NEWSLETTER MARCH/APRIL 2006 ISSUE
SALT LAKE CITY ANNUAL MEETING SUMMARY Annual Meeting Summary ...... 1 Discussions ...... 1 & 19 No one promised summer weather for the Society’s 50th Annual Meeting in Biophysicist in Profile ...... 2 Salt Lake City, so it came as no surprise that February 18-22 saw a confluence Membrane Structure & Assembly. . . . . 4 of winter events: snowstorms on the east coast, high winds in the central Bioenergetics...... 4 states, record snows in Salt Lake City. Together they held up flights, stranded Membrane Biophysics...... 5 passengers, and made travel to the BPS Annual Meeting an adventure! The Permeation/Transport ...... 5 5,000 attendees were rewarded with an exciting scientific program, a beautiful Intrinsically Disordered Proteins...... 6 setting in a welcoming city, and a myriad of activities. International Relations ...... 6 Minority Affairs ...... 7 CPOW Report ...... 8 SRAA Competition...... 12 BOARD AND COUNCIL MEETINGS Student Symposium & Fair ...... 12 Public Affairs ...... 13 The Society’s Executive Board and Council met dur- Call for Editor-in-Chief ...... 16 ing the Annual Meeting. Many of the decisions made and discussions held during those meetings are described within the committee and subgroup reports found throughout this newsletter. Below is a summary of major Board and Council actions not described elsewhere. 2006 Biophysical Society • Approved a joint effort with the American Discussions Physical Society’s Division of Biological Physics Suzanne Scarlata (APS/DBP) whereby the DBP will plan one sympo- Molecular Motors: sium for the BPS Annual Meeting and the BPS will Point Counterpoint plan one symposium for the APS March meeting. • Approved the Landmark Paper Project, with Adrian Parseggian as Chair. The project’s goal is Application deadline: May 1, 2006 www.biophysics.org to select a list of seminal papers in key areas of bio- physics and develop commentaries for each area. • Elected two members of Council to serve Asilomar Conference Center two-year terms (2006-2008) on the Executive Board. Asilomar, California Suzanne Scarlata, of Stony Brook University, and David Piston, of Vanderbilt Unviersity, were elected October 19-22, 2006 to succeed outgoing Board members Clara Attendance limited. Franzini-Armstrong and Justin Molloy. David Piston For full program information (Continued on page 17.) see page 19.
Mark Your Calenders for the Biophysical Society’s 2007 Annual Meeting! March 3 – 7 in Baltimore, Maryland Biophysicist in Profile Despite his father’s hope that Barry would follow him into medicine, the younger Lentz “always wanted to be a scientist.” He received his first chemistry set in the fifth grade, which he used to build 9650 Rockville Pike rockets and stink bombs. As he grew more Bethesda, Maryland 20814-3998 Tel: 301-634-7114; Fax: 301-634-7133 adept at these activities, the neighbors and E-mail: [email protected] http://www.biophysics.org/ his mother grew more impatient, so he turned his focus to academic science. By Officers President ninth grade, Lentz was staying after school Barry R. Lentz daily to help the teacher set up for class and President-Elect discuss advances in physics. “I carried Joesph Falke Past-President a briefcase, was 5’2” and chubby,” he Steven M. Block says about his younger years, admitt- Secretary ing sports were not his strong suit. Ruth A. Altschuld Barry Lentz Treasurer In eighth grade, a career guidance test Mordecai P. Blaustein indicated his future lay in auto-mechanics. Council Barry Lentz is often recognized by the “They said I liked to understand how Paul H. Axelsen broad-rimmed western-style hats he wears. things work,” explains Lentz. Barry remains Stephen M. Baylor fascinated with “how things work,” includ- Christopher L. Berger But those who know him well also Richard G. Brennan recognize him for the many hats he wears ing automobiles, but the mechanics he’s Sharona E. Gordon in his professional and personal life. now passionate about are the mechanics of Kathleen Hall cells and biomolecules. Eric Jakobsson Currently he is a professor and Director Linda J. Kenney of Biophysics at the University of North Lentz attended the University of Elizabeth A. Komives Carolina, a mentor and research director for Pennsylvania because his father was willing Ben de Kruijff his laboratory colleagues who work on the to pay for his son to attend the family Stephen L. Mayo Tobias Meyer mechanism of membrane fusion and on the school and enter the “family profession.” Ruth Nussinov role of lipids in regulating blood coagula- His pre-med/chemistry major led to a Diane M. Papazian tion, an Associate Editor of the Cell Bachelor of Arts in 1966, however, rather Nils Petersen David Piston Biophysics Section of Biophysical Journal, then a Bachelor of Sciences. Pre-med Eduardo Rios and now, President of the Biophysical required many classes outside math and sci- Frederick Sachs Society. Equally important, he is a husband ence, which instilled in Barry a love for his- Suzanne Scarlata tory, music, art, and philosophy. He did, Paul R. Selvin of 40 years, a father, and seven times a R. John Solaro grandfather! He describes himself as a per- however, find time to take undergraduate Lynmarie K. Thompson son who can’t turn and graduate Biophysical Journal away when he thinks physical chem- Editor-in-Chief he can make a differ- “Nobody thought Biophysics istry courses, Robert Callender ence, and he brings would amount to a hill which turned out Executive Officer passion to everything to be his favorite Ro Kampman he does. of beans . . .” classes. “If I had Publications Manager to do it over Dianne McGavin Son of John and Florence Lentz, Barry was born on again,” says Lentz, Newsletter Production Alisha Yocum September 2, 1944, in Philadelphia. His “I’d do exactly what I did and earn a BA because of all I learned.” Profiles father, an alumnus of the University of Lee Bien Pennsylvania, was a physician and on the After graduating from college and sur- Public Affairs staff at Penn’s Philadelphia General viving a mistake by his draft board that Ellen Weiss Hospital. His mother worked in store secu- would have sent him to Vietnam, Barry The Biophysical Society Newsletter rity as a detective, and now at 93, lives just headed directly to graduate school at (ISSN 0006-3495) is published six times Cornell University to study Biophysical per year January/February, March/April, ten minutes away from Lentz and his wife May/June, July/August, September/ Charlotte. After adopting Barry, his parents Chemistry. There he worked with Harold October, and November/December by the Biophysical Society, 9650 Rockville had two children, Deborah and Don. Don Scheraga. Because no one else in Scheraga’s Pike, Bethesda, Maryland 20814-3998. runs a four-star French restaurant in upstate group of roughly 35 people was working on Distributed to USA members and other countries at no cost. Canadian GST No. New York, while Deborah now teaches in water structure, Lentz had the privilege of 898477062. Postmaster: Send address Seattle. working closely with Scheraga throughout changes to Biophysical Society, 9650 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD 20814- his graduate career. “Harold is a granddad- 3998. dy of protein biophysics and was a master at Copyright © 2006 by the Biophysical Society. Printed in the United States of America. All rights reserved. MARCH/APRIL 2006 NEWSLETTER
seeing to the heart of an issue and asking fluorometer and an old Zeiss spectropho- and deans that it would be beneficial to tough questions, “Lentz explains, “I learned tometer, provided them with car batteries train students in this interdisciplinary field. a great deal from him.” Upon earning his for power supplies, and modified the fluo- “Nobody thought Biophysics would PhD at Cornell in 1973, Barry traveled rometer to do polarization measurements. amount to a hill of beans,” Barry states. south to the University of Virginia (UVA) Thus was the Lentz lab was born! Over the next 15 years, Lentz worked tire- to join Tommy Thompson’s lab as a lessly to recruit faculty and students, postdoc. “UVA was the center of and now he is proud to say that membrane biophysics at that time,” “The things I’m most proud of are the UNC’s biophysics program “is one says Lentz. He refers to his two years things most people still don’t believe” of the best in the country.” in Charlottesville as his “Camelot Along the way, Lentz has earned years.” a reputation as a tough but fair men- While with Thompson, a former After two years on NSF’s Biophysics tor. “He could be tough but was always President of Biophysical Society, Lentz Panel and four years on NIH’s very considerate,” explains Moore, “and began attending Society meetings. “I told Biochemistry, Biophysics, and Cell Biology always found time to listen and work with him that everyone who is a serious bio- Study