Search for Editor-in-Chief

The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology welcomes nominations and applications for the position of editor-in-chief of the Journal of Biological Chemistry. The JBC publishes original research that makes novel and important contributions to the study of the molecular and cellular bases of biological processes. The next editor-in-chief should be a public-facing thought leader, a committed advocate for authors and readers, a leader who listens and delegates, and an active researcher of significant accomplishment.

Candidates should possess: • broad, general knowledge of biological chemistry; • strategic planning experience; • a commitment to publishing the very best science; • an appreciation for data-driven decision making; • the ability and desire to recruit outstanding scientists to serve as contributors, associate editors and editorial board members; • a willingness to provide sustained and consistent editorial direction; • proven interpersonal, communication, leadership and coalition–building skills; • financial and business prowess; and • scientific editorial experience.

The editor-in-chief will: • provide visionary strategic direction, • act as the steward of the journal’s scientific content; • report results and next steps to ASBMB executives and elected leadership; • establish and refine journal policies and editorial guidelines; • lead inclusive, productive meetings for board members and associate editors; • respond to media requests; • collaborate with staff members and vendors; • represent the journal at meetings and other venues; and • write quarterly (or more frequent) editorials.

The editor-in-chief will serve a five-year term, with the possibility of reappointment. The ASBMB will provide administrative support and a stipend.

A search committee appointed by the president of the ASBMB will review nominations and applications. An application package should include a cover letter, a one-page vision for the journal and a CV (of no more than four pages) highlighting relevant experience and achievements.

Send nominations and applications by Jan. 1, 2016, to the ASBMB Editor-in-Chief Search Committee c/o ASBMB Senior Director of Publications and Content Development Nancy Rodnan ([email protected]). CONTENTS

NEWS FEATURES PERSPECTIVES

2 16 28 PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE SCIENCE ON A VISA CAREER INSIGHTS Getting it right Messages on bottles 24 4 MEET KATHRYN J. MOORE 31 NEWS FROM THE HILL HOBBIES Next-generation researchers 31 Eyes everywhere! find allies on the Hill 26 STEAM 32 Science and spices 5 The Petri painter 36 NEWS 16 Four ASBMB members win Nobel prizes OUTREACH Rajendrani 36 What you need to know Mukhopadhyay about the HOPES program writes about 6 the visa and 38 Community, suds and science MEMBER UPDATE immigration IN MEMORIAM process facing foreign-born 40 8 scientists. OPEN CHANNELS RETROSPECTIVE John A. Glomset 28 (1928 – 2015) 26 10 NEWS 10 Classifying pancreatic tumors 11 JOURNAL NEWS 11 Regulating fatty tissue 12 Actions of iron-dependent dioxygenases 13 Digging into grass sickness 14 Reproductive assist 14 Pulling apart the cytoskeleton

10 31

NOVEMBER 2015 ASBMB TODAY 1 PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

