Vol. 14 / No. 5 / May 2015

THE MEMBER MAGAZINE OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY CONTENTS

NEWS FEATURES PERSPECTIVES

2 16 25 PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE A LAB WITH A VIEW GENERATIONS Two kinds of grants? 25 A small STEP toward peace 20 27 Changing the next generation 6 ANALYZE THIS: LIFE AS A SPORTS 28 A majestic model NEWS FROM THE HILL JOURNALIST IN THE 21ST CENTURY Efforts to sustain the research enterprise 30 23 OUTREACH 7 A CURIOUS MIND Brewing an interest in science MEMBER UPDATE 12 32 8 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT JOURNAL NEWS Advice for new graduates 8 MCP: Researchers identify proteins hijacked by respiratory syncytial virus 34 Binding together 9 JBC: Microglia: the sentinels EDUCATION of the central nervous system 23 34 Meeting the needs of a diverse membership 36 11 tips for your first undergraduate the world of biology 10 research experience NEWS 10 Escaping asthma’s chokehold 30 11 Philanthropies partner to support • Peer review by two leading scientists early-career faculty members 12 Special symposium: membrane-anchored selected from our panel of over 700 serine proteases experts in their fields 14 LIPID NEWS • Average time to first decision is 21 days The many faces of lipins 8 • Articles are published on the day of acceptance as open-access Papers in Press 16 25 Biochemist Peggy A. Whitson is gearing up for her next six-month tour aboard the International Space Station. Image courtesy of SUBMIT YOUR NEXT ARTICLE TO JBC NASA

www.jbc.org WWW.ASBMB.ORG MAY 2015 ASBMB TODAY 1 PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

THE MEMBER MAGAZINE OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY Two kinds of grants? By Steven McKnight OFFICERS COUNCIL MEMBERS Steven McKnight Natalie Ahn President Squire J. Booker Jeremy M. Berg Karen G. Fleming ast month I speculated that in these data — even if those conclusions Past President Gregory Gatto Jr. its review of grant applications, are relevant for only my colleagues Daniel Leahy Karen Allen Anjana Rao L the National Institutes of Health here in Texas. Secretary Jared Rutter may apply heavy focus to the feasibil- First, approach is the 800-pound Toni Antalis Brenda Schulman ity of the science. In an attempt to gorilla dictating whether a grant appli- Treasurer Michael Summers assess this speculation more carefully, cation is to achieve a fundable score. EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS ASBMB TODAY EDITORIAL I asked if the Center for Scientific Second, significance and innovation Dorothy Beckett ADVISORY BOARD Review might share with me data col- contribute to overall impact score Mary Roberts Charles Brenner lected over the past year on R01 grant with a positive correlative influence. Co-chairs, 2015 Annual Chair Meeting Program Michael Bradley applications. Regrettably, the CSR was Third, neither the environment score Committee Floyd “Ski” Chilton unwilling to share these data. nor the investigator score appears to Peter J. Kennelly Cristy Gelling Short of access to the requested contribute significantly to the overall Chair, Education and Peter J. Kennelly Professional Development Rajini Rao CSR data, I solicited the input of impact score. Committee Yolanda Sanchez biomedical researchers working at my I was not surprised in seeing Shiladitya Sengupta Daniel Raben home institution, the University of the strongest correlation between Carol Shoulders Chair, Meetings Committee Texas Southwestern Medical Center approach and overall impact score. Takita Felder Sumter ASBMB TODAY at Dallas. My request was in the form Indeed, in 2009 Jeremy Berg, then Chair, Minority Affairs Committee Angela Hopp of a simple e-mail seeking scoring director of the National Institute of Editor, [email protected] research proposals wherein the exact I consider a detriment to our federal intellectual interaction. Dominant Thomas Baldwin information on grant applications General Medical Sciences, came to Chair, Outreach Committee Rajendrani Mukhopadhyay reviewed in 2014 (irrespective of the same conclusion with data he pre- nuts and bolts of the research plan granting system in the biomedical sci- biomedical research centers may have Sr. Science Writer, Bob Matthews [email protected] whether funded or not). I received 86 sented to the NIGMS council. Berg’s are of paramount importance. These ences. If properly organized, this class hundreds of these micro-environ- Chair, Public Affairs applications would be contract-like in of grant application/evaluation would ments; smaller institutions might have Advisory Committee Marnay Meyer responses, allowing deduction of the analysis derived from the evaluation Designer, [email protected] helping fit the desires and objectives place applicants on a level playing no more than a handful. The worst Kathleen Collins correlative relationships shown in the of 360 NIGMS grant applications, in Chair, Publications Lauri Pantos figure. which he found a correlation coeffi- of the different research missions of field. Simply put, the value of “club microcosm of a superlative biomedical Committee Manager of Publications the NIH’s institutes and centers. If membership” would be mitigated. Technology, [email protected] Recall that the NIH uses five cient of r = .74 between approach and research center might well be inferior Martha J. Fedor criteria in the review of most grant overall impact score. they are sound and highly likely to A fundamentally different class of to micro-environments found in less- Editor-in-chief, JBC Ciarán Finn Web Publication Assistant, applications: significance, investigator, What did surprise me from my work, they should be funded. I will grants would be of the IE category famed institutions. Herbert Tabor [email protected] Co-editor, JBC innovation, approach and environ- more limited and recent data was the call these ASI grants (for approach, (short for investigator and environ- Finally, I close with the question Karen Schools Colson significance and innovation) and ment). These grant applications of how it might work to score the A. L. Burlingame Director of Publications, ment. The most substantive cor- near absence of correlation between Editor, MCP [email protected] relative relationship with an applica- the environment and investigator emphasize two things. First, ASI would be judged on the track record promise of scientists, young and old, Edward A. Dennis Barbara Gordon tion’s “overall impact score” was the scores and overall impact score. grants would be similar to most of the applying scientists rather than in grant programs that would be, Joseph L. Witztum Executive Director, grants currently funded by the NIH on the details of his or her proposal. essentially, betting on the jockey. First Co-editors, JLR [email protected] approach criterion (r = .86). Less These data stand as evidence that striking but important correlations the NIH is fundamentally different (approach-dominated). Second, the Encouragingly, the NIGMS is now and foremost, analysis of past perfor- were seen for the significance (r = .65) from the Howard Hughes Medical product of this research should be of piloting its Maximizing Investiga- mance should be strictly limited to the For information on advertising, contact Pharmaceutical and innovation (r = .54) criteria. Little Institute in weighing criteria that critical importance to the various mis- tors’ Research Award program — a five-year period preceding submission Media Inc. at 212-904-0374 or [email protected]. or no correlation with overall impact dictate funding decisions. The NIH sions of the NIH divisions. program designed along the lines of of the grant application. The long-past score was seen for the environment wants the research plan to be sound The track ecordr of the scientist the IE category of applications recom- accomplishments of an established (r = .37) or investigator (r = 0.36) but is largely unconcerned by the and the quality of his or her environ- mended herein (1). scientist should bear no weight on this ment should mean little to the review- Personally, I would recommend www.asbmb.org/asbmbtoday criteria. qualifications of the scientist. The analysis. ers of these sorts of applications, offer- no more than minor attention to the PRINT ISSN 2372-0409 Admittedly, the 86 UTSWMC HHMI bets its money on the scientist With respect to young scientists, it investigators included in these analy- instead of the details of his or her ing an unappreciated opportunity. environment criterion for IE grants. is universally the case that grant appli- Articles published in ASBMB Today reflect solely the authors’ views and not the official positions of ses represent but a small sampling of research plan. I suggest that these applications be I say this for the simple reason that cants have had ample opportunities the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular reviewed with the applicants’ identi- environment is difficult to measure. Biology or the institutions with which the authors the thousands of researchers whose In thinking about the data in the to demonstrate their capabilities and are affiliated. Mentions of products or services are grant applications were reviewed by figure, I offer that it might be best to ties and institutions redacted. This The most dominant influence of to amass notable accomplishments. not endorsements. the CSR in 2014. Still, I believe cer- split NIH grant applications into two proposed anonymity offers a means of environment is the small micro- CONTINUED ON PAGE 4 ©2015 ASBMB tain conclusions can be drawn from categories. One category would be for combating the clublike behavior that cosm of colleagues available for daily

2 ASBMB TODAY MAY 2015 MAY 2015 ASBMB TODAY 3 CALL FOR PROPOSALS: ASBMB 2016 Annual Meeting

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3 bodies to grade the promise of young the generation of a discovery corps of scientists than it is for the evaluation American scientists. “Straight From The Bench” Symposium For decades, my colleagues and I of established scientists: What has the Author’s note: At press time, I was in the Department of Biochemistry applicant discovered over the past five made aware of a new article in Science Organized by graduate students & postdoctoral fellows have conducted job searches for the (2). Economists Danielle Li and Leila appointment of new, freshly indepen- years? dent members of our faculty. Whereas The key question to be asked of Agha conclude that the peer-review ASBMB seeks motivated grad students and postdoctoral scholars to submit proposals and organize scientific our track record in choosing winners reviewers of IE grant applications system is effective at selecting and fund- sessions for the ASBMB 2016 Annual Meeting in San Diego. would be this: “Has the applicant ing impactful science using approach- has not been perfect, it is darned • Organizers get complimentary EB2016 meeting registration and travel allowance good. made a discovery of significance over dominated methods. The authors How do we make our choices? We the past five years?” I emphasize this contend that it is healthy for grant • Applicants must be ASBMB graduate student or associate members in contrast to any general measure of funding to be largely divorced from the look at the track records of appli- • Proposals should cover topics not represented in 2016 program cants just as reviewers should for so-called productivity. The quantity of past accomplishments or institutional papers published by a scientist may or affiliations of applicants. I see this as the proposed IE category of grant Submission Period: April 15 – May 15, 2015 www.asbmb.org/tuesdaynight2016 applications. If a young scientist made may not be indicative of that scientist a strong affirmation of the idea of ASI a significant discovery as either a having contributed a discovery of grants being reviewed without identify- graduate student or a postdoctoral fel- significance. Thinking in the most ing information on the applicants and low, that accomplishment is precisely optimistic of terms, if this proposed their home institutions. what makes us think that he or she metric of review were adhered to in will continue on a successful trajec- a strident manner, applicants for IE Steven McKnight (steven. tory. It should be no harder for review grant awards would evolve toward [email protected]) is president of the American Society for Biochemistry and REFERENCES Molecular Biology and chairman Apply for the ASBMB Distinguished 1. www.asbmb.org/asbmbtoday/201502/NIHUpdate/ of the biochemistry department at the University of Texas-Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas. 2. www.sciencemag.org/content/348/6233/434 Undergraduate Fellowship The Distinguished Undergraduate Fellowship offers funding to students who demonstrate an interest in the fields of biochemistry and molecular biology and who enhance the diversity of science.

Fellowship benefits: • $2,000 toward tuition for one academic year. Submit Your Next Paper to an ASBMB Journal! • Recipients of the ASBMB Distinguished Undergraduate Fellowship are eligible to apply for an additional fellowship in subsequent years.

Fellowship requirements: When you submit a paper to an ASBMB ASBMB journal special features: journal, you can expect: • Customized eTOC alerts To be considered you must: • Thorough, constructive reviews by scientists • Explore the Editorial Board • be a U.S. citizen, U.S. national or permanent resident. (Foreign nationals who are in the U.S. on a visa are not • Affordable publication charges (*FREE color) • Meet new Associate Editors eligible.) • Peer reviewed papers published the day of • Read Collections including: Reflections, • be enrolled or accepted for enrollment as a full-time student at an accredited two- or four- year institution located acceptance Minireviews and Thematic Series in the U.S. or U.S. territories. • have a GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0-point scale. • have faced significant educational, social, cultural or economic barriers in pursuit of education. *ASBMB has eliminated color figure fees for Regular ASBMB www.asbmb.org/publications members publishing as corresponding authors. • be committed to diversity on campus and in the scientific community as a whole. • be an ASBMB member (membership can be processed at time of application).