Section, Barry turned his attention to the student through problems both aca- physicist must join the Society,” says building biophysics at UNC, which turned demic and personal.” Moore, who is now Thompson. As a family man with three out to be a slow process. “We were simply Vice President of Product Development & young children, Barry did not actively par- overjoyed to move our lab from the dun- Technology for Medtronic’s New Therapies ticipate in the Society during his early geon of MacNider to the modern facilities and Diagnostic Management Organization, career; however, it quickly became his intel- of the Faculty Laboratory Office Building notes that “it was quickly apparent that lectual home. As time passed, he served on (now Mary Ellen Jones building) and to Barry is a very compassionate and caring the leadership committee and became chair keep getting sufficient funding to keep the person.” The relationships he has formed of the Membrane Structure and Assembly lab going,” explains Barrow, who is now with his students lasting long after the stu- Subgroup. Soon Lentz was organizing Director of the Bioanalytical Core Labs for dents have left the classroom are evidence of workshops and symposia and later was the UNC General Clinical Research his caring. nominated to Council by members of that Center, and Laboratory Manager for the Now that the Biophysics Program at Subgroup. “He has always had the ability to Center for Oral and Systemic Diseases UNC-Chapel Hill has been established, be not only a fine scientist,” says within the UNC School of Dentistry. It Lentz has been able to cut back on teaching Thompson, “but also a scientific leader.” was these small steps that mattered most and spend more time on research. He loves Lentz has always been passion- both his work on membrane ate about applying his physical fusion and his work on the role of chemistry background to biomed- lipids in blood coagulation. And ical science. This passion took him with his family and career now to the University of North Carolina secure, he has been able to take at Chapel Hill Medical School as an more scientific risks. One of these Assistant Professor of Biochemistry led to showing that blood coagu- rather than to a chemistry depart- lation is regulated by a platelet ment. Once there, he did the same membrane lipid, phosphatidylser- thing he had done as an undergrad- ine, leading to a protracted dis- uate student seven years earlier: he agreement with the blood coagu- located an empty office, comman- lation community. Recent work deered an empty lab, scrounged and with exocytotic fusion proteins “borrowed” whatever supplies he has also led to disagreements with could, and with $5000 from many in the neuronal release UNC’s Cancer Center, he built a community. “The things I’m lab. His first graduate student, most proud of are the things most Bryant Moore, was the first African people still don’t believe,” Lentz American to ever enroll in UNC’s Lentz loves to spend time outdoors, and kayaking is one states proudly, admitting a certain Biochemistry Department. A sec- of the many activities he does year round. pleasure in being considered a sci- ond student, David Barrow, was the entific maverick. No matter how son of a UNC Pathology professor and at because UNC’s Medical and Arts & Science crazy people might think he is, Lentz has the time was fixing arcade games at the local Schools interacted very little in those days. mall. Together, the three liberated an old It took over four years to convince chairs (Continued on page 17.)
3 Biophysical Society 50TH ANNUAL MEETING SUMMARY Membrane Structure & viviruses) differ radically from class 1 Development, National Institutes of fusion proteins such as influenza virus Health, and Avanti Polar Lipids for the Assembly hemagglutinin (HA) and HIV envelope generous financial support. The new protein. However, the final post-fusion chair for 2007 is Frances Separovic, and The 2006 Membrane Structure & conformations of diverse fusion proteins for 2008 it is Scott Feller. Assembly Subgroup symposium, share similar hairpin folding. Biological Membrane Fusion: Mechanisms Yinling Li focused on class 1 fusion Bioenergetics and Intermediates, was held on Saturday protein HA. Parallel analysis of the February 18 and was extremely well- structural and functional effects of dif- The morning symposium on Mitochon- attended by an audience of over 400. ferent mutations in the fusion peptide dria and Regulation of the Cellular Energy The ability of membrane lipids to region of HA was used in this study to form continuous and closed lipid bilay- State, sponsored in part by the Cancer explore the functional importance of a League of Central Switzerland, covered ers is essential for many functions of bio- specific conformation of the peptide logical membranes. However, intracel- different aspects of the energetic crosstalk referred to as a boomerang structure. between cytosol and mitochondria. The lular fusion reactions such as exocytosis Gregory Melikyan described the fluo- and protein trafficking, cell-cell fusion first three lectures were dedicated to the rescence microscopy study of the path- systems bioenergetics of cellular phos- in development, and viral infections way of membrane fusion and entry for share a common stage of local and tran- photransfer networks that are catalyzed HIV and Avian sarcoma and leukosis by metabolic kinases. Uwe Schlattner sient breaking of membrane continuity virus. Comparing the kinetics of redis- when two membranes fuse into one. (Zürich, Switzerland) described struc- tribution for different membrane- and ture-function relationships of creatine The symposium explored different content- probes during individual aspects of protein-lipid interplay in kinase isoenzymes that create energetic virus/cell fusion events allowed identifi- microcompartments in the cell due to membrane fusion. cation of the distinct fusion stages Michael Kozlov opened the program specific intermolecular interactions. including the hemifusion, pore forma- Valdur Saks (Grenoble, France) extended with a discussion of the physics of lipid tion and pore growth. bilayer rearrangements. He has this structural view on the physiological The last two symposium speakers level by explaining how creatine kinase described the fusion pathway based on discussed the pathway of intracellular catalyzed energy transfer can account for the analysis of the elastic properties of fusion reactions. Yeon-Kyun Shin told respiration regulation in the heart, in lipid monolayers. The first to fuse are about the pathway of fusion between particular under conditions of the well- the membrane monolayers, which face proteoliposomes carrying SNARE pro- known Frank-Starling Law. The integrat- each other through a water gap. This teins that are critical components of ed role of phosphotransfer networks, fusion stage is referred to as hemifusion intracellular docking and fusion including adenylate kinase and glycolytic and the new theoretical results suggest machinery. Deleting half of the trans- pathways, in intracellular energy parti- the specific mechanism by which defor- membrane domain of SNAREs or low- tion were introduced by Petras Dzeja mations of these lipid monolayers might ering the density of wild-type SNAREs (Rochester, MN), together with their role generate the earliest hemifusion inter- resulted in hemifusion. in mitochondria-nuclear communication mediate. Finally, Andreas Mayer discussed the and regulation of ATP sensitive K+-chan- Both enveloped and non-enveloped pathway of a physiological homotypic nels. viruses break the continuity of biological fusion of yeast vacuoles involving multi- The second part of the symposium membranes to deliver their nucleic acid ple proteins acting in concert with was dedicated to energy-sensing protein into a cell. Xiaowei Zhuang presented SNAREs. Inhibitors blocked this fusion kinase signalling in cell life and death. the fluorescence microscopy study of the reaction at different stages allowing Nissim Hay (Chicago, IL) described how pathway of cell entry for poliovirus identification and characterization of a pro-survival kinase Akt/PKB has been based on the analysis of the entry and hemifusion intermediate in a physiolog- recruited to the anti-apoptotic cascade uncoating for individual viral particles. ical intracellular fusion reaction. by retaining hexokinase bound to the Felix Rey discussed the structures of The subgroup's annual business VDAC channel at the mitochondrial the fusion proteins of alpha- and flavi- meeting was held after the talks. The surface. Finally, William Winder (Provo, viruses. Initial conformations of class 2 organizers would like to thank National UT) introduced the multifaceted roles fusion proteins (e.g., envelope glycopro- Institute of Child Health and Human of the cellular "energy gauge" AMP-acti- teins E1 of alphaviruses and E of fla- vated protein kinase (AMPK), whose