THE MEMBER MAGAZINE OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY Getting it right By Steven McKnight OFFICERS COUNCIL MEMBERS Steven McKnight Squire J. Booker President Karen G. Fleming Gregory Gatto Jr. omewhere around 30 years ago, the review group recognized that the Natalie Ahn Rachel Green a young scientist sent a grant science might hold great promise. President-Elect Susan Marqusee application to the National The applicant was James Allison. Karen Allen Jared Rutter S Secretary Brenda Schulman Insitutes of Health. The scientist His antibodies were recognizing the Michael Summers worked at an obscure research center T-cell receptor — which, of course, Toni Antalis Treasurer ASBMB TODAY EDITORIAL in Smithville, Texas — an institution varies from T cell to T cell in order ADVISORY BOARD as far as imaginable from being elite. to establish specificity for that arm of EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS Charles Brenner The grant proposal dealt with a series the immune-response pathway. The Squire Booker Chair of antibodies made by the applicant reviewer was Marian Koshland. The Wei Yang Michael Bradley Co-chairs, 2016 Annual Floyd “Ski” Chilton to T cells of the immune system. The grant was funded. Koshland was Meeting Program Cristy Gelling pattern of reactivity of the antibodies so impressed with the application Committee Peter J. Kennelly was weird, giving evidence that differ- that she and her colleagues recruited Peter J. Kennelly Rajini Rao ent T cells had surprisingly variable Allison from Texas to the Univer- Chair, Education and Yolanda Sanchez Professional Development Shiladitya Sengupta patterns of reactivity to the panel sity of California, Berkeley. There, Committee Carol Shoulders of antibodies. Irrespective of the Allison studied the pathways control- Daniel Raben weirdness of the science, the young ling T-cell activation, helping him ASBMB TODAY Chair, Meetings Committee age of the applicant, and the obscure to co-discover that a T-cell protein Angela Hopp Takita Felder Sumter Executive Editor, nature of the institution to which the called CTLA4 normally dampens the Chair, Minority Affairs [email protected] Committee applicant was affiliated, a member of immune response pathway. While at Lauren Dockett Thomas Baldwin Managing Editor, Chair, Outreach Committee [email protected] Wes Sundquist Rajendrani Mukhopadhyay Chair, Public Affairs Chief Science Correspondent, Advisory Committee [email protected] Blake Hill Valery Masterson Chair, Publications Designer, Committee [email protected] Lauri Pantos F. Peter Guengerich Manager of Publications Interim editor-in-chief, JBC Technology, [email protected] Herbert Tabor Ciarán Finn Co-editor, JBC Web Publication Assistant, [email protected] A. L. Burlingame Editor, MCP Allison Frick Media Specialist, Edward A. Dennis [email protected] Joseph L. Witztum Barbara Gordon Co-editors, JLR Executive Director, [email protected]

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www.asbmb.org/asbmbtoday PRINT ISSN 2372-0409 Articles published in ASBMB Today reflect solely the authors’ views and not the official positions of the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology or the institutions with which the authors are affiliated. Mentions of products or services are not endorsements.

©2015 ASBMB

2 ASBMB TODAY NOVEMBER 2015 UC Berkeley, Allison also began his simply studying fundamental biology. scientists working — when they hit it quest to discover therapeutic antibod- Second, Allison’s initial discovery of big — in obscurity. ies that might relieve the inhibitory merit came while he was working at How, I ask, can we communicate activity of CTLA4 and thereby stimu- an obscure research institution. One the need to preserve a culture that late the immune-response pathway. does not have to be in the imperial fosters individuality? How do we say Fast-forward, and we see that halls of science to make discoveries of to the people of power that the very Allison’s science has led to one of consequence. Third, the grant-review best way forward has no plan or blue- the biggest breakthroughs in cancer system was successful in sorting the print at all — other than the support treatment ever: the development of wheat from the chaff in its evaluation of creative scientists willing to risk therapeutic antibodies that assist the of Allison’s first grant application. their careers on problems of unknown immune systems of patients in clear- Who knows, if not for Koshland’s value? Without knowing what will ing away tumor cells. Allison was the eagle eye for scientific merit, mela- make the biggest difference, how do 2015 winner of the Lasker–DeBakey noma patients might not be benefiting we choose which projects to support? Clinical Medical Research Award. from Allison’s antibody to CTLA4. My wish is that more reviewers of What a wonderful story! Many members of the American grant applications would, as Koshland What nuggets of information can Society for Biochemistry and Molecu- did, put more value in unique ideas we learn from this story? First and lar Biology are basic scientists. We and approaches than trendiness and foremost — to me — is the fact that study in our small nooks and crannies predictability. Allison’s work dealt exclusively with at the outskirts of the huge biomedical basic science. He wanted no more industrial research complex. The com- Steven McKnight (steven. [email protected]) than to understand the weird observa- plex is often loud in its promises to is president of the American tion that different antibodies could deliver breakthrough therapies to the Society for Biochemistry and distinguish variation on the surfaces of most vexing of human diseases. Some Molecular Biology and chairman of the biochemistry department different T cells. He did not set out of the most profound of advances can at the University of Texas-Southwestern Medical to find treatments for cancer; he was often be traced to cottage industry Center at Dallas.