Application deadline: May 18 Learn more and apply: www.asbmb.org/MinorityAffairs/UndergraduateFellowship/

4 ASBMB TODAY MAY 2015 MAY 2015 ASBMB TODAY 5 NEWS FROM THE HILL MEMBER UPDATE

Efforts to sustain New Tabor young investigator award winner Biswarathan Ramani, a graduate student at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, won a Journal of Biological Chemistry/Herbert Tabor Young Investi- the research enterprise gator Award. Ramani received the award at the 8th International Conference on Unstable Microsatellites By Benjamin Corb and Chris Pickett and Human Disease earlier this year in Guanacaste, RAMANI Costa Rica. Joel Gottesfeld, an associate editor for the Journal of Biological Chemistry, conferred the award. arly in April, the National Insti- years discuss the important issue of We strongly encourage you to visit Ramani investigates the pathogenesis of the hereditary neurodegenerative disease spinocerebellar ataxia type 3, tutes of Health issued a request ensuring a prosperous future for the http://1.usa.gov/1ESgeB1 and submit or SCA3, in the laboratory of Henry Paulson. E for information titled “Opti- American research enterprise. The your thoughts on this important Born in Bangalore, India, Ramani received his bachelor’s degree in biochemistry from the University of Illinois mizing Funding Policies and Other President’s Council of Advisors on matter. at Urbana–Champaign before moving to Ann Arbor to pursue an M.D./Ph.D. through the university’s Medical Strategies to Improve the Impact and Science and Technology, the National The ASBMB’s PAAC will draw on Scientist Training Program. Sustainability of Biomedical Research.” Academies, the American Academy of its experience on research enterprise Ramani uses mouse models to study SCA3, in which the disease protein ataxin-3 is misfolded and thus Longtime readers of this column will Arts and Sciences and our friends at sustainability and submit comments aggregates in the nervous system. His project focuses on identifying factors that change ataxin-3 aggregation and recognize sustaining the biomedi- the Federation of American Societies to this request for information. This is the overall contribution of this aggregation to SCA3 pathogenesis and neurodegeneration. His work has helped cal research enterprise as a popular for Experimental Biology all issued an opportunity for the entire com- uncover a potential role for alternative splicing in this process. theme for the American Society for reports aimed at highlighting the munity to have input on the reforms “I was definitely surprised but felt deeply honored for receiving the award, considering the number of talented, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology’s variety of challenges facing researchers needed to improve how the enter- hardworking scientists at the meeting who presented beautiful work,” Ramani said. He credits his mentor and lab Public Affairs Advisory Committee. today. These challenges range from prise functions. Moving forward, the members, adding, “I’m as proud of the people who have guided me through this as much as they are of me.” We issued a whitepaper on the topic unstable budgets and a burgeoning ASBMB will begin focusing on how After completing his thesis research, Ramani hopes to continue pursuing his goal to become a physician-scien- in 2012. This whitepaper defined the workforce to burdensome regulations to identify and implement recom- tist with a focus on neurology and to continue his efforts to understand the molecular mechanisms that underlie roles of the three major stakeholders and a lack of attention to important mendations that the major stakehold- neurological diseases. of the research enterprise — academia, issues like diversity in the laboratory. ers agree on. By finally moving to an Written by Aditi Dubey industry and government — and iden- And these reports go to great length implementation stage, the ASBMB tified problems that each of the stake- to detail the variety of challenges and the entire scientific community holders needed to address to move the plaguing the community, supported develop an advocacy platform to Fierke named research focuses on the catalysis and who has conducted important enterprise to a more sustainable path. by memorable stories and credible take the steps necessary to sustain cellular regulation of post-transla- research and who has been “recom- The ASBMB’s sustainability efforts data sets. the future of American biomedical graduate dean at tional modifications, tRNA processing mended by a committee of peers, all are focused on achieving consensus It appears the NIH now is con- research. University of Michigan and metal homeostasis. Fierke will previous award recipients,” according among the stakeholders on important ducting a similar exercise, and we’re We invite you to watch this space Carol A. Fierke serve five years as a graduate dean and to the university. Hengge’s research issues like science funding, regulation happy to see it. Specifically, the and our blog (policy.asbmb.org) for has been named will also serve as vice provost for focuses on phosphoryl transfer, an and training. As such, the PAAC’s NIH is looking for the community’s updates, and, as always, we appreciate the new dean of academic affairs–graduate studies. Her important process to every living 2013 Experimental Biology sympo- ideas on possible alternative funding your feedback. the Rackham term begins Sept. 1. organism involving enzymes and sium brought together members of models or policies that can maximize Graduate School other biological components. each stakeholder group to discuss the NIH’s investments. Additionally, Benjamin Corb at the University Utah state’s Hengge However, research is not the only these very issues. The vigorous discus- the NIH hopes to receive feedback (bcorb@asbmb. FIERKE thing that interests Hengge. Before he org) is director of Michigan. wins D. Wynne Thorne sion exposed many areas of consensus detailing “new policies, strategies of public affairs Fierke is the Jerome and Isabella Karle began conducting his research, he was as well as contention. and other approaches that would at ASBMB. Chris Distinguished University professor of Career Research Award a teacher of high school chemistry and In addition to our work, more than increase the impact and sustainability Pickett ([email protected]) is a policy analyst chemistry and current chair of the Alvan C. Hengge, physics for seven years. His passion at ASBMB. a dozen reports over the past three of NIH-funded biomedical research.” department of chemistry at the head of Utah State for teaching has made him successful University of Michigan. Before University’s in mentoring his undergraduates, arriving there in 1999, she was a chemistry and master’s and Ph.D. students. Hengge’s Interested in science policy? faculty member in the biochemistry biochemistry research has garnered much recogni- department of Duke University. department, is the tion, and he has presented his research Follow our blog for news, analysis and HENGGE Fierke earned her bachelor’s of art winner of his around the world. Hengge received commentary on policy issues affecting degree in chemistry at Carleton institution’s 2015 D. Wynne Thorne his award in April at a gala that was scientists, research funding and society. College and her Ph.D. in biochemis- Career Research Award. Every year, part of the university’s Research Week. Visit policy.asbmb.org. try at Brandeis University. Fierke’s this award is given to an individual Written by Erik Maradiaga

6 ASBMB TODAY MAY 2015 MAY 2015 ASBMB TODAY 7 JOURNAL NEWS Researchers identify proteins Microglia: the sentinels hijacked by respiratory syncytial virus of the central nervous system By Vivian Tang By Mollie Rappe

Although the human respiratory We all slip and fall or bump our syncytial virus is the most common heads, and while our heads are cause of bronchiolitis and pneumonia designed to withstand light bumps in infants, neither a vaccine nor an and taps, this can cause mild dam- antiviral therapy is available. Research age to the brain tissue. Clearly, this groups worldwide are seeking possible damage requires prompt detection drug targets for the disease, which and repair. also is particularly dangerous for the Microglia, the immune cells of elderly and those with compromised the brain, constantly survey for signs immune systems. of damage or infection. Microg- One international team of research- lia actively send their long, thin, ers recently reported in the journal branched processes throughout the Molecular and Cellular Pro- brain, collectively scanning the entire teomics that it had found 24 pro- brain once every few hours, according IMAGE COURTESY OF THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION teins that may serve as drug targets, to the authors of a recent review pub- This electron micrograph depicts the Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) pathogen. given their direct interactions with lished in the Journal of Biological one of the most crucial viral proteins. Finally, they detected all interactions of anti-RSV therapies, given that Chemistry. Monika Bajorek at the Imperial Col- with fluorescence from the human knocking down the genes encoding In this review, the authors, Chris- lege London and Doron Gerber at the and M proteins. the four proteins significantly reduced tian Madry and David Attwell at Signaling involved in microglia chemotaxis Bar Ilan University in Israel led the The researchers verified some inter- viral infectivity. University College London, “compare study. actions with a different microfluidics The team already is planning future the key features of microglial baseline Four fundamental RSV proteins — screen and then verified 71 percent of avenues of investigation. “The next surveillance and targeted motility and length of processes, researchers stops targeted movement but not fusion, matrix, phosphor and nucleo them with a co-immunoprecipitation step will be focusing on some of the (chemotaxis) and then describe the have found. random surveillance. — are responsible for the virus’s technique. In the latter technique, other factors from the list with the receptors and signaling pathways Once the microglial processes In their review, Madry and Attwell replication. The matrix, or M, protein they precipitated the M protein out of goal of detailed mechanistic analysis. controlling both processes.” detect signs of brain damage, they note several unresolved questions in specifically plays key roles in the viral the cells, which had been lysed, before Although we showed they interact Baseline surveillance is modulated stop randomly searching the sur- the field: How do surveying microg- life cycle through inhibition of host capturing it onto affinity beads, and with M, we still need to see which by ambient ATP levels. Degrading rounding area and immediately move lia know where they have already transcription and facilitation of viral then they used the beads to co-pre- factors are critical for virus replication ATP or blocking ATP receptors leads toward the site of injury, isolating and looked? How do they divide the brain transcription, assembly and budding. cipitate human interactors from the and what the mechanism is,” Bajorek to shorter, slower fingerlike processes, phagocytosing the cellular debris or between themselves? How can ATP, However, until now, only two of the samples before detecting the interac- said. She said her team is now set to but the actual nucleotide receptor infectious agent. which is rapidly hydrolyzed, serve as host proteins engaged in viral replica- tions with Western blotting. crystallize some of the M-host protein involved is not yet known. Madry and Attwell describe three an effective long-range signal? tion had been known to interact After demonstrating the host-virus complexes to analyze the interactions The authors explain that light- chemical signals indicating brain By answering these questions and directly with the M protein. The protein interactions in a cell-free in detail in hope of designing drugs deprived mice, which have reduced damage. The most powerful is ATP, understanding how microglia carry researchers reporting their findings in approach, the researchers went on that inhibit or foil the interactions. neuronal activity, have slower, more which leaks from damaged cells. Also, out their vital tasks of brain surveil- MCP uncovered another 24. to prove that four human proteins Gerber added: “We would like to branched processes covering more fibrinogen leaks from damaged blood lance and repair, researchers may be volume. This suggests a biological Using a high-throughput microflu- — Caveolin 1, Caveolin 2, Cofilin 1 solve one of the puzzling issues with vessels, and nitric oxide is released able to optimize microglial activity in balancing act influenced by neuronal idics screen, the researchers expressed and a zinc finger protein — directly RSV. What is the matrix protein doing from damaged spinal cord tissue. cases of traumatic brain injury and activity between how fast the finger- 500 human proteins previously interacted with the M protein in a cel- in the nucleus?” To answer the ques- Indicative of ATP’s central role neurodegenerative diseases. like processes move and how much reported to be manipulated for RSV lular environment. They did that by tion, the team will screen 5,000 host in damage-signaling, microglia have area they cover. many extracellular nucleotide recep- replication. After immobilizing the showing that all four co-localized with nuclear proteins to investigate their Fractalkine, a vital cell-signaling tors. The most important receptor is human proteins on a chip, they the M protein at an intracellular site interactions with the RSV M protein. protein, is also important in baseline P2Y12, which is activated by ADP Mollie Rappe (mrappe@asbmb. labeled them with a fluorescent tag. where the M protein was expected to Vivian Tang (victoriousvivian@ microglial surveillance. Knocking and triggers a noncanonical phospho- org) is an intern at ASBMB Today They expressed the M protein sepa- play its specific role in RSV replica- hotmail.com) is a graduate out the receptor for fractalkine slows lipase C-dependent phosphorylation and a Ph.D. candidate in biophys- rately and labeled it with a different tion. The researchers say that the student at the School of Pathology the rate of brain surveillance by 30 cascade in microglial chemotaxis. ics at Johns Hopkins University. tag before flowing it over the chip four human proteins and other direct and Laboratory Medicine at the University of Western Australia. percent without changing the number Interestingly, knocking out P2Y12 to capture any human interactors. interactors could be potential targets