4 MARCH/APRIL 2006 NEWSLETTER FEBRUARY 19-22, 2006 SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH activation during exercise (and possibly Membrane Biophysics butions to the understanding of the by future specific drugs) may combat mechanisms of calcium channel perme- metabolic diseases like type II diabetes. The Membrane Biophysics subgroup held ation and the molecular mechanisms of The afternoon session, Systems its annual symposium on Saturday after- ischemic pain. Wolf Almers introduced Biology: Mitochondria Are not Alone, noon, February 18 in Salt Lake City, McCleskey for the award. supported in part by the United Utah. This year's symposium theme was Fourteen students attended the Cole Mitochondrial Disease Foundation and Horizons for the Queen of IonTransport – Award dinner as guests of the subgroup. Avanti Polar Lipids, was organized by CaV Calcium Channels. The session was Guest student tickets for the dinner were Hartmut Wohlrab (Boston Biomedical organized and moderated by this year's awarded by lottery. The subgroup plans Research Institute) and Svitlana subgroup chair, David T. Yue, from the to continue this tradition. Interested Berezhna (The Scripps Research Johns Hopkins University School of students should watch for newsletter Institute). It addressed mitochondria as Medicine. Presenters included Dan announcements to participate in next part of cellular metabolism with empha- Minor, University of California San year's lottery. sis on new methods of investigation. Francisco; Henry Colecraft, Johns Thus Arvind Ramanathan (Broad Hopkins University; Gerald Zamponi, Permeation/Transport Institute) presented his work on small University of Calgary; David T. Yue, molecule screening and metabolic pro- Johns Hopkins University; Diane The Permeation/Transport Subgroup filing in studies of cell line models of Lipscombe, Brown University; Veit held its third annual meeting on disease. Joseph Bass (Northwestern Flockerzi, Universität des Saarlandes; and February 18 in Salt Lake. The short, University) talked about circadian gene Ricardo Dolmetsch, Stanford University. mid-day meeting was again deemed very oscillators and their relations to obesity The subgroup thanks David Yue for successful. Dirk Gillespie lectured on and diabetes. Vamsi Mootha organizing an excellent symposium. combining density functional and (Massachusetts General Hospital) pre- At the business meeting following Poisson-Nernst-Planck theories to fit sented his systematic predictions of the the symposium, Eitan Reuveny, single channel current data for the ryan- 1500 proteins that make up mitochon- Weizmann Institute of Science, was odine receptor. Then Giuseppe Inesi lec- dria (what exactly constitutes a mito- selected as chair-elect. Nael A. McCarty, tured on biophysical properties of the chondrion?). His other exciting results Georgia Institute of Technology, the cur- Ca++-ATPase and their structure-based concerned the identification of markers rent chair, is organizing the 2007 sym- interpretation. In addition, tribute was in skeletal muscles as first sign of type 2 posium. Carol L. Beck, Thomas Jefferson paid by the former chair and vice chair diabetes. Luis A. Nunes (Northwestern University, will continue as Secretary- to J. Walter Woodbury and George University) presented methods for facil- Treasurer. The Cole Award dinner was Eisenman for the instrumental roles they itating the understanding of the com- held at Squatter's Restaurant. Following played in advancing rate and electrostat- plexity of metabolic networks. Rashu B. dinner, the subgroup presented an ic binding theories for channel perme- Seth (University of Texas Southwestern Award of Special Recognition to J. ation and selectivity. Medical Center) presented her work on Walter Woodbury, in recognition of his As the outgoing chair, David Busath the novel mitochondrial anti-viral sig- leadership and roles in creating both the urged the subgroup to continue to focus naling protein (MAVS), a protein whose Membrane Biophysics subgroup and the on uniting theory and experiment. function provoked extensive discussions K.S. Cole Award. Benoit Roux succeeds Busath as chair. on 'why is this membrane protein part The 2006 K.S. Cole Award was pre- Wolfgang Nonner advanced to vice chair. of mitochondria?'. sented to Edwin W. McCleskey, Vollum Svetlana Lutsenko (OHSU) was elected Institute, Oregon Health and Science as the new treasurer to succeed Wolfgang University, in recognition of his contri- Nonner. Subgroup membership is steadily rising and now stands above 90
MARC TRAVEL AWARDS Member in the News 2006 Awardees Ahmet Yildiz of University of Alexander Volkov Lisa Jones California, San Francisco, Society Courtney Brown Oscar Alvizo member since 2002, won the Corey Dambacher Christina Vizcarra GE/Science Young Scientist Award for his discovery of how proteins Ryan Lang Charmita Burch work within cells. Mark Hernandez
5 Biophysical Society 50TH ANNUAL MEETING SUMMARY members. The subgroup budget is Intrinsically Disordered develop an interesting program, and the healthy. list of possible speakers will be kept for Methods for soliciting subgroup Proteins future years. speakers and nominees for the treasurer Finally, those who would like to serve election this year were once again infor- Starting last fall, Gary Daughdrill, Keith on the council or be an officer of this mal and last-minute. With time it is Dunker, H. Jane Dyson, Anthony L. Fink, new subgroup should send e-mail mes- likely that these will become more codi- Richard W. Kriwacki, Peter T. Landsbury, sages to Richard and Vladimir indicat- fied and democratized, because the Jr., Rohit V. Pappu, Gary Pielak, Kevin W. ing their interests in these positions. Society is steadily increasing its require- Plaxco, Pedro Romero, George Rose, Peter Elections will be held at the first official ments and deadlines for subgroup func- Tompa, Vladimir Uversky and Peter E. business meeting next year in Baltimore. Wright circulated a petition to form a new tions. However, for now we have been — Vladimir Uversky: [email protected] subgroup with a focus on Intrinsically very pleased with the outcomes of our — Richard Kriwacki: casual approach. Disordered Proteins. More than 190 [email protected] signatures were received. The Biophysical The subgroup awarded SRAA prizes International Relations for student posters to Craig Moffat and Society hosted an organizational meeting Hena Ramay. Thanks to Emad on Saturday, February 25. More than 35 Committee Tajkhorshid for his efforts as a judge in people attended this meeting and joined that competition and to others who an impromptu discussion of these inter- The International Relations Committee offered to help but weren't needed. esting proteins for almost two hours. The announce the extension of the The new leaders plan to email the students and postdoctoral fellows International Visiting Graduate Student subgroup members in September, enlivened the discussion with questions Travel Award program to include student reminding them to encourage their per- coming from their own research. visits to labs of all regular members, meation/transport students to check the On Tuesday evening, the new sub- regardless of country. group was approved by a unanimous SRAA competition box on their abstract Eligibility: submission form in October. This will vote of the Council. Vladimir Uversky and Richard Kriwacki were selected at •The student must be from a allow the graduate students to compete country in need and visit a lab in our specific pool, and may enhance the organizational meeting to be the co- organizers of the scientific session for the outside that country/continent. their chances of winning the cash • Short visit (1-3 months) to a lab of awards. Also, anyone who wishes to be first Intrinsically Disordered Protein subgroup meeting in Baltimore at the a Biophysical Society regular considered for a presentation in our member to acquire skills to apply to subgroup symposium at the 2007 2007 Biophysical Society Annual Meeting. Those who would like to make a Ph.D. thesis in the country of Baltimore meeting next year please feel residence. free to offer. Decisions will probably be presentations at this inaugural meeting should send e-mail messages to Richard • The quality of the facility and made in the October to December time research to be undertaken will be frame. and Vladimir providing their names, institutions, titles of their proposed reviewed. — Benoit Roux, Chair talks, and commitments to attend the • Funds are only for receipted costs — Wolfgang Nonner, Vice Chair 2007 meeting. While it might not be of travel. and Chair-Elect possible to include everyone who wants • The laboratories involved will be — David Busath, Former Chair to talk, every effort will be made to responsible for living expenses.