NOVEMBER 2015 ASBMB TODAY 3 NEWS FROM THE HILL Next-generation researchers find allies on the Hill By Sarah K. Martin

hen National Institutes of ducing legislation to protect the future without supporting and investing in Health Director Francis Col- of research, science and innovation the next generation of researchers.” W lins testified before Congress as sponsors of The Next Generation in March, he highlighted challenges Researchers Act. Their act proposes facing the next generation of research- creating an initiative within the NIH New versus early-stage ers. “I try to contemplate the future Office of the Director that will coordi- investigators of where biomedical research can go nate those NIH policies that promote in the United States,” Collins said. opportunities for new researchers and “(New investigators) are finding them- earlier research independence. The National Institutes of selves in a situation that is the least The Next Generation of Research- Health define an investigator supportive of that image in 50 years. ers Initiative is designed to manage as new if he or she is an NIH They look ahead of them and see the the Pathway to Independence Award, research grant applicant who more senior scientists struggling to the NIH Director’s New Innovator has not previously competed keep their labs going and suffering Award and the early-stage investiga- successfully for a substantial, rejection after rejection of grants that tors grant-review procedures. It also NIH-independent research previously would have been support- seeks new policies to increase men- award other than grants for ive. And they wonder, ‘Do we really torship for early stage investigators, early-stage investigators; small want to sign up for that?’ And many expand workforce diversity, improve research grants; or awards of them, regrettably, are making the workforce data collection and address for training, infrastructure or decision to walk away.” the challenges of renewal funding. career enhancement. In 1980, the average age of inves- Furthermore, the legislation directs The NIH define an investi- tigators receiving first R01-equivalent the National Academy of Sciences gator as early stage if he or she grants from the NIH was 35. By to produce a comprehensive report is a new investigator who has 2001, it was 42. Since then, the aver- on fostering the next generation of completed his or her terminal age age has continued to rise for M.D. researchers. The report would evalu- research degree or medical and M.D./Ph.D. investigators and has ate barriers to entry into biomedical residency within the past 10 stabilized for those with Ph.D.s. Fac- research, current NIH policies and the years and has not yet won a ing a stagnant federal research budget effect of the Budget Control Act on substantial, competing NIH and a reduction in the NIH’s purchas- the biomedical workforce. research grant. ing power, new investigators face great “In order for America to out- difficulties renewing grant funding. innovate the rest of the world An average of only one in six investi- and create an economy built to last, gators receive a second NIH grant. we must protect and strengthen Sarah K. Martin (smartin@ asbmb.org) is the science policy U.S. Sens. Tammy Baldwin, our investments in research, science fellow at the ASBMB. D-Wisc., and Susan Collins, R-Maine, and innovation,” said Baldwin in a want this to change. They are intro- statement. “We can’t accomplish this

Interested in science policy? Follow our blog for news, analysis and commentary on policy issues affecting scientists, research funding and society. Visit policy.asbmb.org.