8 ASBMB TODAY MAY 2015 MAY 2015 ASBMB TODAY 9 NEWS NEWS Escaping asthma’s chokehold Philanthropies partner By Indumathi Sridharan to support early-career pring is a season for rejuvena- interleukin-4 and interleu- tion. But if you are one of the kin-13, which stimulate B cells S 25 million Americans suffering to produce immunoglobulin-E faculty members from asthma, you may dread this antibodies. The IgE antibod- time of the year. The Asthma and ies bind to mast cells, which By Donna Kridelbaugh Allergy Foundation of America des- regulate inflammation. This ignates May as National Asthma and process is called sensitization. Allergy Awareness Month because Upon re-exposure to the same he Howard Hughes Medical approaches to conduct basic research higher pollen count and air pollution, allergen, the mast-cell-bound Institute in partnership with the of biological importance. Cross-disci- combined with increased outdoor IgE antibodies crosslink and T Bill & Melinda Gates Founda- plinary research at the interface of the activity, cause an increased number set off the release of inflamma- tion and the Simons Foundation biological and physical sciences and of asthma-related hospitalizations tory mediators, like histamines recently launched a new Faculty research that addresses fundamental during spring and summer. Asthma and prostaglandins, that cause Scholars program to invest in early- biological problems surrounding incidence has increased by 28 percent sneezing, shortness of breath career scientists at the forefront of global health issues in low-resource in the past decade (1) and continues and coughing. Next, white biological research. The program aims countries are considered high priority. to rise, particularly among children blood cells, like eosinophils to support researchers as they transi- As the HHMI model is to invest in and neutrophils, infiltrate the (2). Identifying the physiological tion from institutional startup funds people, applicants will be reviewed on co-PI on at least one active, nationally airways and release cytokines, causes of asthma can help develop to independent research funding, their past accomplishments, innova- competitive research grant. Scholars lipids and proteases that cause more targeted and comprehensive allowing them to explore transforma- tive approach to studying complex will devote at least 50 percent of their congestion and constriction. therapies. tive research and take more risks. biological questions and potential time to research, and the funds can In a press release, HHMI Vice- to make significant contributions to be used to support up to $70,000 in What is asthma? What are researchers President and Chief Scientific their field. faculty salary for up to three months Officer Erin K. O’Shea discussed the The creation of the HHMI annually. Asthma is a chronic immune system investigating now? terial RNA revealed a greater variety motivation for creating the program: program reflects a broader trend Applicants should complete the disorder in which the airways con- Microorganisms in the gut and lung, and abundance of pathogenic bacteria “We received a lot of feedback from toward private sources of funding online eligibility section early to gain strict and the mucous lining in the which can regulate the immune in the airways of asthma patients (4). scientists about what’s most needed, to compensate for reduced federal access to the full application. Women lungs becomes inflamed in esponser system, now are linked to asthma. Resistance to anti-inflammatory corti- and there was strong agreement that funding. Such programs also may and minorities underrepresented in to environmental factors such as Helicobacter pylori, an intestinal costeroid treatments is a phenomenon early-career researchers are facing sig- strengthen the competitiveness of the biomedical sciences especially pollen, mold, dust mites, viruses and bacteria, can protect indirectly observed in some asthma patients. nificant challenges.” These challenges scientists by encouraging transdis- are encouraged to apply. There is no air pollutants. Symptoms include against asthma by modulating global The resistance emerges from the acti- over the past few decades include ciplinary research, which diversifies restriction on the number of appli- coughing, wheezing, congestion and immune response. This protective vation of the p38 mitogen-activated increased competition for a stagnant their potential funding opportunities. cants per institution. Applications are shortness of breath. effect is achieved by activating CD4 kinase phosphatase pathway in mac- amount of federal R&D funding, President Obama highlighted the pro- due by July 28, with finalists selected and CD25 regulatory T cells and rophages by the pathogen Haemophi- a significant decline in the success gram during the 2015 White House the next summer and awards made increasing the production of intesti- lus parainfluenzae (5). Inhibiting How is the immune rates for National Institutes of Health Science Fair as part of his Educate to by November 2016. Find out more nal hormones like leptin, ghrelin and transforming growth factor-β–associ- research awards and an increased aver- Innovate initiative, calling upon the at http://www.hhmi.org/faculty- system involved? gastrin, which have immunomodula- ated kinase-1, an upstream activator age age at which a researcher receives private sector to help improve STEM scholars. Upon first exposure to an allergen, tory effects (3). of the MAPK pathway, can restore his or her first NIH R01 grant. education and support innovative Th2 cells, a type of T cell, secrete An analysis of 16S ribosomal bac- sensitivity to the treatments. The acultyF Scholars program will scientists. Donna Kridelbaugh provide five-year, nonrenewable grants The Faculty Scholars program is (@science_mentor) is a commu- REFERENCES Indumathi Sridharan (sridharan. of $100,000 to $400,000 per year for open to tenure-track associate profes- nications consultant and founder [email protected]) earned 1. http://www.cdc.gov/asthma/pdfs/asthma_facts_program_grantees.pdf up to 70 scholars each funding cycle. sors (or those in equivalent positions) of ScienceMentor.Me. Her mission her bachelor’s degree in bioin- is to create an online field guide 2. http://www.aaaai.org/about-the-aaaai/newsroom/asthma-statistics.aspx formatics in India. She holds a These scholars also will have access and physician scientists who have four to self-mentoring in science careers. She offers 3. http://bit.ly/1bp91wn Ph.D. in molecular biochemistry to the HHMI community, mentor- to 10 years of professional experience writing, editing and marketing services for early- 4. http://www.atsjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1164/rccm.201309-1702ED from Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago. She career professionals who are ready to advance did her postdoctoral work in bionanotechnology at ing and career development support. beyond postdoctoral training and 5. http://www.atsjournals.org/doi/full/10.1164/rccm.201304-0775OC#.VRoEi_nF9c4 Open proposals will be accepted an established independent research their career to the next level. Learn more at Northwestern University. http://sciencementor.me/. from researchers who use creative program as principal investigator or

10 ASBMB TODAY MAY 2015 MAY 2015 ASBMB TODAY 11 NEWS

ABOUT THE MEETING

WHEN: Sept. 17 – 20 • Qingyu Wu is a longtime investigator of corin, a membrane serine protease essential for natriuretic pep- WHERE: Potomac, Md. tide processing and whose depletion is associated with hypertension, heart disease, preeclampsia and chronic SAMPLING OF SPEAKERS: kidney disease. His laboratory has made key contribu- • Eva Böttcher-Friebertshäuser has provided key insights tions to the structure, function and genetics of corin into the roles of host proteases in regulating viral and its roles in disease. pathogenicity. Her laboratory discovered that infection and dissemination of influenza virus is dependent on • Charles Craik is a pioneer in structure-function stud- cleavage activation of influenza virus hemagglutinin by ies of proteases and their inhibitors using a combina- the host transmembrane serine proteases TMPRSS2 and tion of genetic, biochemical and biophysical methods. HAT in the human airway epithelium. His emphasis is on identifying the roles and regulation of the activities of membrane-anchored serine proteases • Thomas Kleyman, a longstanding investigator of associated with infectious diseases, cancer and epithelial Na+ channels, has made key contributions to development. understanding the molecular structure of the channel’s pore and the key roles of Na+, divalent metal ions and • Jan K. Jensen is a structural biologist whose work has membrane serine proteases in the regulation of channel provided new insight into the structure and function of activities. hepatocyte growth factor activator inhibitor, or HAI, domains, the proteins that act as cofactors for many of Membrane-anchored the type-2 transmembrane serine proteases.

DEADLINES: serine proteases • June 11: Deadline to submit abstract for oral presentation consideration Join us at this small, focused meeting in September in Maryland • June 18: Deadline for discounted registration (save $100) By Karin List and Toni Antalis • July 15: Deadline to submit abstract for poster presentation MORE INFO: www.asbmb.org/SpecialSymposia/Proteases he unveiling of a new fam- through the regulation of metabolic their research and forge scientific con- ily of serine proteases that are homeostasis, fertilization, mor- nections, including collaborations. T anchored directly to the plasma phogenesis, epithelial biology, iron Speakers will include both membrane was an unexpected homeostasis, cardiovascular diseases, renowned, established investiga- outcome of the complete sequencing viral infection and cancer. tors in the field and up-and-coming of several vertebrate genomes at the The main objectives of the researchers. To encourage participa- turn of the millennium. The Ameri- symposium in September will be to tion of a wide range of scientists, can Society for Biochemistry and bring together leading scientists to the majority of the speakers will be Molecular Biology will host a special present their latest research on all selected from submitted abstracts. We symposium this fall focusing on the aspects of this new, highly active and encourage researchers from academic biochemistry, biology and patho- rapidly expanding area of research; institutions, government and industry physiological functions of membrane- to enhance the dissemination of the to attend. anchored serine proteases, including latest progress; and to accelerate the Karin List ([email protected]) the translational research opportuni- generation of new knowledge. Par- studies the role of type II transmem- ties afforded by this interesting group ticular emphasis will be given to pre- brane serine proteases and their of enzymes. sentations of new insights into basic inhibitors in cancer progression at Wayne State University School of Recent studies have revealed that molecular and biological mechanisms Medicine. Toni Antalis (tantalis@som. the membrane-anchored serine prote- and to translational research efforts. umaryland.edu) studies the physi- ases are important components of the The meeting also will be a venue ological roles of membrane-anchored mammalian degradome, playing criti- for junior researchers at the gradu- serine proteases at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. cal roles in both health and disease ate and postdoctoral levels to discuss