STUDENT TRAVEL AWARDS
2006 Awardees Kelly Sackett Allen Liu Jessica Schulz Robert Lober Jennifer Dawson Kristina Herbert Brittany Zadek Michael Murcia Ya-Ting Kao Yasser Qutub Patricia Cooper Natascia Vedovato Jing-Yin Chen Nazzareno D’Avanzo Alnoor Pirani Jose Eltit Grace Brannigan Liana Silva Marcel Friedrich Elisabeth Janiszewski Jennifer Rochira Ann Rossi Robert Mealer Yael Yaniv Ivo Telley Paul Robinson Gusztav Schay Victor Waingeh 6 MARCH/APRIL 2006 NEWSLETTER FEBRUARY 19-22, 2006 SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH Minority Affairs MAC Forum Speaker from the National tion of the Minority Affairs Committee Institute of General Medical Sciences; Ro web page and resource/research clearing MARC and Student Travel Kampman, BPS Executive Director; and house. Grant Awardee Reception Yvonne Butters, MAC Staff Liaison at the Linda Kenney and Elizabeth Komives The Biophysical Society, in collaboration Society Office. will coordinate the 2007 minority travel with the Minority Access to Research The Committee discussed ways award competition and co-host the Careers (MARC) office at FASEB, this to enhance outreach activities, including Student Travel Grant and MARC year funded travel awards to support the re-design of the Society booth Awardees Reception in Baltimore. Ishita participation of students and and selection of travel awardees. Also dis- Mukerji will chair the Committee and faculty/mentors at the Biophysical Society cussed at the business meeting were lead the development of a formal Meeting. Stephen Mayo and Gabriel Committee members' assignments and program for the 2007 Minority Affairs Montaño of the Minority Affairs responsibilities for the coming year. Committee Forum. Committee coordinated the 2006 MARC Luis Marky and Colin Wraight will The appointments of Elizabeth award competition. The 12 winners of represent the Biophysical Society at the Komives, Don Rufus Ranatunga and MARC awards were recognized and hon- annual Society for Advancement of Saundra DeLauder to the Committee ored on February 18 in Salt Lake City at Chicanos and Native Americans in were approved at the New Council the Student Travel Grant and MARC Science (SACNAS) meeting in Tampa, meeting. Awardees Reception. Gabriel Montaño Florida, October 26-29, 2006. Luis Forum from the Minority Affairs Committee and Marky and Gabriel Montaño will work On February 21, the Minority Affairs Richard Ludescher, co-chair of the with the SACNAS organizing commit- Committee sponsored a forum entitled Education Committee, co-hosted the tee to develop a session on biophysics Easing the Transition for Graduate event. The winners were individually rec- for 2006, if possible. If the deadline has Students at Major Research Institutions. ognized and presented certificates from passed, plans will be submitted for Wilma Olson (Rutgers University) pre- the Biophysical Society and the 2007. Lydia Sohn and Don Rufus sented a brief update on the Society's MARC/FASEB program. Each recipient, Ranatunga will attend the Annual summer course in Biophysics, which in turn, briefly described the research that Biomedical Research Conference for was coordinated by Barry Lentz he or she would present. Minority Students (ABRCMS) meeting (University of North Carolina at Chapel Committee Meeting and in Anaheim, California, November 8- Hill). Ishita Mukerji (Wesleyan 11, 2006. Stephen Mayo will deliver one Future Plans University), Margarita Dubocovich of the invited scientific lectures at the (Northwestern University), and The Committee held its annual business ABRCMS meeting. Wilma Olson will Elizabeth Komives (University of meeting following the Awards Reception. attend the National Society of Black California, San Diego) discussed suc- Attendees at the meeting included Physicists/National Society of Hispanic cessful practices for minority student Elizabeth Komives, MAC Forum Speaker Physicists (NSBP/NSHP) meeting in recruitment and retention at their and Incoming MAC Member from Boston, Massachusetts, February 21-25, respective institutions, including University of California, San Diego; 2007. experiences found to encourage and pre- Barry Lentz, Society President-elect at the Ishita Mukerji and Gabriel Montaño pare undergraduate students for gradu- time; Richard Ludescher, Education will work with the Society staff on the ate training and/or approaches that have Committee Co-Chair; Don Rufus outreach program, including re-design proven to help graduate students adjust Ranatunga, incoming MAC member of the Society exhibit booth, organiza- to the rigors of a PhD training program from Oakwood College; Janna Wehrle, INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL AWARDS
2006 Awardees Mei-Jie Jou Belma Turan Andres Jara Jure Derganc Manoel de Arcisio Jose Renato Pinto Rajaram Swaminathan Miranda Filho Reinaldo Dipolo Sunil Nath Carlos Garcia Jose Eltit Noa Bar-Ilan Veronica Jimenez Natalyia Fedirko Yolima Torres Grzegorz Pazdzior Olga Kopach Diego Cattoni Alexander Moskvin Valentin Novikov David Svintradze Mauricio Henriquez 7 Biophysical Society
50TH ANNUAL MEETING SUMMARY in biophysics or related disciplines. success! Because of this success, CPOW tions ranging from how to become a Janna Wehrle (National Institute of and Biophysical Society staff are pleased to leader in industry to how to lead a group General Medical Sciences) concluded again offer childcare at the 51st Annual when resources are limited. The con- the program with a discussion of the Meeting in Baltimore. CPOW and sensus was that leadership comes in expectations of governmental agencies Society staff are again working hard to many forms, and to begin all that is that fund training programs in bio- find corporate sponsors to help reduce the required is passion and a willingness to physics, including information about cost to attendees. For additional informa- work. The speakers all recommended some of the best practices for minority tion on childcare, visit the Biophysical starting out small so that you can decide recruitment and retention found on Society website. whether you really want to be a leader. NIH websites. Besides doing your homework, learning Career Panel Discussion to listen, staying calm, and knowing This year CPOW sponsored a panel dis- how to read a group were seen as impor- CPOW REPORT cussion on How to Advance into a tant leadership skills. Look for an Leadership Position, which was a great suc- expanded article on leadership in an Childcare cess with nearly 70 attendees. The panel upcoming newsletter. CPOW is happy to report a busy and suc- was comprised of distinguished Society Career Luncheon members who are successful leaders in cessful 50th Annual Meeting for all For its second year, the Career Roundtable academia, industry and the Society. Jill CPOW-sponsored activities, ranging Luncheon sponsored by CPOW was great Trewhella, from the University of Sydney from childcare to career luncheons to a success! Career topics ranged from grant and former director of the Biosciences panel discussion on leadership. This is writing, interviewing and negotiating, to Division at Los Alamos National the second year that CPOW and Society Laboratory, moderated the discussion. collaborations and balancing service and staff worked to successfully bring child- Ken Dill, former Society President and productivity. This year topics were organ- care to the Annual Meeting. This service Chair of the Public Affairs Committee, ized according to career stages ranging was provided by an outside agency, Kiddie provided insight on how to be an effective from graduate students to mid-level scien- Corp. A total of 15 children attended Society leader. Kathleen Matthews, Dean tists. Discussions were moderated by childcare at the Annual Meeting with a of the Weiss School of Natural Sciences at Biophysical Society members Dorothy maximum of 10 children at any one time. Rice University, gave the perspective of Beckett, University of Maryland; Robert Judging from the increase in attendance leadership in an educational institution. over last year and positive feedback, child- Oswald, Cornell University; Laura Moen, Ray Salemme, CEO of the Linguagen care at the Biophysical Meeting is a great NIDDK; Ruth Heidelberger, The Corporation and founder and former University of Texas; Paul Selvin, president of 3-D- University of Illinois; Chris Miller, Pharmceuticals, Brandeis University; Ka Ye Lee, University provided the per- of Chicago; and Stephen Harvey, Georgia spective of an Institute of Technology. industry scientist For interviewing, it is important to and entrepreneur. operate under the assumption that you The discussion will be offered the position. Sell your began with each research and ask yourself whether this panelist providing institution is the place for you. For col- valuable insight laborations, it is best if both sides bring and advice about something to the table and remember to what it takes to be define the project and authorship in a leader and how advance. In the end, participants and to become a suc- moderators enjoyed these informal dis- cessful leader. cussions and everyone learned some- Afterwards, the Elizabeth Komives, Ken Dill, and Kathleen Hall participated in the special thing new. Look for detailed articles on events marking the Society’s 50th Annual Meeting. audience asked the Career Roundtable Discussion in an numerous ques- upcoming newsletter.
