October 2018 Asbmb Today 1 Editor’S Note
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CONTENTS NEWS FEATURES PERSPECTIVES 2 24 48 EDITOR’S NOTE MEET MONA NEMER, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT Look back and listen CANADA’S TOP SCIENCE ADVISER Policy is your BFF 3 32 50 NEWS FROM THE HILL THE PHOTOSYNTHESIS FIX AFRICAN-AMERICAN MEN Weigh in on initiatives across the NIH IN THE MOLECULAR BIOSCIENCES 41 Managing underrepresentation 4 ANNUAL MEETING MEMBER UPDATE 41 Scientific session snapshots 48 44 Abstract advice 7 46 Abstract topics NEWS 7 Chapter leader finds his niche 24 8 Shadow gene gives otters, manatees susceptibility to banned bug-killer 10 2018 honor society inductees 11 50 LIPID NEWS Studying protein–lipid interactions 12 JOURNAL NEWS 32 12 Scientists sweep cellular neighborhoods where Zika hides out 13 Spectroscopic studies scrutinize links between liver disease and mitochondria 15 Scientists fill in a piece of the copper transport puzzle 16 What bacteria can teach us about combating atrazine contamination 18 Award winners pen essays for JBC 20 From the journals 8 41 OCTOBER 2018 ASBMB TODAY 1 EDITOR’S NOTE THE MEMBER MAGAZINE OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY Look back and listen By Comfort Dorn OFFICERS COUNCIL MEMBERS Gerald Hart Squire J. Booker President Victoria J. DeRose Wayne Fairbrother n general, and My involvement in Jennifer DuBois Rachel Green especially in this this work was minimal. Secretary Blake Hill space, I like to look Early in the process, Toni M. Antalis Susan Marqusee I Treasurer Celia A. Shiffer ahead. That’s my job. when Allison told us Takita Felder Sumter This week (about two she wanted to make an JoAnn Trejo EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS weeks before you are audio article, I dubbed David Bernlohr ASBMB TODAY EDITORIAL reading these words), it an “audicle” and Hao Wu I am making assign- won a few laughs. They Co-chairs, 2019 Annual ADVISORY BOARD Meeting Program Rajini Rao ments for articles to invited me into the Committee Chair run in April and editing not-quite-soundproof Cheryl Bailey Floyd “Ski” Chilton essays for January. We’re storage room to tape Henrik Dohlman Chair, Education and deciding on feature an introduction. Then Professional Development Peter J. Kennelly Committee Beronda Montgomery stories for the spring they asked me to tape it A. Maureen Rouhi Daniel Raben and pondering what to include in the again. Then two more times. (I have Melissa Vaught Chair, Meetings Committee 2019 careers issue (scheduled for next new respect for audio journalists.) Binks W. Wattenberg Sonia Flores August). It’s the nature of the beast. We’re all pretty busy around here, Chair, Minority Affairs ASBMB TODAY And of course, I’m all about print so I didn’t listen to the piece until Committee Angela Hopp journalism, one of the breed that used it was almost finished. And I was Susannna Greer Executive Editor, to be called ink-stained wretches. completely blown away. Even though Chair, Public Outreach [email protected] Committee Comfort Dorn I like to read stories, preferably on I had read Laurel’s story more times Matthew S. Gentry Managing Editor, paper, interspersed with compel- than I could count, hearing the voices Chair, Public Affairs [email protected] ling photos and images. Though I’ve of the women she interviewed — the Advisory Committee John Arnst adapted myself to screen reading, I’d anger and resolve and courage — gave Amnon Kohen Science Writer, [email protected] rather turn pages than scroll. it new depths of meaning. Chair, Publications Committee Laurel Oldach But we all need to jump out of I can’t explain it. I can only recom- Science Writter character once in a while, so I’m mend it. Lila M. Gierasch [email protected] Editor-in-chief, JBC Valery Masterson going to use this space to urge you to The audio story was posted late A. L. Burlingame Designer, go back to the September issue of this (we’re new at this), and we didn’t tout Editor, MCP [email protected] magazine, specifically to the online it in the September print edition. I’m Ed Marklin Edward A. Dennis version of Laurel Oldach’s powerful making up for that now. Web Editor, Editor-in-chief, JLR [email protected] article on sexual harassment in sci- Take my word for it: It’s totally William L. Smith Allison Frick ence and the women who are working worth your time. Editor-in-chief, JLR Media Specialist, to stop it. And though I want you to [email protected] Barbara Gordon read every well-turned phrase, what Comfort Dorn Executive Director, I’m really juiced about is the audio ([email protected]) is managing [email protected] story that Laurel and our multimedia editor of ASBMB Today. Follow her whiz Allison Frick put together to go on Twitter @cdorn56. For information on advertising, contact Pharmaceutical with the written words. Media Inc. at 212-904-0374 or [email protected]. Corrections In the September issue, the article “Not one more generation: Women www.asbmb.org/asbmbtoday in science take on sexual harassment” incorrectly stated the American Geo- PRINT ISSN 2372-0409 physical Union’s chief executive officer’s name. She is Chris McEntee. Articles published in ASBMB Today reflect solely the authors’ views and not In the June/July issue, the list of 2018 ASBMB Honor Society members the official positions of the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology or the institutions with which the authors are affiliated. Mentions of was incomplete. We republish the complete list on page 10 of this issue. products or services are not endorsements. 