12 ASBMB TODAY MAY 2015 MAY 2015 ASBMB TODAY 13 LIPID NEWS

organization (11), suggesting that their dysfunction also could affect The many faces of lipins metabolic homeostasis through struc- tural mechanisms. By Symeon Siniossoglou Surprisingly, deleterious muta- tions in lipin 1 do not affect fat distribution in humans but instead lycerolipids are known to be tural roles in biological membranes. key regulatory step in triacylglycerol cause severe myopathy in the form key components of biologi- Therefore, regulation of phosphatidic metabolism. of rhabdomyolysis (12). Recently, G cal membranes in the form of acid dephosphorylation is critical for Lipins are sequestered in the this has been proposed to result from phospholipids as well as a storage several aspects of lipid and membrane cytosol via hyperphosphorylation defective lipin 1-mediated autopha- reservoir of fatty acids in the form homeostasis. via growth/nutrient or cell-cycle- gic clearance in muscle (13). The of triacylglycerols. While we have Lipins define a class of Mg2+- dependent phosphorylation catalysed basis for the different fat pathologies recognized this for some time now, dependent phosphatidic acid phos- by several kinases, such as TOR in between rodent models and humans we are still discovering the critical phatases collectively known as PAPs. mammals (3) and Pho85 or Cdc28, remains a critical question to be enzymes, and aspects of their regula- Lipin 1, the founding member of this among others, in yeast (4, 5). answered. tion, involved in the synthesis of widely conserved family in eukary- A highly conserved transmembrane Perhaps the most unexpected these lipids. otes, originally was identified as the phosphatase complex, originally aspect of lipins is that they have a dis- One important step in the syn- gene mutated in fatty liver dystrophy described in yeast, mediates activation tinct intranuclear pool in many cell thesis of glycerolipids involves the mice. These mice display a lipodystro- of lipins and their association with types (14). For example, lipin 1 can dephosphorylation of phosphatidic phic phenotype characterized by fatty membranes (6, 7). regulate expression of genes encod- acid resulting in the generation of livers and hypertriglyceridemia (1). Recent studies have highlighted ing fatty-acid metabolic enzymes via diacylglycerol. This key branching The demonstration that lipins are additional control of the membrane- physical interactions with compo- step determines the fate of glycerol in fact PAP enzymes came later, when bound lipins: Cytosolic pH via nents of the transcription machinery backbones and fatty acids in lipid PAP was purified from budding yeast electrostatic interaction between (15). The presence of a nuclear PAP biosynthesis. and found to be a member of the phosphatidic acid and lipin 1 (8) enzyme raises many intriguing Diacylglycerol can be acylated to lipin family (2). Fungi, nematodes and proteasome-mediated degrada- questions. triacylglycerol that is stored in lipid and insect genomes each encode one tion of active lipin in yeast cells (9) One unresolved issue is whether the localization and function of lipin droplets via the glycerol phosphate lipin, while human genomes encode are important determinants of PAP Lipid metabolic roles of lipins pathway, or it can be condensed three: lipin 1 (the paralogue that has levels. Such multilevel regulation may in the nucleus is linked somehow to with cytidine diphosphate choline or attracted most attention so far), lipin allow lipins to modulate phosphatidic its role in modulating lipid metabo- cytidine diphosphate ethanolamine 2 and lipin 3. Research in a multitude acid and diacylglycerol levels on dif- lism in the cytoplasm. It is also not Given the emerging roles of the nuclear membrane. For example, for the synthesis of the membrane of model organisms has advanced our ferent membranes. known whether nuclear PAP affects nuclear envelope in gene expression, nuclear import of lipin 1 in response phospholipids phosphatidylethanol- knowledge over the past 10 years, Indeed, in addition to their bio- nuclear membrane biogenesis and lipins could control transcription to nutrient depletion causes nuclear amine and phosphatidylcholine (the uncovering many surprising aspects synthetic roles in the endoplasmic nuclear signaling. through lipid remodelling at the envelope remodelling, which Kennedy pathway). Phosphatidic acid of lipin biology and raising intriguing reticulum, yeast and mammalian down-regulates the major lipogenic factor SREBP (short for sterol also is used for the synthesis of other questions regarding their function lipins also have roles in mitochondria, REFERENCES regulatory element-binding protein) phospholipids, such as phosphati- and regulation. lipid droplets, nuclear membrane, 1. Péterfy, M. et al. Nat. Genet. 27, 121 – 124 (2001). through unknown mechanisms dylinositol and cardiolipin, by con- Unlike the other enzymes of the vacuoles and the autophagosome. 2. Han, G.S. et al. J. Biol. Chem. 281, 9210 – 9218 (2006). (16). densation with CDP-diacylglycerol. triacylglycerol biosynthetic pathway, The physiological consequences of 3. Harris, T.E. et al. J. Biol. Chem. 282, 277 – 286 (2007). In addition to these roles in lipid lipins lack transmembrane domains lipin dysfunction are emerging as an 4. Choi, H.S. et al. J. Biol. Chem. 287, 11290 – 11301 (2012). While we’ve learned a lot about synthesis, phosphatidic acid and and exhibit in most cells a primar- area of intense and exciting research. 5. Choi, H.S. et al. J. Biol. Chem. 286, 1486 – 1498 (2011). lipins, it is clear that there are many diacylglycerol now are recognized to ily soluble distribution. As a conse- As alluded to above, lipins are 6. Santos-Rosa, H. et al. EMBO J. 24, 1931 – 1941 (2005). remaining questions. Addressing these play important signaling and struc- quence, lipin membrane targeting is a critical for triacylglycerol synthesis 7. Karanasios, E. et al. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 107, 17539 – 17544 (2010). questions will be vital to understand- in yeasts, plants, worms and flies. 8. Eaton, J.M. et al. J. Biol. Chem. 288, 9933 – 9945 (2013). ing the mechanisms that underlie the Rodent models of lipin 1 deficiency 9. Pascual, F. et al. J. Biol. Chem. 289, 9811 – 9822 (2014). emerging roles of lipins in cellular Unlike the other enzymes of the triacylglycerol biosynthetic display a lipodystrophic phenotype 10. Csaki, L.S. et al. Prog. Lipid Res. 52, 305 – 316 (2013). and organismal homeostasis. pathway, lipins lack transmembrane domains and exhibit in characterized by significant reduc- 11. Siniossoglou, S. Traffic 10, 1181 – 1187 (2009). most cells a primarily soluble distribution. As a consequence, tion in fat mass and lack of adipocyte 12. Zeharia, A. et al. Am. J. Hum. Genet. 83, 489 – 494 (2008). Symeon Siniossoglou (ss560@ differentiation (10). It also turns out 13. Zhang, P. et al. Cell Metab. 20, 267 – 279 (2014). cam.ac.uk) is a principal investi- lipin membrane targeting is a key regulatory step in that lipins are essential for main- 14. Siniossoglou, S. Biochim. Biophys. Acta. 1831, 575 – 581 (2013). gator at the Cambridge Institute 15. Finck, B.N. et al. Cell Metab. 4, 199 – 210 (2006). for Medical Research at the triacylglycerol metabolism. tenance of nuclear structure and University of Cambridge. endoplasmic reticulum membrane 16. Peterson, T.R. et al. Cell 146, 408 – 420 (2011).

14 ASBMB TODAY MAY 2015 MAY 2015 ASBMB TODAY 15 FEATURE

eggy A. Whitson’s favorite thing non Lucid, a biochemist; Margaret about living on the Interna- Rhea Seddon, a physician; Anna P tional Space Station is the view. Fisher, a chemist and physician; and Being outside the atmosphere, looking Kathryn Sullivan, a geologist. down at the Earth, watching the Earth Whitson went to a liberal arts zoom by at 17,500 mph — these are college in southeastern Iowa — Iowa the things Whitson misses most from Wesleyan College — and ended up her time in space. double majoring in biology and chem- Next year, Whitson will go to istry. The small school “had only one space for the third time, reinforcing class in biochemistry, which I took my her title as the woman with the most final year, and I just fell in love with time in space. Also, Whitson is one it,” she says. After college, Whitson’s of two active U.S. astronauts with a academic adviser suggested medical biochemistry or molecular biology school, but, Whitson recalls with a background. chuckle, “I really felt like research was As part of Expedition 50 to the more up my alley.” ISS, Whitson will serve as the hands Whitson earned her Ph.D. from Peggy A. Whitson. IMAGES COURTESY OF NASA of many different investigators, Rice University in Houston, where including GeneLab, a new NASA she studied the thermodynamics of lac bioinformatics program studying the operon repression and the influence molecular changes model organisms of DNA supercoiling on transcription experience in microgravity. in the lab of Kathleen Matthews, the winner of the 2015 ASBMB William Passion for space and C. Rose Award. After finishing her Ph.D., Whitson went to work at the biochemistry nearby Johnson Space Center as a Whitson grew up in a small farm- research biochemist. ing town in southern Iowa, and like There, Whitson performed molecu- many others, she watched awestruck lar biology research studying tissue on July 21, 1969, as humans first culture. She also studied urine bio- walked on the moon. “I wanted to chemistry, focusing on the increased be an astronaut from a very young risk of forming kidney stones during age. I always hate to date myself, but spaceflight. This risk is causedy b I was 9 when Neil Armstrong and excess calcium and phosphate present Buzz Aldrin walked on the moon,” in the urine due to the micrograv- Whitson recalls. ity bone demineralization process. A The January before Whitson gradu- potassium citrate therapy she devel- ated from high school, NASA selected oped is used today as an on-orbit the first female astronauts. Whitson countermeasure in those astronauts says this “really made it much more with a propensity to form kidney than a dream — made it a goal.” She stones. Whitson went to the Johnson adds, “It was naïve to assume that I Space Center specifically because the could be an astronaut just because work was directly applicable to the they had picked female astronauts, but astronauts, and she hoped she might I saw them doing it, and I was like, ‘I become an astronaut. wanna try and do that.’” The 1978 class of 35 astronauts ‘Watching the world go by’ included six women. Sally Ride, the In 1996, after almost 10 years work- first U.S. woman in space, was among ing at the Johnson Space Center, them. The class also included Judith Whitson’s chance came. She was Resnik, an electrical engineer who selected as a member of NASA’s 16th died on her second spaceflight in the Challenger shuttle explosion; Shan- CONTINUED ON PAGE 18

16 ASBMB TODAY MAY 2015 MAY 2015 ASBMB TODAY 17 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 17 son also grew soybeans in microgravity bound to experience some class of astronauts. “I got lucky!” she for the Pioneer seed company, which difficulties as part and explains humbly. “With thousands of indirectly led to the development of parcel of doing research applications for every position, there’s Airocide, an air purifier now used in microgravity. Since the got to be some luck involved.” After in some operating rooms on Earth. U.S. space shuttles have years of training and evaluation, she Whitson also continued her own stud- been retired, the model was selected for International Space ies on the effects of microgravity bone organisms — along with Station Expedition 5. Whitson left demineralization on kidney stones — other experimental mate- Earth for the first time on June 5, using herself as one of the 18 subjects. rial, food, ISS parts and 2002. One of Whitson’s favorite experi- care packages from home Whitson recalls her two six-month ments started — like many other — will reach the station tours in space rather wistfully. “Being breakthroughs — with an accident. via various unmanned outside the atmosphere, watching the She was studying the electric field- cargo vehicles. world go by, going around the Earth induced phase transitions of a col- Whitson explains that in 90 minutes, all of that … is incred- loidal iron solution for investigators at the U.S. laboratory mod- ibly awe-inspiring.” She continues: the University of Delaware. “One day, ule is designed to “plug “It was a blast for me, because I enjoy I put in the frequency for the electro- and play” many different being the hands of different investiga- magnet at 2 Hz instead of 20 because kinds of experiments, so tors and making their experiments my eyes were getting a little old and the technical differences work on orbit.” they didn’t see the decimal point,” between studying mice Whitson was involved with many she says with a little laugh. Instead and Saccharomyces cere- Peggy A. Whitson looks at the ISS from Endeavour in ers all over the globe to compare with December 2002. experiments while going 17,500 mph. of forming a solid structure, it made visiae won’t pose much of a challenge. their Earth-bound cousins. An electrostatic microencapsulation this wave-form structure. “It was not However, other experimental chal- Astronaut Peggy A. Whitson works near the Micro- technique she worked on is now used something that they had ever observed lenges do include needing to tether ‘Really looking forward gravity Science Glovebox in the Destiny laboratory on in a drug-targeting clinical trial. Whit- on the ground.” or Velcro everything down so little the International Space Station. pieces don’t float away and dealing to going back’ GeneLab with differences in fluid dynamics in Spending so much time on the Inter- microgravity, Whitson mentions. Even GeneLab, a new national Space Station comes with the humble pipette has difficulties in NASA research some personal challenges too. “I know microgravity, requiring “technique program, will study our folks have done just a tremendous development to make sure you don’t the epigenomic, job trying to make food as palatable as do it too quickly, because you’ll get air transcriptomic, pro- possible, but the lack of variety after a bubbles,” Whitson explains. teomic and metabo- while is probably the most challeng- Once the model organisms are lomic changes of var- ing part in my mind,” Whitson says. grown on orbit in the desired amount ious common model While being away for six months is of time — including multiple gen- organisms upon hard, with the satellite phone and the erations for some organisms — the adapting to space. “pretty slow” Internet, she never felt biological samples will be harvested The model organisms isolated. and preserved at -80 degrees Celsius. to be studied include Those challenges aside, Whitson is These biological samples will need to bacteria, yeast, excited to be a member of six-month be brought back on the commercial plants, fish, mice and long Expedition 50 in late 2016. “I’m unmanned cargo vehicle Dragon, even common cell really looking forward to going back cultures. NASA is set which was developed by SpaceX, as it up there.” On her last two trips, she to begin acquiring is the only cargo vehicle that survives enjoyed being on the station long the data next year, so reentry, or in the limited cargo room enough to feel like it was her home likely Whitson will in the Russian spacecraft Soyuz. Once and her lab. One of the changes be quite involved in the biological samples have been that excites Whitson the most is the the unprecedented returned, they will be processed with new Cupola, a seven-window dome high-throughput relevant ground controls and the attached to the U.S. node Tranquility, Mollie Rappe (mrappe@asbmb. accumulation of DNA, RNA, proteins and metabolites which provides “a 360-degree view will be extracted and analyzed. The org) is an intern at ASBMB Today biomolecular data. looking down onto the Earth, which and a Ph.D. candidate in biophys- These revolu- vast databases of microgravity-induced I think will be quite spectacular,” ics at Johns Hopkins University. tionary studies are changes will be available to research- Whitson says.