8 MARCH/APRIL 2006 NEWSLETTER
FEBRUARY 19-22, 2006 SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH
Early Careers come to the US. It was suggested that it audience about recruitment, initial grants would be useful to be able to contact and research projects, job searches and Meet & Greet at the Opening members from the same country of ori- other aspects of the transition from a Mixer gin, who have been in the US for a postdoctoral researcher to an independent What started tentatively in 2004 is longer period of time, for advice on how investigator. For next year's panel, taking becoming a tradition at the Biophysical to deal with the cultural differences. advantage of the proximity between Society Annual Meeting. Once again, The Society website also offers an article Baltimore and Washington, the discussion the Early Career Committee provided a on how to get started in another coun- will focus on different career paths for bio- meeting point for people attending the try, which would be useful for anyone physicists within government institutions, meeting alone, many of them for the moving countries to perform research. such as the patent office, or lobbyists. first time. It was an opportunity for Publicizing the resources already them to meet other members and start available should to continue to be a Placement Center focus of the Early Career Committee for networking and interacting with them. The Placement Center counted on The Meet & Greet table also provided a 2006/2007. The Society website is www.biophysics.org. popular Ed Bocko again this year, who sign-up sheet for dinner at an Italian was available for one-on-one consulta- restaurant nearby. Fourteen people tions and CV analysis throughout the attended. Reservations had been made, Early Careers Committee meeting, and presented his series of so there was no need to wait around to Panel Discussions career development workshops. The be seated! If you'd like to meet new peo- Committee member Aldrin Gomes, Placement Center is available online ple, look for us in Baltimore in 2007 at from the David Geffen School of through the year, and Society members the Opening Mixer. Medicine, UCLA, moderated the panel, entitled Negotiating the Transition to an can post their CVs at no cost. Job adver- Postdoctoral & Graduate Independent Position. The panel included tisements are charged a small nominal Student Breakfasts representatives from medical schools and fee. More information is available at from a primarily undergraduate institu- http://www.biophysics.org/placement/ The Early Career Committee held tion, who answered questions from the two breakfasts to meet with postdoctor- al (on Sunday) and graduate student (on Monday) attendees. Despite the snow, they were both well attended. The breakfasts provide an important forum to discuss the needs and concerns of members at early stages in their careers, and offer suggestions as to how the early Career Committee and the Biophysical Society as a whole can provide resources to facilitate the transitions inherent to early careers. Funding was a major concern, espe- cially for foreign students and postdocs, and how to find out about the existing funding opportunities. The Society website was mentioned as a good source for this as well as for other kinds of information for early career members. Kazuhiko Kinosita, Jr., of Waseda University presented the 50th Annual Meeting National Another transition mentioned dur- Lecture, Probing Nature’s Nanoscale Machines with Microscale Probes, ing the breakfasts were the changes faced to a capacity crowd. by foreign students and postdocs who
9 Biophysical Society MARCH/APRIL 2006 NEWSLETTER
2006 SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH Biophysical Society
50TH ANNUAL MEETING SUMMARY SRAA Competition Exocytosis/Endocytosis Subgroup Inside: The Biophysics of a G Protein- Xiaohui Chen, University of Missouri Effector System. The Emily Gray Award Each year, the Biophysical Society honors Tzu-Ming Wang, University of Texas Lecture was presented later by Ignacio Southwestern Medical Center graduate students for their achievements Tinoco, Jr., from the University of in biophysics by presenting the Student Membrane Biophysics Subgroup California, Berkeley. His talk was enti- Research Achievement Award (SRAA). Marcel Friedrich, Max Planck tled Kinetics and Thermodynamics One These awards are given to the graduate Institute Molecule at a Time. students who make the best poster pre- Katherine Mayer, Rice University The symposium was followed by a sentations in Graduate Institution Fair, the first of its Membrane Structure & Assembly the SRAA Subgroup kind presented at the Annual Meeting. Poster Com- Representatives from institutions with Xue Han, Johns Hopkins University petition, in graduate training programs in bio- each of the Molecular Biophysics Subgroup physics were on hand to pass out fliers subcategories Dukagjin Blakaj, Albert Einstein and literature about their respective pro- represented College of Medicine grams and to speak to undergraduate by subgroup Gwangrog Lee, Duke University students interested in pursuing careers topics. Members from each subgroup in biophysics. The Society would like to Motility Subgroup reviewed and judged the poster compe- extend thanks to the following institu- Corey Dambacher, San Diego State tition. Students presented their posters University tions for participating in the Graduate in the first round of competition, giving Nicholas Guydosh, Stanford Institution Fair: the judges a full overview of their University research project including procedures, Albert Einstein College of Medicine techniques, Permeation Transport J. Craig Moffat Jr., Brigham Young Case Western Reserve University results, and University Florida State University their conse- Hena Ramay, George Mason Georgia Institute of Technology quences. UniversityUndergraduate The judges Idaho State University then invit- Indiana University School of Medicine ed specific Student Symposium International University of Bremen students to and Fair Johannes Kepler University participate in the second round of com- Max Planck Institute for Molecular As the Society's Annual Meeting petition. During the second round Cell Biology and Biophysics those students invited back fielded a continues to grow each year — nearly National Institutes of Health - Office number of questions from the judges, 6,000 attendees and over 3,000 abstracts ranging from the general to the highly each year — it may be intimidating to of Intramural Training and specific. undergraduate students who attend. To Education From the 79 submissions, 13 win- address this, the Education Committee North Carolina State University ners were selected. The winners were each year hosts the Undergraduate Oregon State University honored at the Awards Ceremony and Student Symposium. This symposium Rutgers University gives undergraduate students the oppor- each received a certificate and a mone- Stony Brook University tary award. The Biophysical Society tunity to participate in Annual Meeting The Ohio State University extends congratulations to the winners activities within a group of their peers of the 2006 Student Research Awards and advisors in a more intimate setting. Texas A&M University competition listed below: This year's Undergraduate University of Albany — Structural & Symposium opened with two Emerging Cell Biology Graduate Program Biological Fluorescence Subgroup Topics in Biophysics. Stephen Harvey, University of California, Davis Lai Hock Tay, Johns Hopkins from the Georgia Institute of University of California, San Diego University Technology, presented Molecular University of Florida Rosemary Turingan, University of Modeling: Fantasy or Reality, and Massachusetts Suzanne Scarlata, from Stony Brook University of Kentucky University, presented Transmitting University of Massachusetts, Amherst Signals from the Outside of the Cell to the University of Leiden 12 MARCH/APRIL 2006 NEWSLETTER
FEBRUARY 19-22, 2006 SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH Advice on Writing a for Scientific Review on how he plans to Public Affairs streamline the peer review process at NIH First NIH Grant by improving communication through- Committee out the process, shortening the review Reorganizes A panel of senior staff from the National cycle, improving the assessment of inno- Institutes of Health (NIH) conducted a vative, high-risk, high-reward research, The Public Affairs Committee held its grant writing workshop for early career and attracting high-quality reviewers. annual face-to-face meeting during the investigators. Through Society's Annual Meeting in Salt Lake a mock study section, City, Utah. Given the Society's with- the panel demonstrated “Applications at NIH have gone up over drawal from FASEB, the Committee reor- how grant proposals are fifty percent in six years, increasing the ganized itself to ensure effectiveness on rated, pinpointing the issues of importance to the Society mem- major pitfalls to which burden on reviewers and straining bership. Three subcommittees have now first-time applicants the system.” been formed: the Bridging the Sciences often succumb. The Coalition Subcommittee, the Federal mock review of three Funding Agencies Subcommittee, and the grant proposals also provided the audi- Scarpa pointed out that applications at Education and Outreach Subcommittee. ence with an understanding of how to NIH have gone up over fifty percent in six Each subcommittee will handle day-to- prepare a proposal that anticipates and years, increasing the burden on reviewers day activities in the areas for which they addresses what the reviewers will look and straining the system. By using elec- are responsible. Monthly conference calls for when they read it. Over 200 people tronic reviews and convening study sec- of the full Committee will ensure coordi- attended the session, which called for tions via video and telephone, the Center nation of activities and strategic imple- audience participation in the review for Scientific Review could cut review mentation of resources. process. The