2 ASBMB TODAY OCTOBER 2018 NEWS FROM THE HILL Weigh in on initiatives across the NIH By Benjamin Corb he Public Affairs Advisory Com- ily accessible will help scientists and In a recent email, the PAAC asked mittee represents the members scientific societies provide effective ASBMB members for comments on T of the American Society for and meaningful recommendations to how the NIH can support early-stage Biochemistry and Molecular Biology improve the biomedical enterprise. and at-risk investigators. The PAAC not only before elected officials but One final thought on this topic: has published several documents on also at funding agencies to ensure The blogs of several NIH leaders strategies to support young research- the creation of sound policies that sometimes offer deep issue analyses ers. Because we want our members’ support their research. We do our job and provide information on the voices to be heard, we have created best when ASBMB members share NIH’s research portfolio that is not an online tool for you to review these their concerns and ideas with us. publicly available. Deputy Direc- recommendations and share your Here are some issues we’re moni- tor for Extramural Research Mike opinions. toring. Please consider weighing in. Lauer publishes his Open Mike blog, and National Institute for General Increasing data Medical Sciences Director Jon Lorsch Diversity of NIH councils publishes the NIH Feedback Loop. The public affairs staff is analyzing transparency While these blogs include graphs to the makeup of the federal advisory illustrate data and trends accompa- The ASBMB PAAC develops councils within the NIH, the groups nied by useful insight and analyses, policy statements and recommenda- of scientists who provide guidance to the raw data behind these figures are tions. It also responds to requests for leaders shaping internal NIH policies. sometimes inaccessible. comments from funding agencies. Each institute has an advisory coun- The PAAC supports its arguments cil, and several additional advisory using data that are either publicly Supporting the next councils advise the NIH director. available or provided by the agency We are reviewing gender, race and after the PAAC submits a Freedom of generation of researchers ethnicity, geography, career stage, and Information Act request. The PAAC has provided prelimi- other variables. We believe diversity Unfortunately, agency calls for nary comments to the NIH working must be considered when filling comment sometimes have short group that is crafting policy recom- vacancies on NIH councils. Councils submission windows, and materials mendations to support the future should include a variety of perspec- requested by the PAAC under the biomedical research workforce. tives and professional experiences to FOIA don’t always arrive in time Mandated by the U.S. Congress in advocate for policies that will support for the committee to use them as the 21st Century Cures Act, the Next all of the research enterprise. intended. The PAAC is working with Generation Researchers Initiative will Our analysis is in the early stages, the National Institutes of Health to provide NIH institutes with strate- and we look forward to sharing our make more agency data relating to gies to better support early-stage and results with you later this year. grants publically available. at-risk investigators. The policies that Want to know more about these We often use the NIH’s Research come out of this effort are likely to efforts, or have a topic you’d like us Portfolio Online Reporting Tool, have an influence on grant funding to address? Email us at publicaffairs@ called both RePORTer and RePORT, at all career stages and may result in asbmb.org. depending on who you talk to. changes to the research enterprise that While RePORT contains lots of are long overdue, including chang- Benjamin Corb data, some are not easy to suss out, ing the definition of “early-stage ([email protected]) is director of particularly when we are trying to investigator” and enacting policies public affairs at the ASBMB. analyze historical and demographic that are aimed at supporting at-risk Follow him on Twitter @bwcorb. information. Making data more eas- investigators.