18 ASBMB TODAY MAY 2015 MAY 2015 ASBMB TODAY 19 FEATURE

DEFYING STEREOTYPES: A primer on JAWS Election to the Baseball Hall of Fame is a subjective process that relies Analyze this: life as on the opinions of the members of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America . To bring some semblance a sports journalist of standardization to the process, Jay Jaffe used an existing metric called “Wins Above Replacement” to come up with his own Jaffe WAR Score in the 21st century system, known as JAWS for short . While not an official statistic, JAWS evaluates objectively the merits of individual players. Baseball writer Jay Jaffe’s science background For example, 2015 Hall of Fame inductee Randy Johnson has a plays a critical part in his current job JAWS value of 82.0. The average JAWS value for players at Johnson’s position is 62.1. By his JAWS measure, Johnson is qualified to be By Geoffrey Hunt & Rajendrani Mukhopadhyay inducted into the Hall of Fame. In contrast, Jason Schmidt, who also was eligible for election in 2015 and played the same position as John- son, has a JAWS value of 28.4, well below the average. Schmidt was not am a very unconventional to become a doctor. The game was elected. “ sports writer,” admits Jay Jaffe. always around me.” By the time the — Geoffrey Hunt I With the analytical mind of a Los Angeles Dodgers and New York scientist and a background that has Yankees engaged in three epic World design layout comparing meiosis and run his own analyses on ballplayers as taken him from a premed under- Series duels between 1977 and 1981, mitosis for a textbook that he was a child with his pocket calculator and graduate track to the pages of Sports Jaffe was hooked. working on. “I was able to improve an Apple II+, on which he used the Illustrated, Jaffe is part of a new Baseball remained a fan’s pursuit upon some of the presentations that first spreadsheet program, VisiCalc. generation of baseball scribes more during Jaffe’s days at Brown, though (the client) had pitched based on my “I was always comfortable with the interested in using objective statistics he had developed an interest in background,” he says. His improve- math stuff,” he recalls. than hagiographic mythology in their writing. By his senior year, Jaffe was ments were an immediate hit: the Thanks to the efforts of journal- reporting and commentary. writing about music for Good Clean layout “just blew the client’s mind. ists such as Rob Neyer and Thomas Growing up in Salt Lake City, Fun, an entertainment magazine I think that vaulted me from just Boswell, sabermatic-based think- Jaffe was determined to follow in the published by the Brown Daily another designer to a keeper.” ing had finally become mainstream steps of his father and grandfather Herald. His musical interests led him Despite his success in the design for sportswriters by the start of the and become a physician. But his to internships within the publishing world, Jaffe could not ignore his pas- new millennium. Jaffe’s timing was father dissuaded him from doing so. industry, during which time Jaffe also sion for baseball. He had started writ- perfect, and he turned his attention Instead, says Jaffe, “he encouraged began honing his desktop-publishing ing about baseball in his free time and to baseball writing full throttle. He me to explore engineering, particu- software skills. Slowly, he began to founded the Futility Infielder website contributed regularly to the sports larly biomedical engineering.” Jaffe realize that the idea of medical school in 2001 as an outlet for his composi- websites Baseball Prospectus and enrolled at Brown University in 1988 was, as he puts it, “moving further tions, which were heavily inspired by ESPN before finally landing a regular as an engineering major but changed and further afield.” statistician Bill James and his revolu- job at the Sports Illustrated website in to biology after his freshman year. “I However, science would continue tionary concept of sabermatics. 2012, where he now writes full time. switched my concentration to biol- to play a role in Jaffe’s life. “I think a Broad metrics, such as home runs As the prominence of sabermat- ogy because I was still comfortable scientific background offers a certain and strikeouts, traditionally have been ics has continued to grow, Jaffe and with the idea that I would stay on a level of objective right and wrong,” he used to evaluate individual baseball his like-minded colleagues have led a premed track,” he recalls. points out. “People have recognized players. Sabermatics delves deeper, revolt against the previous generations The senior Jaffes were equally that my background does bring some comprehensively analyzing various of baseball reporters who, for decades, influential when it came to baseball. interesting skills to the table.” permutations of these raw numbers had simply used raw numbers in their “My father was a fan and still is a One example came during a stint to generate a more accurate repre- storytelling with little consideration fan,” says Jaffe. “My grandfather doing graphic design at Bill Smith sentation of a player’s worth. Such a for context or deeper analysis. “In the was actually a good enough player Studio, a graphic design studio spe- novel approach to data-based player past decade we’ve seen a culture war,” to have been offered a professional cializing in textbooks and children’s evaluation greatly appealed to the Jay Jaffe contract before deciding he wanted books. Jaffe recalls coming up with a analytically minded Jaffe, who used to CONTINUED ON PAGE 22

20 ASBMB TODAY MAY 2015 MAY 2015 ASBMB TODAY 21 FEATURE

DEFYING STEREOTYPES: A curious mind Stephanie Laurens, once a scientist and now a bestselling romance writer, says curiosity is the common driver in the two professions By Rajendrani Mukhopadhyay & Geoffrey Hunt

Jay Jaffe talks to Keith Olbermann CONTINUED FROM PAGE 21 searching for better answers even if What if? with the work. In desperate need of they may not be simple and elegant a break from the grant proposal she says Jaffe. “Younger writers who came That is the question that has driven explanations.” was working on, Laurens went to pick into the industry through alternative Stephanie Laurens through her entire Jaffe also has applied his scien- up a historical romance novel to take routes besides newspapers took up the career. Asking “what if?” helped her mind off of science for a while. (sabermatic) lexicon before the more tific training to other aspects of his Laurens develop her passion for sci- writing, most notably with regard However, she discovered she had read Geoffrey Hunt (ghunt@asbmb. traditional journalists did.” ence as a kid. Asking “what if?” led all the ones set in her favorite era, org) is the ASBMB’s public Jaffe’s main contribution in to performance-enhancing drugs. to her transition from running a lab outreach coordinator. Follow the Regency period of British history this realm has been the Jaffe Wins He contributed a chapter to the to becoming a romance novelist. And him on Twitter at twitter.com/ book “Extra Innings” that included (1810 – 1822). thegeoffhunt. Rajendrani Above Replacement Score, or JAWS, asking “what if?” has been the central a detailed breakdown of the chem- So she went home and began to Mukhopadhyay (rmukhopadhyay@ system, a data-driven framework starting point for each of the more write her own novel simply for her asbmb.org) is the chief science istry and metabolic pathways of the that measures if a player is worthy than 50 novels she has written over own enjoyment. “It wasn’t intended correspondent for ASBMB. Follow illicit compounds that had become the past 20 years, 32 of which have her on Twitter at twitter.com/ of induction to the Baseball Hall of for publication at all,” Laurens pervasive in professional sports. “I’m rajmukhop, and read her blog Fame. He sees his JAWS system as been on the New York Times best- remembers. “It was purely for me.” excited about the new ways science at wildtypes.asbmb.org. Both writers contribute a natural extension of his scientific seller list. But it turned out to be not for her equally in creating and developing the profiles for can be brought into professional background. “Science never settles By continually exploring new enjoyment alone. At her mother’s the “Defying Stereotypes” series. sports,” he says. for one answer,” argues Jaffe. “It’s for territories, Laurens has chartered an suggestion, Laurens sent her manu- unusual career path to become one of script to a publisher. The result was the most successful romantic fiction “Tangled Reins.” With that, Laurens authors today. had stumbled upon the beginnings As a preteen in Australia, Laurens of a new career, one that she kept as a 2016 ASBMB Award Nominations are Open showed an aptitude for math and hobby while maintaining her position Nominations for the 2016 ASBMB Awards are now being accepted. Nominate a colleague science, so teachers encouraged her as a researcher. for a prestigious ASBMB award and recognition at the 2016 Annual Meeting in San Diego. to follow the science trajectory. She During that time, Laurens was got a bachelor’s degree from Monash forced to keep her novel writing University in Australia with honors quiet among her scientist colleagues, in immunology followed by a Ph.D. because “nobody would have believed Deadline: June 2 in biochemistry with a heavy leaning it, quite frankly,” she says. “I was so toward immunochemistry. Nominations are open for the following awards: entrenched in the science hierarchy After a four-year stint at the Impe- [that] it would have been a shock to • ASBMB Award for Exemplary Contributions to Education • Earl and Thressa Stadtman Scholar Award rial Cancer Research Fund in the U.K. • ASBMB/Merck Award • Herbert Tabor Research Award most people.” Laurens even wrote in the early 1990s, Laurens, her hus- under a pseudonym, a practice which • ASBMB Young Investigator Award • Mildred Cohn Award in Biological Chemistry band and two daughters moved back • Avanti Award in Lipids • Ruth Kirschstein Diversity in Science Award is common among English writers. to Australia, settling in Melbourne, But she was getting buried under • Alice and C.C. Wang Award in Molecular Parasitology • Walter A. Shaw Young Investigator Award in Lipid Research where they reside currently. Laurens • Bert and Natalie Vallee Award in Biomedical Science • William C. Rose Award grant writing and committee work became the head of an oncogene • DeLano Award for Computational Biosciences • William C. Rose Award and not getting much opportunity to research laboratory at the Peter Mac- work at the bench. Stephanie Laurens For more information, please visit www.asbmb.org/awards/2016. Callum Cancer Centre. But she soon grew dissatisfied CONTINUED ON PAGE 24

22 ASBMB TODAY MAY 2015 MAY 2015 ASBMB TODAY 23 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 23 “That was the point where I sat back and thought, ‘Do I really want to stay in [science] for the rest of my life?’” she says. “I decided no, I didn’t.” When a round of cost cutting began at the institution where Laurens was A small STEP toward peace working, she took a severance package and embarked on her new career as a Supporting scientific training in Israel and adjacent Palestinian territories writer of romance novels full time. Laurens says that her skills as a By Mollie Rappe scientist are always at work behind the scenes in her novels. The abilities to research and organize information science knows no bor- to a public health Ph.D. program at polio and smallpox vaccines. have been crucial in constructing her ders,” Allen Taylor at Tufts Hebrew University in Jerusalem in In addition, there are other pro- novels. “My husband often laughs “S University says with earnest 2008, but his application was refused. grams that try to bridge the divide when he sees how organized my simplicity. A professor of ophthalmol- He says it is extremely difficult for between the peoples in Israel and adja- writing is in terms of the analysis that ogy, Taylor is founder of the Scientific Palestinians to secure admission to cent Palestinian territories using sci- to be able to write something that goes behind a plot,” Laurens says. “I’ll Training Encouraging Peace Graduate Israeli universities, and he tried to ence as a common ground. The Malta other people want to read. If you’re graph certain things like emotional Training Program, which facilitates contact Hebrew University several Conferences help scientists from a big reader, it’s much easier because relationships. You see intersecting sine advanced scientific training in Israel times prior to submitting his applica- 15 Middle Eastern countries build you write for yourself, which is what curves.” and adjacent Palestinian territories. tion. collaborations and personal relation- I did.” The STEP pro- When Al-Halaweh saw an ships. SESAME, which is short for Laurens points to her own inter- The abilities to research and organize information gram supports announcement for the STEP program the Synchrotron-light for Experimen- est in reading historical romance set three pairs of in a local paper, he says, knew that tal Science and Applications in the have been crucial in constructing her novels. during the Regency period, where she graduate students it would be a unique opportunity to Middle East, will be the first major bases the vast majority of her novels. who work closely continue his higher education. A side intergovernmental scientific facility Right now, she is outlining a series Furthermore, Laurens’ science together for at benefit was the opportunity to meet in the Middle East. It is set to begin of four books called “The Adven- TAYLOR least a year at other STEP fellows, including his operations — including a macromo- background played a key role in turers Quartet” where much of the helping her to develop the kind of universities in the region. Each pair partner, who he says is invaluable for lecular crystallography beamline — action takes place in West Africa in has one Palestinian and one Israeli. her help with his Hebrew lessons. later this year. The center’s mission is financial astuteness required to trans- 1824. “I’m having a marvelous time “A byproduct of this intensive and Katya Zelentsova, an Israeli Ph.D. to support scientific development and late her part-time hobby into a full- researching,” says Laurens. “I spent a difficult training period — typical student at Hebrew University of Jeru- foster cultural bridges among its users. time business. “I had a patent which lot of yesterday on the Internet search- of the graduate student experience salem, says she joined the program for In addition, the U.S. Agency for came out of my research in London ing through all sorts of old maps of worldwide — is that the STEP fellows primarily ideological reasons. STEP International Development has a that paid out royalties for 25 years,” Freetown, Sierra Leone … I’ve learned advance their careers while also see- allowed her to interact with Palestin- research grant program for collabora- she remarks. This experience made all about schooners and the very early ing that they can trust one another,” ian students daily and better under- tions in the Middle East. One of the Laurens keenly aware of the long- precursors of clipper ships and how Taylor says. stand them. biggest health-related successes of the term financial gains from intellectual their riggings were, how the masts Taylor explains: “I decided to do “We exchange ideas,” she says. “We Middle East Regional Cooperation property, and she made sure she got were set, and how fast they went.” my little part to reintroduce Israelis eat together. We hang around in our program is a physical therapy treat- the same reward for her writing. Despite having left behind the and Palestinians to each other in free time.” She adds that she hopes ment for West Bank children with When scientists find out she was world of scientific research, Laurens cooperative, intense working relation- that the friendships formed now can cerebral palsy. Rajendrani Mukhopadhyay once one of them, they often ask actively encourages young people to ships that build trust and advance- last forever. What makes the STEP program ([email protected]) is Laurens for writing advice. While she consider a scientific education. “To the chief science correspondent ment for the participants.” special among these other programs is mentions the need for every author me, a science training is possibly one for ASBMB. Follow her on Twitter its focus on trainees. With the excep- to find his or her own style and voice, of the best trainings you can have,” Historical context at twitter.com/rajmukhop, and tion of an agreement between the read her blog at wildtypes.asbmb. she believes even more important is she says. It is “amazing how adaptive The participants The STEP program is not the first Weizmann Institute of Science and Al- org. Geoffrey Hunt (ghunt@ that every writer be a reader first. scientists can be.” The inherent curios- Ahmad Abu Al-Halaweh, a Palestin- program to attempt to use science asbmb.org) is the ASBMB’s public Quds University, the other programs “A lot of scientists actually are not ity and the ability to learn the skills ian graduate student at Ben-Gurion for diplomacy. There is a storied outreach coordinator. Follow do not support scientists in training. readers. They think they have a book needed to answer a question or solve a University of the Negev, said he history of Cold War-era scientific col- him on Twitter at twitter.com/ Science training is particularly impor- thegeoffhunt. Both writers contribute equally in in them, but they haven’t actually problem are assets in both science and joined the program primarily to get laboration between the U.S. and the tant, as it serves as the foundation for creating and developing the profiles for the “Defy- read enough to get a feel for what the writing, claims Laurens. “I think it all his Ph.D. without having to leave U.S.S.R., including the development, ing Stereotypes” series. audience wants,” she says. “You have comes back to that curious mind.” the area and his family. He applied production and distribution of the CONTINUED ON PAGE 26

