Cytoskeletal Control of Cell Polarity in the Drosophila Oocyte Samara Reck-Peterson , University of California, San Diego Mechanisms of Regulating Cytoplasmic Dynein

Marija Zanic , Vanderbilt University Dynamics of Microtubule Minus Ends Nanoscale Biophysics

Subgroup Chair: Wesley Wong , Harvard University Stephen Kowalczykowski , University of California, Davis Watching Individual Molecules: Understanding Biology from Stochastic Behavior Shimon Weiss , University of California, Los Angeles Progress in Developing (Single) Inorganic Voltage Nanosensors Jens Gundlach , University of Washington Enzyme Studies with Single-Molecule Picometer Resolution Nanopore Tweezers, SPRNT Ozgur Sahin , Columbia University Studying Nanoscale Mechanics of Single Molecules and Cells with Atomic Force Microscopy Volkmar Heinrich , University of California, Davis Nano-to-Microscale Immunophysics: Sprawling Frontier and Foundation for Transformative Advances in Biomedicine Naomi Ginsberg , University of California, Berkeley Cathodoluminescence-activated Imaging of Nanoscale Dynamics by Resonance Energy Transfer Hendrik Dietz , Technical University of Munich, Germany Precision Measurements of Biomolecular Structures and Interactions, Supported by DNA Origami Permeation & Transport Subgroup Chair: Olga Boudker , Weill Cornell Medical College Alexander Sobolevsky , Columbia University Structure and Function of the Epithelial Calcium Channel TRPV6 Lucy Forrest , National Institutes of Health Interpretation of Spectroscopic Data for Membrane Transporters Using Simulated Conformational Ensembles Inga Hanelt , Goethe-University, Frankfurt, Germany Allosteric Control of the K+ Uptake System KtrAB Ryan Hibbs , University of Texas, Southwestern Structural Biology of Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors Christine Ziegler , Max Planck Institute, Germany How Lipids Modulate Transporter and Channel Function

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Molly Cule

Remember, you are in charge of your future. You must be transparent, honest, and direct in your communication with your advisors and mentors about your position and how they can help you succeed. You are ultimately responsible for your own development, so make sure you surround yourself with trusted mentors who will provide the support and guidance you need for success. There are a number of resources for scientific mentors and mentees that cover every stage of a career and are freely available from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Burroughs Wellcome Fund, AAAS, the National Academy of Sciences, Nature , and Science . Take advantage of the re- sources available to you to help create a productive relationship. — Molly Cule

Creating a Productive Mentor-Mentee Relationship Scientific and emotional mentorship is a criti- cal part of career development and professional success. Therefore, creating a productive mentor- mentee relationship is an important part of your career development plan that deserves discussion. In the best of cases, mentor-mentee relationships organically develop in a positive direction as you grow your career in a successful training environ- ment. However, there is the alternative situation when mentor-mentee relationships are less than organic, or sour as time goes on for various rea- sons. These difficulties can complicate interactions with your mentor and put you in the position to look elsewhere for guidance and mentorship — a process that will require your vision and explora- tion. There are many cases where mentees need to mix and match internal mentorship (sound and trusted advisors within your department, university, or place of employment) with external mentorship (sound and trusted advisors outside your place of work). If you end up with a mix of mentors, don’t feel like a disappointment to your- self, your training program, or your employment team — rather, just embrace the opportunity to communicate with multiple people who can help you succeed. Sometimes, these additional mentors can help you resolve communication issues with your advisor or mentor, and can offer you extra support to help you accomplish your goals.

Annual Art of Science Image Contest Opens

Entries are due December 1, 2017.

Do you have an eye-catching image that resulted from your research? To showcase the artistic side of scientific imaging, BPS members attending the 2017 Annual Meeting may enter the annual BPS image contest, The Art of Science. Monetary prizes will be awarded for 1 st , 2 nd , and 3 rd place.

Members in the News

David Warshaw , University of Vermont College of Medi- cine, and Society member since 1979, was awarded the 2017 UVM Medical Alumni Association's Distinguished Graduate Alumni Award. For additional members in the news, see the article on page 9.

Submit Today at biophysics.org/2018meeting