presentation is available costs as well as make it easier for reviewers online at www.biophysics.org. The to participate. Scarpa's PowerPoint Public Affairs panelists were: presentation is available online www.bio- Ravi Basavappa, Program Director, physics.org/peer-review.htm. Federal Budget: NIH Outlook Division of Cell Biology and Biophysics Panelist Ken Dill, Co-chair of the Bleak; NSF and DOE May See (CBB), NIGMS Society's Public Affairs Committee, pro- Increases Jean Chin, Program Director, CBB, vided background on the Society's NIGMS Bridging the Sciences Coalition and the President Bush has requested level Coalition's thoughts on the funding of funding for the National Institutes of Charles Edmonds, Program Director, high-risk/high-reward research as well as Health (NIH) in 2007, and has provid- CBB NIGMS research at the interface of the life and ed increases to both the National Catherine Lewis, Acting Division physical, mathematical, and computa- Science Foundation (NSF) and the Director, Biophysics Branch Chief, tional sciences. The Coalition believes Department of Energy's (DOE) Office NIGMS that funding this type of research of Science. Under the Administration's Donald L. Schneider, Division requires an interdisciplinary review budget request, NIH would receive Director, Division of Molecular and panel, the availability of grants of vary- $28.6 billion in FY 2007. Within that Cellular Mechanisms, Center for amount, funding for Scientific Review bioterrorism counter meas- “The Biophysical Society has endorsed ures research, pandemic flu Peer Review at the a 5% increase for NIH for 2007, research, and the Roadmap which is consistent with the increase for for Medical Research NIH: Continuity and which the AdHoc Group for Medical would increase, while all Change Research is calling.” other funding within NIH would be cut The A standing room only crowd attended the Biophysical Society has Peer Review at NIH session on Tuesday, ing amounts and durations, and endorsed a 5% increase for NIH for February 21. The audience had the a shorter application. Ken Dill's 2007, which is consistent with the opportunity to hear directly from presentation is also available at (Continued on page 14.) Director Toni Scarpa of the NIH Center www.biophysics.org.innovations.pdf 13 Biophysical Society
50TH ANNUAL MEETING SUMMARY increase for which the AdHoc Group for New Buzzword in Congress: agenda, entitled "The Innovation Medical Research is calling. The AdHoc Competitiveness and Competitiveness Act," at the begin- group is a broadbased coalition of scientif- On the heels of National Academies' ning of March. Participants included ic societies and disease advocacy groups report, Rising above the Gathering Storm: House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-IL), that collectively advocate for NIH fund- Energizing and Employing America for a Majority Leader John Boehner (R- ing. The 5% is above inflation, but rec- Brighter Economic Future, and the Council OH),Majority Whip Roy Blunt (R- ognizes the current tough fiscal climat. on Competitiveness report, Innovate MO) and House High Tech Working On a positive note, funding for NSF America, Innovation and Competition Group Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R- would increase 7.9% and funding for have become buzzwords on Capitol Hill. VA). The plan is much like competitive- the DOE's Office of Science would ness legislation introduced in the Senate increase 14.1%. NSF estimates that the and called for by the National increase would result in 570 additional Academies report, with the addition of a grants being awarded next year. These provision calling for increased use of increases are part of the President's information technology to manage American Competitiveness Initiative, health. Chairman Boehlert (R-NY) of and represent a significant departure the House Science Committee attended from the cuts the President has proposed the briefing announcing the Innovation for these agencies over the past few years. and Competitiveness Act. He endorsed The Biophysical Society has endorsed the legislation while also calling for sup- both of these increases through The port for President Bush's American Coalition for National Science Funding Congressmen on both sides of the aisle Competitiveness Initiative (ACI), which and the Energy Sciences Coalition. and in both chambers have introduced calls for increased federal investment in The President submitted his 2007 legislation based on these reports. physical science research. Boehlert has request to Congress at the beginning of In the Senate, Senator Lieberman indicated that he will introduce legisla- February. Throughout February, (D-CT) has a bill entitled the "National tion based on the ACI this spring. The Congressional budget committees held Innovation Act," while Senators House Democrats unveiled their innova- hearings that provided agency officials Domenici (R-NM), Bingaman (D- tion nearly five months ago, and with the opportunity to discuss specific NM), Alexander (R-TN), and Mikulski Ranking Science Committee Member program budgets in detail. These hear- D-MD) have introduced a series of bills Bart Gordon (D-TX) introduced legisla- ings will continue through March. By entitled "Protecting America's tion on this topic in December. the end of March, the House and Senate Competitive Edge Acts" ("PACE"). The The sponsors of legislation on both plan to vote on the FY 2007 budget res- Lieberman bill is based on the Council sides of the aisle plan to use the momen- olution. The budget resolution is a self- on Competitiveness Report while the tum in the competitiveness area to push imposed cap that Congress passes prior PACE legislation is based on the their bills through this spring and sum- to the appropriations process each year. National Academies Report. The details mer. While the sponsors are very opti- The resolution numbers, as they cur- vary slightly, but both pieces of legisla- mistic they can have legislation passed rently are, would severely limit the tion call for increased investment in the this year, the legislative session for appropriations committee's ability to basic physical sciences, including a dou- Congress is very short because it is an increase funding for programs. On bling of the NSF budget, increased election year. The House and Senate March 14, Senators Specter and Harkin investments in mathematics and science plan to recess in October to allow mem- introduced an amendment to increase education, and a permanent research bers to return home to campaign, and the funding in the budget resolution for and development tax credit. The several week-long recesses are scheduled health and education programs by $7 Lieberman bill focuses primarily on throughout the spring and summer for billion. The amendment passed with NSF, while the PACE Acts focus the same purpose. Thus, the sponsors strong support 73-27. In order for the primarily on the Department of Energy. will find themselves in a race against the money to be available, a similar amend- The sponsors of both bills have indicat- clock to finish legislation. ment must also pass the House. As of ed they will work together and would While the legislation being consid- press time, the amendment had failed in like to merge the bills at some point. ered is broader, it does include one of the the House Budget Committee and had On the House side, the Republicans goals of the Bridging the Sciences yet to be considered on the Floor. introduced their competitiveness Coalition: increased investment in
14 MARCH/APRIL 2006 NEWSLETTER
FEBRUARY 19-22, 2006 SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH high-risk, high-reward research. The New NIH Grant Program for try to increase spending from approxi- Coalition did speak with the National Young Investigators mately $26 billion in 2004 to $110 bil- Academies group that worked on the lion in 2020. Specific target areas Gathering Storm report and were In January, the National Institutes of include protein sciences and nanotech- pleased to see some of their thoughts in Health (NIH) introduced a new career nology. the final report. The Coalition is now transition award entitled the "NIH FDA: The FDA announced on March 9 working with the bill sponsors to Pathway to Independence Award." The that President Bush plans to nominate K99/R00 grant award mechanism is include the funding of research at the National Cancer Institute Director designed to provide promising scientists Andrew von Eschenbach to be FDA interface of the life and physical, mathe- with both mentored and independent commissioner. Von Eschenbach has matical, and computational sciences in research support from the same award. been serving as the acting commissioner these bills. The new award responds to the major rec- of the FDA since September 2005. BPS Applauds President ommendations of a National Academies The nomination requires Senate of Sciences (NAS) report issued in 2005 confirmation. for the American entitled, "Bridges to Independence." The NIGMS: Health and Human Services Competitiveness Initiative NAS report called for new ways to mentor Secretary Michael Leavitt has appointed In a statement released by the American and support early career scientific investi- two new members to the National Chemical Society, the Biophysical Society gators from their post-doctoral studies to Advisory General Medical Sciences endorsed President Bush's American running their own research programs. Council. The new members are Edwin Competitiveness Initiative. The state- In a January 27 press release, Elias S. Flores, Ph.D., Esq, a managing part- ment was released the same day the Zerhouni stated that, "encouraging inde- ner at Chalker Flores, LLP, and Paula E. President released his 2007 budget request pendent inquiry by promising new Stephan, Ph.D., a professor of economics to Congress. investigators is a major goal for NIH. and senior associate at Georgia State "The ACI represents a crucial We must invest in the future of our new University - Andrew Young School of advance for the nation's scientific and scientists today if we expect to meet the Policy Studies. technological engines of innovation, and nation's health challenges of tomorrow." The Council, which meets three for educating our next-generation of NIH will issue between 150 and 200 times a year, performs the second level of innovators," wrote Biophysical Society awards for this program in its initial peer review for research and research President Steven M. Block. "We applaud year, beginning in the fall of 2006. The training grant applications assigned to the President's recognition of our need award will work as follows: The initial 1- NIGMS. The Council also offers advice to remain competitive on a global scale. 