24 ASBMB TODAY MAY 2015 MAY 2015 ASBMB TODAY 25 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 25 Taylor used his contacts in the vessel growth and differentiation, area to establish the STEP program focusing on those factors hijacked in improving public health capacity in based out of Ben-Gurion University cancerous tumor growth. Another the region of conflict and ameliorating of the Negev, Al-Quds University in pair of STEP trainees at the dental the asymmetry of scientific capabilities East Jerusalem (a Palestinian area) institute is exploring the mechanism and medical capacities, both of which and Tufts University, with additional of periodontitis in order to improve have been proposed as prerequisites collaborations with Hadassah Medical dental care. for a lasting regional peace. Changing the next generation Center and other universities and How the program began medical centers in the region. ‘A point of light’ By Erik Maradiaga In addition to the clear benefits that Taylor grew up in a Zionist-oriented The STEP trainees supporting advanced scientific train- family and decided to experience life ing yields, Taylor hopes the trainees efore I became interested in in Israel as more than a tourist. From The program’s six trainees are pursu- will gain knowledge of each culture’s biology, I wasn’t a big fan of 1998 to 1999, he took a sabbatical as ing advanced training in biomedi- He always told me that I was not only going to learn biology common humanity. By fostering first- school. I basically thought of a senior Fulbright scholar at Tel Aviv cal graduate programs. A pair of B in his class, but I also was going to learn simple skills that person knowledge of the benefits of school as a place to see friends and University, where he worked with Yossi graduate students studies diabetes cooperativity in respected members of socialize. would help me become a better student. Shiloh on DNA damage response. He at Ben-Gurion University of the the medical and scientific community, Like every school in my region, spent that year working in the lab, hik- Negev, approaching the problem from Taylor says, each trainee can serve as my school required that students take thinking, “There goes my C in the our goals. ing and exploring the cultures. “This complementary public health angles. “a point of light which radiates out a biology course. Since science was course,” as I was sure I was going to On the last day of school, he said was one of the deepest experiences of Al-Halaweh is the director of the into the community.” Al-Halaweh the only subject I was ever good at, I fail the class because this teacher was that he wished that he could follow my life and left me loving the people Diabetes Care Center at Augusta says that he hopes the STEP partner- thought it should be easy for me to going to be hard. us to each of our colleges and be with and the region,” he says. Victoria Hospital in East Jerusalem. ships will continue past his Ph.D., get at least a C in the course. Turns out, though, I was really us. In that moment, my classmates In the years since Taylor’s sabbati- For his master’s thesis at Ben-Gurion helping both communities and insti- See, the problem with me when good at biology. While some of and I were sad to know that we were cal, Israel and the adjacent Palestinian University, he will be analyzing the tutions in the long run. I was starting biology was that I did my other friends were struggling saying our good-byes. After becom- territories have experienced a great impact of a multidisciplinary, com- The STEP program is poised to not set a high standard for myself and to understand the material, I was ing very close to my teacher, it was deal of turmoil. The Second Intifada prehensive diabetes treatment model double its impact every year, if only it achieving. Admittedly, my biology hard to part ways at graduation, but I — or Palestinian uprising — from spearheaded at the Diabetes Care just wanted to cruise through high had more funding. Taylor and his wife teacher did give a lot of work and knew I was prepared for college. September 2000 to February 2005 Center. This model has spread within school getting Cs in every course. leverage personal connections and expected us to finish it before we left After finishing my first year in col- led to the construction of the Israeli the Palestinian Ministry of Health That mindset, however, changed use word of mouth to raise money. A the classroom, but I believe that is lege, I am one step closer to achieving West Bank barrier (also known simply system and the United Nations Relief when I met my biology teacher. lot of the usual international funding what helped me realize the meaning my dream of becoming a doctor. I as “the wall”), which severely restricts and Works Agency system. For his The first day in my biology class agencies are reluctant to fund the pro- of hard work. He always told me that am majoring in biology. While my the travel of Palestinians. The Gaza Ph.D., Al-Halaweh says, he will study was not what I expected. I was hop- gram, as it is new and very intention- I was not only going to learn biology first year of college was hard, because War throughout 2009 destroyed the the impact of this model around the ing for a regular day when we would ally crosses the border between the in his class, but I also was going to I was not used to the system, I knew Islamic University of Gaza laborato- Palestinian territories and see if it can just go over the syllabus and the two states. “This is probably amongst learn simple skills that would help me that if I worked hard I could achieve ries. From 2012 to just last summer, be implemented even more broadly. classroom rules. However, once we all the most important kind of initia- become a better student. my goals. This journey may have the area has been plagued by one- to His STEP partner is a master’s nurs- got settled into our desks, my biology tive that one could invest in,” Taylor At the end of the year, I looked up obstacles in the way, but I know that six-week long eruptions of violence. ing student who works on a comple- teacher just stood in front of the class insists, “because it’s … really trying to to my biology teacher as a mentor, with hard work, anything is possible “Although the wall and travel mentary project. Efrat Tal Kotegaro is analyzing each of our faces. After a bring peace on the ground.” because all of his life lectures helped to achieve. restrictions help bring safety and studying how to advance psychologi- long moment of silence, he finally To learn more about the STEP me change my mindset about school. stability, it also caused a dangerous cal support for obese diabetic patients. started class in an unusual way. program, visit http://step-gtp.org/ I started working hard for my other estrangement of Israelis and Pales- Two pairs of students conduct He started asking each of us: What or watch the video at https://vimeo. tinians,” Taylor says, adding, “the research at the Institute of Dental are your goals in life? Where do you classes and realizing the importance Open to interpretation com/108606136. temporary periods of quiet are only Sciences at the Hebrew University of see yourself 10 years from now? of an education. For more essays, poems and Maggie Kuo contributed to this a mirage of safety.” To build a lasting Jerusalem. Zelentsova and her STEP After hearing my classmates and Luckily, I had the same teacher artwork exploring the report when she was an intern at peace, he says, the estrangement must partner study cellular differentiation. their goals, I knew that I had a dif- again during my senior year for an “Generations” theme, visit ASBMB Today. Now she is a writer at be broached: “You don’t need to make Zelentsova’s Ph.D. project focuses ferent goal than some of them. I have advanced-placement biology class. www.asbmb.org/asbmbtoday/ the American Physiological Society. She on the neurogenesis or generation of always wanted to become a doctor. Every one of my classmates was collections/generations/. peace with your friends or neighbors earned her Ph.D. in biomedical engi- new neurons, even in adults. She is Then my biology teacher said always amazed by his lectures. Instead because there is already trust and neering at Johns Hopkins University. cooperation. Generally, you make war studying how a natural anticoagulant something that really caught my of giving us speeches about being a with people you don’t know. Now we is involved in neural development attention. He said that many students successful person, he told us valu- Erik Maradiaga (em3914a@ Mollie Rappe (mrappe@asbmb. able lessons that would help us get must reintroduce people so they can with the goal of being able to replace org) is an intern at ASBMB Today in high school do not have high student.american.edu) is an be more friendly and less disposed neurons damaged by trauma or and a Ph.D. candidate in biophys- standards for themselves and do not through college. He knew that each undergraduate at American University. to seeing war as a solution to the neurodegeneration. Her partner, Anas ics at Johns Hopkins University. achieve to their highest abilities. of us was a hard-working student, estrangement.” Ala’Aldin Atieh, is studying blood After hearing that, I remember and he always reminded us to chase

26 ASBMB TODAY MAY 2015 MAY 2015 ASBMB TODAY 27 with 6-foot-tall steel monoliths hold- ing beautiful Fiberglass planets on For more information rotatable axes with informational yet entertaining placards. Julián Gómez-Cambronero invites you to visit the Walk Through the Construction challenges Solar System the next time you A majestic model are in central Spain. The construction of the installation • To learn more, visit www. was not a simple walk in the park. manzanares.es/paseo-sistema- A walk-through model of the solar system Cambronero had to coordinate solar/english-synopsis. IMAGE COURTESY OF FREE VECTOR MAPS to educate the mind and ensnare the imagination contractors and artisans from halfway around the world. Even in the design • Take a virtual walk at www.turismomanzanares.com/ By Mollie Rappe stage, he ran into some difficulties. que-visitar/paseos-virtuales/paseo-del-sistema-solar. Determining the scale of the orbital distances was easy given the limit of the size of the park, but he could not Even rescaled based upon an Roughly the same number visited hen Julián Gómez-Cam- way at her school, and Neptune and central Spain. The town has about Earth the size of an orange, the sun’s each year for the past four years, and bronero’s daughter Julia was Pluto would be in the neighboring 20,000 people, and though Cam- use the same scale for the diameters of the planets. “If you were to use the diameter of 27 feet was too big to that count doesn’t include casual local W in the fifth grade, she had city. bronero emigrated to the U.S. many manufacture as a Fiberglass sphere. visitors or people from neighboring a homework assignment to draw a Upon seeing Julia’s dawning com- years ago, he says he still knows pretty same scale,” he says, “the size of the So, instead, Cambronero decided towns. Cambronero says he is very picture of the solar system. Cambro- prehension, Cambronero was inspired much everybody. Eventually, he wrote Earth would be microns!” to represent the sun with a 27-foot proud that his model has turned out nero, a professor of biochemistry and to construct a scale model of the a proposal and won funding from the Deciding on the scale for the plan- steel ring around a 7-foot Fiberglass how he wanted it to be — a hub to molecular biology at Wright State solar system. By actually walking the municipality to construct the educa- ets’ diameters was difficult because sphere. On this final scale, dwarf attract children and amateur astrono- University, challenged the little girl’s distances between the planets people tional and eye-catching combination both the sun and Pluto have to co- planet Pluto is a mere half-inch in mers. colorful yet not-to-scale picture. — and children especially — could of science and art. exist. “I knew that the sun is much diameter, smaller than a grape. “Children love it,” Cambronero In reality, the planets are not tangibly appreciate the enormous Cambronero’s initial idea of simple bigger than the Earth — everybody says. “What children want to do equidistant. distances of the solar system, he traffic-sign-like markers through the knows that — but I didn’t realize — adults also, all humans want to If the sun were located in their reasoned. city underwent an evolution, and how big it is, so absolutely huge,” New generations do — is touch. Everybody touches.” kitchen, then Mercury would be in The summer after this inspira- three years later, in September 2010, Cambronero says. The first scale he Last year, 19 elementary school You learn by touching and explore by the living room, and Venus would be tional homework assignment, while the final Walk Through the Solar considered was based upon making classes, seven middle and high school touching, he says. By getting up close in the yard, Cambronero explained to Cambronero was on vacation visiting System opened in a public park in Earth the size of a basketball, but science classes, four library field trips, to these gigantic spheres, by rotating his daughter. Earth would be across his parents, he contacted the mayor Manzanares. This quarter-mile brick then the sun would have to be almost and three amateur astronomy groups them about their axes, by walking the the street, Saturn would be all the of his hometown, Manzanares, in walk through the city park is studded 25 stories tall! from Manzanares visited the model. distances between them, you come to understand the solar system better, he says. It has been seven years since Cambronero’s daughter was that fifth- grader drawing a picture of the solar system, and, while her interest in sci- ence has waned, she was very excited about seeing the final model and is proud of her father. Cambronero says he will consider his model a success if it can influence the minds of a few children and keep them interested in the “beautiful wonders of nature.”