2 year mentored phase will allow investi- and recommendations on policy and U.S. high-risk research has been at high gators to complete their supervised program development, program imple- risk itself in recent years; this action is research work, publish results, and mentation, and evaluation regarding the overdue." The statement can be read in search for an independent research posi- Institute. its entirety at tion. The second, independent phase Bridging the Sciences Coalition: The http://acswebcontent.acs.org/PDF/budgetresponse06.pdf during years 3-5 will allow awardees who Coalition sponsored a session devoted to secure an assistant professorship, or Bridging in the context of Innovation BPS Joins Effort to equivalent position, to establish their and Competitiveness at the March 2006 Understand Public Opinion own research program. The award is Pittsburgh Conference on Analytical on Evolution open to any researcher working at a U.S. Chemistry and Applied Spectroscopy institution, regardless of citizenship. For The Biophysical Society Executive Board, (Pittcon) in Orlando, Florida. The more information about the NIH at the recommendation of the Public panel included John Porter, Ken Dill, Pathway to Independence Program visit: Art Ellis, the head of Chemistry at the Affairs Committee, is participating in a http://grants.nih.gov/grants/ National Science Foundation, Belinda multi-society effort to learn more about new_investigators/index.htm. public opinion regarding the teaching of Seto, Deputy Director of the National evolution and Intelligent Design in public Round Up Institute of Biomedical Imaging and school classrooms. The Societies are work- China: Similar to the innovation push Bioengineering at NIH, and Mike ing closely with The National Academies in the United States, China has released Lubell, the public affairs director of the of Science on the initiative. a 15-year plan to become a leader in American Physical Society. The Pittcon innovation. The plan calls for the coun- meeting attracts over 25,000 attendees.
15 Biophysical Society
Biophysical Journal Editor-in-Chief Call for Nominations
Nominations must be received by August 1, 2006
The Biophysical Society's Publications Committee is soliciting nominations for the Editor-in-Chief position of the Biophysical Journal. The term is for five years, beginning July 2007. This position is extremely important for the future of the Journal and of the Society. Please give it your careful considera- tion and thought.
Candidates for the position should be highly respected scientists in their own area of biophysics and must have a broad understanding of the field in gener- al. The ideal candidate must have a significant level of scientific rigor, needs to be fair, diplomatic, prompt, and organized, and should have some knowl- edge of the workings of the Journal and of the Society.
Nominations should be sent to: Chair of the Publications Committee Biophysical Society, 9650 Rockville Pike Bethesda, MD 20814 or emailed to: Rosalba Kampman at [email protected]
16 MARCH/APRIL 2006 NEWSLETTER
Profile (continued from page 3.) personal life. His wife of 40 years, Charlotte Board and Council continued to get his papers published and is a dedicated teacher. Originally a pre-med (continued from page 1.) student, she took some teaching courses, to challenge dogma that he sees as question- • Approved moving the Society’s able. He has been no less passionate and which turned out to be valuable as life unfolded. She taught and was an assistant reserves position over the next two years active in his role within the Society. As the from a 40/60 percent equities/fixed income position to a less conservative “He could be tough but was always very 50/50 position. • Approved a Society Organizational considerate....and always found time to listen Handbook as well as document retention and work with the student through problems and whistleblower protection policies. • Elected Stephen White, of the both academic and personal.” University of California, Irvine, as Chair of the Nominating Committee that will chair of the Minority Affairs Committee, principal in public schools for many years, prepare a slate of candidates for the 2007 Lentz shepherded the Herman Branson later switching to a private school, which Society elections. Summer Course in Biophysics, which is matched better her teaching philosophy and Also elected to meant to introduce minority students to the desire to help children. She is now that Committee possibility of careers in biophysics. Bernie retired and involved in local art projects. were Paul Allen, Chasan, Wilma Olson, and Lentz designed The Lentz’ adopted three children, Luke, Sharona Gordon, the course, which was held the first year at Adam and Tessa. “They are all very differ- and Steve Mayo. Hampton University and the second year ent but all reacted with similar negativity to Past-President at Boston University. Lentz has now their fathers work habits,” muses Lentz. He Steven Block will submitted a grant application to the explains that they have all made lives for serve on the MORE Division of NIH to fund the themselves that are more balanced than that Stephen White Committee ex course in future summers. Also, for nearly of an academic scientist. They have also officio as will eight years, Lentz has served on the presented Charlotte and Barry with seven David Millar, past commitee chair. Editorial Board of BJ, first as a Board wonderful grandchildren. “Being a • Approved formation of a new sub- Member, and now as Associate Editor for grandfather is the pinnacle of existence!” group, Instrinsically Disordered Proteins, the Cell Biophysics section. proclaims Lentz. chaired in its first year by Keith Dunker, During his term as Socity President, In his spare time, Lentz loves exercise of Indiana University. Lentz would like to re-examine how well and the outdoors. He rides his bike to work • Approved the scientific program the Society’s current activities work towards every day, plays pick-up soccer matches on for the 2007 Annual Meeting. weekend mornings, and loves to kayak year achieving the mission stated 50 years ago • Approved the slate of candidates for round. He coached his children in soccer when the Society was founded. “When I the 2006 Society elections. That 2006 came in,” he explains, “I promised to work for 17 years and ultimately took it up him- th Nominating Committee was chaired by to make the Society feel like a small society self on his 40 birthday. “It’s a whole lot David Millar, of Scripps Research even as we continue to grow.” To accom- cheaper then going to a psychiatrist,” he Institute. Members of the Committee plish this, he plans to lead a discussion with- says. “You get all your frustrations out.” were Suzanne Scarlata, Stephen Harvey, in the Executive Board and Council to Barry feels his science is most fun when Taekjip Ha, Linda Kenney, and R. John address several ways in which the Society it is shared with others. As his Presidency Solaro. works towards this mission, including con- begins, his goal is to help Society sidering how subgroups might take a greater members feel more connected through their role in the life of the Society. Lentz was science. This challenge keeps him going. encouraged by the enthusiasm and ideas Whether he is acting as the President, offered at the subgroup chairs meeting in Associate Editor, researcher, teacher, family Salt Lake City, and looks forward to contin- man, or soccer player he never forgets why uing this discussion. he is doing this: his passion for science and Science may be Lentz’ professional pas- the life around him. sion, but his family takes center stage in his
17 Biophysical Society
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The Society Newsletter is distributed to all Biophysical Society members, and is sure to reach the candidates you are looking for. Our membership has reached nearly 8,000...so your adver- tisement in the Newsletter will reach scientists from across the United States, and 45 countries, representing the many related fields encompassed in biophysics. You are certain to find high- 6WDWHRIWKHDUW D[LV QDQRPDQLSXODWRU V\VWHP ly qualified and interested job seekers. ZKRVH FRPELQDWLRQ RI H[WUHPHO\ KLJK UHVROXWLRQ QP ORQJ WHUP VWDELOLW\ GULIW OHVV WKDQ Want to broaden your advertising campaign and reach QPKRXU # & DQG ORQJ WUDYHO PP LV even more candidates? Advertise in the Biophysical Journal XQSUHFHGHQWHG LQ WKH ILHOG $W WKH KHDUW RI WKH AND Newsletter... GHVLJQLVDQDGYDQFHGSLH]RHOHFWULFURWDU\PRWRU LQWHJUDWHG ZLWK D GLJLWDO VLJQDO SURFHVVRU '63 Advertise in the Biophysical Journal and the Newsletter to reach SURJUDPPDEOHMR\VWLFNFRQWUROOHU7KHGHVLJQRIWKH even more candidates. You will reach the best and the brightest 10' PDNHV LW LGHDO IRU D YDULHW\ RI ELRPHGLFDO in the scientific community when you take advantage of the SDWFKFODPS VWXGLHV PLFUR LQMHFWLRQ PLFURHOHF advertising opportunities the Society has to offer. WURQLFDQGRSWLFDODSSOLFDWLRQV $9'&SRZHU DGDSWHU LV LQFOXGHG 2SWLRQDO UHFKDUJDEOH EDWWHU\ Questions regarding advertising? SDFNLVDOVRDYDLODEOH Contact Melissa Pewett, Advertising & Exhibits Coordinator &OR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT $4) at (301) 634-7325 or [email protected]. For more WWW$4) .ANO4ECHCOM information regarding classified advertising, the Biophysical 4EL 3!,% $4) Society Newsletter and the Biophysical Journal visit 3ARASOTA &, 53! www.biophysics.org.
THE GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY ASSISTANT PROFESSOR POSITIONS IN BIOPHYSICS The Physics Department at the George Washington University invites applications for two Research Assistant Professor positions: one in theoretical biophysics and one in experimental biophysics, starting on or after August 2006. Applicants should hold a Ph.D. in the physical sciences and have one or more years of postdoctoral experience with an outstanding record of research accomplishment. The successful candidate will be expected to conduct a vigorous research program with a focus on probing cellular interactions with nanoscale physics. The successful candidate will teach at the graduate or undergraduate level and will be offered the opportunity to develop crossdisciplinary curriculum with a team of physics, biology, and computer science faculty. Areas of particular interest include but are not limited to: for the experimental position: protein interactions, proteomics, and complex systems studied by nuclear magnetic resonance, microfluidics, nanoscale self-assembly, nanoscale sensors; for the theoretical position: systems biology in the areas of biological clocks and metabolic networks, molecular dynamics and Monte Carlo simulation of structure and dynamics at the molecular level, as well as appropriate theoretical and computational approaches complementary to experimental efforts. Successful candidates will be part of a new effort to add nanoscience capabilities to an existing interdisciplinary group that spans the field of materials science, biology, chemistry, computer science, and statistics. Applicants should forward a current curriculum vitae, a statement of teaching interests, a research plan, and should arrange to have three letters of recommendation sent to: Prof. Mark E. Reeves (Email: [email protected]), Chair, ARP Search Committee, Department of Physics, The George Washington University, Washington, DC. 20052 (FAX: 202-994- 3001; web:www.gwu.edu/~physics/phys-res.htm). Review of applications will begin on May 5, 2006 and continue until the position is filled. The George Washington University is an equal-opportunity, affirmative-action employer. MARCH/APRIL 2006 NEWSLETTER
DISCUSSIONS / OCTOBER 19-22 / ASILOMAR, CALIFORNIA
Thursday Evening - October 19th Kinesins. Opening remarks. Ron Milligan, Scripps Research Foundation. Helicase Directional Movement. Sharyn Endow, Duke University. Taekjip Ha, University of Illinois. Overview: Major Unresolved Questions for Bacteria & Polymerization Motors. all Motor Families. Daniel Fletcher, University of California, Berkeley. Yale Goldman, University of Pennsylvania. Poster Session II Review Friday Morning - October 20th Margaret Titus, University of Minnesota. Session I. Motor Walking (and Limping) Mechanisms, including Mechanisms of Processivity. Saturday Evening - October 21st Robert Cross, Marie Curie Research Institute, Chair Session IV. Mechanisms of Motor Regulation Richard Vallee, Columbia University, Chair Myosins. James Spudich, Stanford University. Motor Regulation: Post-translational Modification, Ca++ & Folding. Kinesins. Kathleen Trybus, University of Vermont. Steven Block, Stanford University. Motor-Cargo Regulation. Dyneins. Nobutaka Hirokawa, University of Tokyo, Japan. Hideo Higuchi, Tohoku University, Japan. Motor-driven Transport Regulation by Ribosomes & Other Macromolecular Complexes. Interacting Proteins . Koen Visscher, University of Arizona. Steven Gross, University of California, Irvine. Poster Session I Review Filament Dynamics & Motor-Filament Interactions. Sarah Rice, Northwestern University David Odde, University of Minnesota. Friday Evening - October 20th Sunday Morning - October 22th Session II. Force Generating Mechanisms and Session V. Motors in the Cell. Mechanochemical Transduction. Ron Vale, University of California, San Francisco, Chair Claudia Veigel, National Institute for Medical Research, MRC, UK, Chair Force Generation by Myosins during Morphogenesis. Dan Kiehart, Duke University. Myosins. Justin Molloy, National Institute for Medical Research, Force Generation by Motors in the Mitotic Spindle. MRC, UK. Tarun Kapoor, Rockefeller University Kinesins. Summary: What We Have Learned and Where are We F. Jon Kull, Dartmouth College. Going? Jonathan Howard, Max Planck Institute, Dresden, Ion Channels. Germany. Paul Selvin, University of Illinois. Closing remarks. Rotary Motors. Steven Rosenfeld, Columbia University. Hiroyuki Noji, University of Tokyo, Japan. Invited Discussants: Saturday Morning - October 21st Kenneth Holmes, Max Planck Institute, Heidelberg, Session III. Determinants of Motor Directionality H. Germany. Lee Sweeney, University of Pennsylvania, Chair Toshio Yanagida, Osaka University, Japan. Myosins. Anne Houdusse, Institute Curie, France.
19 Biophysical Society MARCH/APRIL 2006 NEWSLETTER
Upcoming Events* June 24-29, 2006 May 12-16, 2006 31st FEBS Congress, Molecules in Health and Disease Immunology 2006: The Annual Meeting of AAI Istanbul, Turkey Boston, Massachusetts www.febs2006.org www.aai.org June 26th-28th, 2006 May 22-25, 2006 4th Annual Ion Channel Retreat Carolina Workshop on Force Measurement and Manipulation Vancouver, BC in Biological Microscopy www.aurorabiomed.com Chapel Hill, NC www.cs.unc.edu/Research/nano/cismm/ForcesWorkshop.htm September 17-21, 2006 18th National Congress of the Italian Society for Pure May 31 - June 4, 2006 & Applied Biophysics (SIBPA) CSBMCB International Meeting on Membrane Proteins Palermo, Italy in Health and Disease http://sibpa.itc.it Ontario, Canada November 5-8, 2006 www.csbmcb.ca/e_index.html 4th International Congress of Electron Tomography San Diego, California June 18-22, 2006 http://4icet.org
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