Mollie Rappe (mrappe@asbmb. org) is an intern at ASBMB Today and a Ph.D. candidate in biophys- ics at Johns Hopkins University.

Model of the Earth. IMAGES COURTESY OF JULIÁN GÓMEZ-CAMBRONERO Model of Saturn. Cambronero leads a library field trip.

28 ASBMB TODAY MAY 2015 MAY 2015 ASBMB TODAY 29 OUTREACH Brewing an interest in science ASBMB outreach initiative Science by the Cup concocts palatable science events for adults By Garner Soltes

nce high school or college ends, (2) and the American Society for Bio- tools to engineer novel brewer’s yeast many adults are more than chemistry and Molecular Biology. strains (3). O happy to let memories of sci- The initiative began with our In this way, even complex and ence class slip to the same dark place recognition that few adult science important national concerns such as reserved for cheap beer and cafeteria education events exist and that these the use of genetically modified foods food. As a result, it’s easy to lose sight opportunities are single, temporary were framed as simpler, recogniz- of the scientific foundations that sup- moments of contact between scien- able concepts. And as a result, it was port the world around us. tists and the public. Therefore, we easier to have a candid, informative Take coffee production, for exam- designed Science by the Cup events conversation about these touchy top- ple: One might foggily consider this to facilitate informal conversations ics. A single night of discussion isn’t process as one’s morning brew drips about the scientific foundations of an opportunity for people to learn as down, but countless enzymatic and familiar processes. We partner with they might in a classroom. However, chemical changes occur from the time local businesses and empower brew- it is a perfect time to break down bar- the coffee cherry leaves the tree to the ers, roasters or experts to share their riers between practicing scientists and moment its extract reaches a cup. At knowledge of their craft, and our the larger public. a recent Science by the Cup event in volunteers focus on the science and IMAGE COURTESY OF GARNER SOLTES IMAGE COURTESY OF ELIZABETH ROWLANDS central New Jersey, not only caffeine modern advances connected to the Rojo’s Roastery head roaster, J. David Waldman, explains the process of empirically Participants learned about the chemistry of roasting as Rojo’s 1956 gas-fired Founding Science analyzing coffee beans for moisture and other characteristics after roasting. Probat roaster produced a fresh batch of beans. but thoughts about solubles extrac- topic. by the Cup tions and Grignard reactions buzzed By removing the scientist from the “It’s fulfilling to see adults, who the Cup, we worried that many of get as involved as their children with about participants’ heads. (1) podium and joining the crowd, we With support from an ASBMB already teach their children to engage our previous participants still would events that are geared specifically to Surrounded by the aroma and eliminate distance between practicing Outreach seed grant, Science by the with science, start to think and get be hesitant to put their scientific their interests,” says Hall. sound of fresh coffee beans roasting, researchers and the public. Ulti- Cup began a year and a half ago as an excited about all of the science behind knowledge to the test. In spite of To this end, we are pursuing addi- attendees investigated everything mately, we work to inspire a sense of effort to complement Princeton Uni- something they may have taken for our concern, the pub was packed tional connections with area experts from the pyrolysis of green coffee everyday inquiry that may have been versity’s successful K – 12 Molecular granted,” says volunteer Allison Hall. with returning and new participants (such as cheesemakers and chefs) beans to the molecular details of the lost since the participants’ disconnec- Biology outreach program. Much of The success of this model became sharing jokes and knowledge about and seeking new ways to engage an flavors they experienced. Throughout tion from formal science education. our inspiration for this initiative came evident at the science pub trivia night topics they may never have imagined even broader audience. Our goal is the event, Ph.D. student volunteers from parents and adults that we met that we host at the end of each year’s discussing in that space before. to integrate this initiative seamlessly shared their knowledge of the under- Thoughts about at science festivals and school events. cycle of varied events. In order to with our general outreach to reach lying biochemistry of taste-receptor fermentation In many cases, adult attendees attract a broad audience, we designed Moving forward students and adults alike. In the end, interactions and led participants seemed shy about participating in “punny” science questions (such as a we hope that Science by the Cup will through even broader topics from A few months after the roastery tour, demonstrations alongside the children holiday-themed category called ‘On With this success in mind, we are help adults think about the world the subjectivity and genetics of flavor a new crowd met at a Princeton or thought that the material would Comet!’ that explored the mysteries convinced that, given appropriate differently, one beer or coffee at a perception to the potential for bias in brewpub to try some interesting beers be too simple. We recognized that it of reindeer and astrophysics) that informal opportunities and the use of time. our thoughts about quality. and explore the hidden biology of fer- was just as crucial to engage adults, would reveal some interesting science interesting, relatable topics, we can This roastery tour and tasting is mentation. Most participants came to as many hadn’t directly interacted erase adults’ sense of scientific ennui. but could be answered with just Garner Soltes (gsoltes@princeton. one of many events from the Sci- ask about the differences between ales with science in a decade or more. knowledge of wordplay. “We like using a ‘top down’ edu) is a Ph.D. student in molecu- ence by the Cup & A Tall Drink of and porters or how beer spoils. But at And although many adults don’t feel During the first year of Science by approach where adults/parents can lar biology at Princeton University, Science initiative, an adult science the end of the evening, our genetics comfortable conducting banana DNA a member of the Graduate literacy and awareness effort born of a Ph.D. student volunteers used this extractions at Princeton science fairs, Molecular Biology Outreach REFERENCES Program, and founder of Science by the Cup & A partnership between Ph.D. research- discussion to shift the focus to the we find they will gladly participate in 1. http://ediblejersey.com/editorial/fall-2014/last-bite-better-coffee-through-science/ Tall Drink of Science. Visit www.facebook.com/ ers from the Princeton Graduate scientific benefit and ethical impli- a double-blind tasting experiment at 2. http://facebook.com/PrincetonGMOP PrincetonGMOP or http://molbio.princeton.edu/ graduate/outreach-program to find out more. Molecular Biology Outreach Program cations of using common genetic their favorite coffee shop. 3. http://nytimes.com/2014/05/27/science/craft-beer-at-the-genetic-level.html

30 ASBMB TODAY MAY 2015 MAY 2015 ASBMB TODAY 31 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

your disposal — CRISPR, mass spec, Computational Biosciences (2015) interested in and passionate about. genomics, imaging, etc. But the First, when one is They shouldn’t feel compelled to Advice for new graduates technologies are the means, not the young and has just default into a postdoc out of graduate end. The traditional way of doing gotten a Ph.D., school, but rather they should take By Mariana Figuera–Losada & Jen McGlaughon science — identify an important one has the some time to think about and identify biological problem and use whatever opportunity to their personal drivers and motivators. tools it takes to solve the problem take a risk to do Whether they ultimately decide to — is still a tried-and-true approach. pursue a postdoctoral project or s the spring semester comes to position. Find your passion and take Winner of the Nobel Prize for Physiol- something tremendously great and Whatever the approach, imagine how switch into a different field entirely a close, thousands of graduate charge of your career! ogy or Medicine (2013) impactful; maybe it works or maybe it feels when you are the first in (e.g., law, business, public policy), the students are preparing to bid it doesn’t, but doing something A Follow your human history to solve an important choice should be considered carefully farewell to the place they have spent Randy Schekman interests, and don’t incremental isn’t something you look problem, discover a new molecule or back at fondly at the end of your life, and deliberately. The same advice so much of their lives for the past Howard Hughes Medical Institute and try to calculate a find a cure! whereas trying something great and applies to choosing a lab, discipline or several years. For many new Ph.D. University of California, Berkeley, career. Work on a failing somehow always seems to lead project of future study. The world is recipients, life after graduate school Winner of the Nobel Prize for Physiol- question that you Erica Ollmann Saphire to some other new open door. an increasingly competitive place; can be both exciting and daunting at ogy or Medicine (2013) feel satisfying, that The Scripps Research Institute, Winner Second, in addition to academia and only a real internal fire will see one the same time. Although there has you like, that you feel is inherently of the ASBMB Young Investigator traditional industry, new Ph.D.s through the trials that inevitably arise. Luckily, there are many who have been a lot of valuable, and do not fashion your Award (2015) should consider startup companies. come before us and are willing to naysaying about career after the fashion of the day. If Go to Toastmas- As a corollary of my first point, a share their insight on this transition. the prospects for a you choose a professional path, this Kathleen S. Matthews ters. Being able to startup can give the opportunity to We asked a number of members of meaningful career will be your life, and I believe it is Rice University, Winner of the ASBMB communicate change the world, albeit at some risk, the American Society for Biochemis- for Ph.D.s in the better to do something you like but is William C. Rose Award (2015) clearly and but when one is a young Ph.D., that’s try and Molecular Biology, winners of life sciences and repeated calls for a not as well paid than something that Think broadly, effectively and to a great time to take risks to do the ASBMB’s recent awards and oth- reduction in training programs, the is better paid but that you will dislike creatively and something truly great. ers to provide some advice for those opportunities now outnumber those doing after a few years. enjoy the process is carefully about graduate students who will be closing that were available when I completed essential to any biomedical career. your long-term one chapter and entering a new and my Ph.D. in 1974. Back then, the Joan A. Steitz Rachel Klevit goals, and seek exciting phase of life this year. options outside of a standard academic Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Jack E. Dixon Washington University, Winner of the advice and career were severely limited. The Yale University University of California, San Diego, ASBMB Fritz Lipmann Award (2015) mentoring from multiple individuals with experience in the areas of your Suzanne R. Pfeffer biotech industry did not exist, and few My advice to Winner of the ASBMB Earl and Be self-reflective interest. In sifting through this Stanford University School of Medicine, careers in law, government or publish- newly minted Thressa Stadtman Distinguished and think creatively information, listen both to your brain ASBMB President (2010 – 2012) ing were open to scholars trained in Ph.D.s, especially Scientist Award (2015) about what aspects and to your gut (your “second brain” Grad school has basic biomedical research. The key is women, is to not My first message is of being a scientist — see the book by Michael Gershon provided you with to remain flexible and to recognize worry excessively to love what you most excite you: and the Scientific American article at diverse skills that that your analytical and critical skills about the far- do and do what being at the bench, http://www.scientificamerican.com/ will serve you well have tremendous application in a distant future. If you love doing you love and have writing, communicating, teaching, variety of professional careers. article/gut-second-brain/)! Both in so many careers. science, look at people one step ahead a true passion for. thinking about how to transform a internal resources can offer wise In addition to of you and ask yourself whether that The second discovery into something practical, etc. counsel. perseverance and strategic planning, Cori Bargmann seems possible; too many things message is do not be afraid of failure. Use your insights to guide your you can boast of training in team- Howard Hughes Medical Institute and change to make looking farther ahead It is a part of life and can make you decisions of a path to follow. The most work, public speaking, writing, Rockefeller University very useful. stronger and can influence your obvious one may seem to be the path New Ph.D.s get free teaching and maybe even small-meet- The most valuable future path. The third message is that of least resistance, but a path less ASBMB memberships. you should find good mentors all ing organization. Ask your graduate resource you have Zhijian “James” Chen followed may be the one for you. Visit www.asbmb.org. along your way. Finally, do not adviser to help connect you with lab as a scientist is Howard Hughes Medical Institute and underestimate the influence you can and department alumni, who surely your motivation. University of Texas Southwestern Medi- James Berger have on others. At the end of the day, Mariana Figuera–Losada will be happy to tell you how they Maintaining your cal Center, Winner of the ASBMB- Johns Hopkins University School of the only thing that matters is what ([email protected]) is a chose and pursued their unique career enthusiasm is as Merck Award (2015) Medicine postdoctoral fellow at the Johns you do for other people, how you paths. Don’t be shy to apply for important as any other aspect of I guess the advice Hopkins University. She wrote the It’s an exciting help them and how you inspire them. internships that will give you a your career. briefs on Alber, Barbas, Heftmann, time to do that I would give Lionetti and Swendseid. Jen chance to experience something biomedical to newly minted McGlaughon (jla254@cornell. other than bench science. If you love Thomas C. Südhof research, with so Vijay Pande Ph.D.s is to work edu) is a graduate student in the it, great; if not, you can always apply Howard Hughes Medical Institute and many powerful Stanford University, Winner of on something that molecular biology and genetics department at Cornell University. for a more conventional postdoc Stanford University School of Medicine, technologies at the ASBMB DeLano Award for they are truly

32 ASBMB TODAY MAY 2015 MAY 2015 ASBMB TODAY 33 EDUCATION

Program managers Meeting the needs Erica Siebrasse ([email protected]) attended a small high school in rural Kansas before completing a bachelor’s in biochemistry/molecular biology at Hendrix College. In high school and college, she was very interested in science, particularly in infectious diseases. Siebrasse completed a Ph.D. in molecular microbiol- ogy at Washington University in St. Louis, where she discovered new viruses and studied how these viruses of a diverse membership SIEBRASSE infect humans. While in graduate school, Siebrasse also helped run a large science-outreach organization. Her lab and volunteer experiences led her to seek a career outside the lab where she could work with people to use A look at your ASBMB education department science to improve society. After graduate school, Siebrasse was a science policy fellow at the ASBMB before taking her current position. By Erica Siebrasse & Andrew Macintyre Andrew Macintyre ([email protected]) grew up in Scotland, where he earned an undergraduate degree in biochemistry at the University of Glasgow and a Ph.D. in molecular and cellular biology at the University of Dundee. During graduate school, Macintyre became interested in the role of sugar metabolism in immune cell fate, a topic that largely had been overlooked for 40 years. After some globetrotting interview trips, he re you an undergrad, grad stu- and students a nationally recognized core biochemistry and molecular MACINTYRE took a postdoctoral position at Duke University in North Carolina, where he worked with leaders in the dent, postdoc, faculty member, marker of achievement. Programs biology foundational concepts and field and many clinical collaborators. Toward the end of his postdoctoral stint, Macintyre spent a lot of time mentoring A department leader, research interested in accreditation can find skills identified at the workshops and graduate and undergraduate students, eventually teaching an undergraduate biochemistry course at a local staff member or scientist — research more information on the accreditation a compilation of assessment instru- college. He enjoyed working with this cross-section of the biochemical community, leading him to take on his current or nonresearch — working outside website. The next application deadline ments and tools are already available role at the ASBMB. academia? Oh, wait! Did we just is Oct. 15. on the website (http://asbmb.org/ For early career scientists. include the entire membership of the The education/). ment runs the Partnership for Diver- research is growing, and their needs volunteer their time and expertise. American Society for Biochemistry society began hosting an annual Educators interested in the project sity listserv and organizes the Research are diverse. The society has a number In particular, members of the EPD, grant-writing workshop in 2013. The should consider attending our upcom- and Molecular Biology? Spotlight series, which profiles the of resources available to undergradu- minority affairs and student chapters The ASBMB education and profes- workshop is designed to help senior ing workshop at the University of accomplishments of scientists from ates, educators and faculty members, committees have worked incredibly sional development department aims postdoctoral fellows and early-career Michigan-Dearborn on May 30 or diverse backgrounds. At the 2015 but we aim to expand and improve hard to ensure the ASBMB has qual- to provide resources for members faculty, particularly those from under- our special symposium on trans- annual meeting in March, the society our initiatives to serve other groups ity programs to offer its members. at all stages of their careers. As new represented backgrounds, develop suc- forming undergraduate education announced a new undergraduate within the community. In addition, more than 70 ASBMB department managers, we are plan- cessful National Science Foundation in the molecular life sciences July 30 scholarship to recognize students who For all members. We are also education fellows have contributed to ning to continue the excellent initia- grant applications. through Aug. 2 in St. Joseph, Mo. contribute to the diversity of the field. enhancing the content available on the development and administration tives the society offers while expand- The program includes mock review For undergraduates. The ASBMB our website, including the education, of the accreditation program. ing our programming to support panels, presentations from NSF pro- Student Chapters program (formerly Future initiatives minority affairs and careers sections. More information on the programs the needs of our increasingly diverse gram directors and panel discussions the Undergraduate Affiliate Network) We intend to make it clearer where and committees is on the education membership. on how to respond to reviewer feed- provides networking and career For graduate students and postdoc- resources are located and to improve department website: http://asbmb. back. Critically, workshop participants development opportunities at regional toral scientists. The EPD committee and expand existing resources. These org/education/. It is our hope that receive individualized feedback on and national conferences, access to recently established a new subcom- Established and ongoing changes will come alongside the work the education department reflects the their proposals. The next workshop is research and science outreach, and mittee to study how better to support of the new EPD subcommittee. needs of our membership. If you have programs scheduled for June 4 – 6 in Washing- funding awards to facilitate these graduate student and postdoctoral The programs and ideas described ideas or would like to get involved in For biochemistry and molecular ton, D.C. aims. There are currently 100 ASBMB members. In particular, the number above would not be possible without any of our programs, please contact us biology programs. The ASBMB For educators. The ASBMB student chapters nationwide. Those of people holding Ph.D.s who are the many ASBMB members who at [email protected]. began its accreditation program in received a grant from the NSF in interested in establishing a chapter pursuing careers outside of academic 2013 as a way to recognize under- 2010 to develop the concept-driven must have a faculty mentor and five graduate biochemistry and molecular teaching strategies project. The students interested in membership. biology programs that fulfill the edu- project’s goal is to develop a resource To help undergraduates find Designing Scientific Teaching Tools for Underlying cational expectations of the society; library of classroom tools to help summer research opportunities, Concepts and Skills for BMB Education to provide access to an independent biochemistry and molecular biology the society maintains a database of This workshop is designed to increase participant knowledge and use instrument to assess student achieve- educators. opportunities across the U.S. While of student assessment techniques around the pre-identified biochem- ment and program effectiveness; and Over the past five years, the most students probably already have istry and molecular biology underlying core concepts and to actively to provide a mechanism for students project’s leaders have hosted work- made their summer plans, research engage participants in creating assessment tools and best practices. This to obtain certified degrees. To date, shops across the country to bring programs can begin submitting new workshop is open to all undergraduate faculty, postdoctoral fellow and 30 undergraduate programs have been together educators with expertise in or updated 2016 information now. graduate students interested in undergraduate science education. accredited. concept inventory development, sci- For members interested in increas- University of Michigan–Dearborn, Cost: Free Students from accredited programs ence education research and student ing diversity. The ASBMB is com- Saturday, May 30, 2015, Hosts: Marilee Benore, Peter Oelkers are entitled to take the ASBMB certi- assessment. While the full resource mitted to supporting and promoting Presenters: Cheryl Bailey, Joseph Provost fication exam. The exam offers schools library is still in development, the diversity in BMB. The EPD depart- IMAGE COURTESY OF UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN-DEARBORN

34 ASBMB TODAY MAY 2015 MAY 2015 ASBMB TODAY 35 EDUCATION Upcoming ASBMB events and deadlines May 7: Early registration deadline for ASBMB Special Symposium: Transforming Undergraduate Education

MAY in Molecular Life Sciences meeting, Saint Joseph, Mo. 11 tips for your first May 15: Proposal deadline for sessions at ASBMB 2016 Annual Meeting to be led by graduate students and postdocs May 30 – June 2: American Society for Microbiology meeting, New Orleans, Journal of Biological Chemistry undergraduate booth #119

June 2: 2016 ASBMB awards nominations deadline June 5: Abstract deadline for ASBMB Special Symposium: Transforming Undergraduate Education in JUNE research experience Molecular Life Sciences, Saint Joseph, Mo. June 10 – 12: ASBMB Hill Day, Washington, D.C. By Shane Falcinelli June 11: Short talk abstract deadline for ASBMB Special Symposium: Membrane-Anchored Serine Proteases, Potomac, Md. June 18: Early registration deadline for ASBMB Special Symposium: Membrane-Anchored Serine Proteases, o you have been accepted to 4. Take initiative and work hard. Potomac, Md. that summer research internship If you think of an interesting experi- June 25 –28: ASBMB Special Symposium: Evolution and Core Processes in Gene Regulation, St. Louis, Mo. S you applied for? Congratula- ment, ask your mentor about doing it. tions! You have worked hard to get to Offer to help with laboratory or office July 1: Deadline for call for papers for Molecular & Cellular Proteomics special issue on chromatin biology

this point. But now what? You may duties such as taking out the trash. JULY and epigenetics have questions like these: “How can 5. Ask good questions. Before July 30 – Aug. 2: ASBMB Special Symposium: Transforming Undergraduate Education in Molecular Life I be successful this summer? Will you ask for help, try to solve the Sciences, Saint Joseph, Mo. my supervisor like me? What will be problem yourself. Scientific literature expected of me?” and product protocols are often very Sept. 17 – 20: ASBMB Special Symposium: Membrane-Anchored Serine Proteases, Potomac, Md. As a summer intern in research helpful. But make sure you ultimately Sept. 27 – 30: 14th Human Proteome Organization World Congress (HUPO 2015), Vancouver, Canada, laboratories for the past four sum- understand why you are doing what SEPT Molecular & Cellular Proteomics booth #413 mers, I have asked myself these ques- you are doing — do not be afraid to tions. Here are some tips that I have ask questions if you cannot solve the learned: problem on your own! 1. Be enthusiastic. First impres- 6. Be a good listener. Many sions are important. Showing your people in the laboratory you will be supervisor and principal investigator joining have worked there for years. that you are excited and grateful to They have extensive knowledge about ask yourself: “Does what I am doing work for them will start you off on the what you will be working on; use this make sense? Is there a better way I right foot. Say, “Thank you for having to your advantage! Listening to some- could test this hypothesis?” me,” and greet your supervisor with a one who has experience with a certain 10. Keep a good laboratory note- firm handshake on your first day. technique could save you weeks of book. One of my mentors once told 2. Dress the part. Most laborato- trial and error. me: “If you did not write it down, it ries do not require a suit and tie. At 7. Get to know your mentor and did not happen.” Also, developing the the same time, though, jeans and a laboratory members. Take a genuine ability clearly to express your work is T-shirt often will not suffice. Try to interest in the projects and lives of a skill you can take with you wherever CALL FOR PAPERS: mirror what your supervisor wears. the other people in your laboratory. you go. Looking professional will give others Learning to build connections with 11. Enjoy the ride. Be serious and the impression that you are autono- people is instrumental to your future put effort into your work, but do not Chromatin Biology mous and capable of doing good successes. be too attached to the results. Science work. 8. Accept that failure is a part is a process, and summer internships and Epigenetics 3. Keep an open mind. You might of science. Experiments often will should give you a sense of what that not get your first choice of project. fail, even if you executed everything process is. Do your best, enjoy the The Journal of Molecular & Cellular Proteomics Not every experiment or task will be perfectly. Use your failed experiments experience and do not stress too much invites submissions for a special issue on chromatin fun or interesting. Be open to learning to inform your future work. when things do not go as planned. biology and epigenetics. The deadline for manu- all that you can, and do your best to 9. Always think about what you scripts is July 1. The issue will be published by the pick up skills such as being adapt- are doing. Experiments can become Shane Falcinelli ([email protected]) is a end of the year. www.mcponline.org able, anticipating needs and solving monotonous. It is easy simply to fol- junior at the University of Maryland, College Park, studying microbiology and global poverty. problems. low a protocol. Always stay alert and IMAGE COURTESY OF IMAGE COURTESY OF RICHARD WHEELER (ZEPHYRIS) 2005.

36 ASBMB TODAY MAY 2015