4 ASBMB TODAY NOVEMBER 2015 NEWS Four ASBMB members win Nobel prizes By Angela Hopp

he Royal Swedish Academy of Crick Institute an editorial board member for the Sciences announced in October in London, ASBMB’s Journal of Biological Chem- T that four members of the Ameri- Paul Modrich istry. The prize announcement cited can Society for Biochemistry and at Duke his work on the nucleotide excision Molecular Biology won 2015 Nobel University repair pathway. Prizes. School of “How wonderful it is each fall ASBMB Medicine, and to see the news from Stockholm on member Aziz Sancar at Nobel prize winners,” ASBMB Presi- Satoshi Ōmura MODRICH the University dent Steven McKnight said. “This was of Kitasato of North a bonanza year for those of us who University is Carolina, Chapel Hill, won the Nobel revere biochemists.” one of three in chemistry “for having mapped, The JBC has featured the work of winners of the at a molecular level, how cells repair Modrich and Sancar in two articles Nobel Prize for damaged DNA and safeguard the known as “Classics”: “Understanding ŌMURA medicine or genetic information,” the academy DNA mismatch Repair: the work of physiology for said. Paul L. Modrich” and “DNA repair work on therapies for parasitic infec- Lindahl was born in Sweden, mechanisms: the work of Aziz Sancar.” tions. Ōmura won half of the prize earned his Ph.D. from the Karolinska Lindahl also has published several with William Campbell of Drew Uni- Institute and worked at the Univer- papers in the JBC. versity for the discovery of avermec- sity of Gothenburg. Today he is an In addition, as Forbes writer David tins, which “have radically lowered emeritus group leader and director Kroll quipped, “to the contrary of the the incidence of river blindness and of Cancer Research UK at Clare Hall perennial basketball rivalry between lymphatic filariasis,” the academy said Laboratory. The prize announcement Duke and UNC, the laboratories of in a statement. cited his work on base excision repair. Drs. Modrich and Sancar published a Ōmura was born in Japan and Modrich was born in the U.S. collaborative paper just last year, in the earned a master’s degree from Tokyo and earned his Ph.D. from Stanford (JBC).” That paper was “Coupling of Science University, a Ph.D. from University. He is a Howard Hughes human DNA excision repair and the the University of Tokyo and another Medical Institute investigator and DNA damage checkpoint in a defined Ph.D. from Tokyo University of Sci- a professor in vitro system.” ence. Today he is an emeritus profes- at Duke’s F. Peter Guengerich, interim editor- sor at Kitasato University. medical school. in-chief of the JBC, commented: The other half of the prize went The prize “The repair of DNA is an extremely to Youyou Tu, the first China-based announcement important biochemical phenomenon. scientist to win cited his work Humans have more than 100 genes the award, for on DNA mis- devoted to this system. Many genetic her discovery match repair. diseases are due to deficiencies in this of the anti- Sancar was system … We are very happy to see malarial drug SANCAR born in Turkey their work recognized.” artemisinin. and earned his ASBMB Ph.D. from the University of Texas Angela Hopp ([email protected]) is executive members at Dallas. He is a professor at UNC’s editor of ASBMB Today and communications director for the ASBMB. Tomas Lindahl medical school, a Howard Hughes Rajendrani Mukhopadhyay (rmukhopadhyay@ LINDAHL at the Francis Medical Institute investigator and asbmb.org) contributed to this report.

NOVEMBER 2015 ASBMB TODAY 5 MEMBER UPDATE

Luger wins funding ticle, which targets newly synthesized Prize. The international award carries proteins to the endoplasmic reticulum an unrestricted prize of $500,000 for for genome institute for processing and maturation. Wal- “groundbreaking work” that enables Karolin Luger and ter’s work also led to the discovery of “fundamental shifts in knowledge and an interdisciplinary the unfolded protein response, which culture.” Doudna and Charpentier team of investigators is a major quality-control system used were recognized for characterizing the have been awarded a to regulate misfolded proteins in cells. CRISPR-Cas9 system. The CRISPR- LUGER grant from Colorado Professor in the biochemistry and Cas9 system is a bacterial defense State University to biophysics department at the Univer- mechanism that can cleave and edit support the Institute for Genome sity of California, San Francisco, Wal- foreign DNA. Their discovery marks Architecture and Function. Luger ter is an investigator with the Howard a shift in the progress of scientific is on the board of directors of the Hughes Medical Institute. A National research, as the system can be utilized institute, which operates as a multi- Academy of Sciences member, he has for targeted genome editing in a university hub for studying genome won the Shaw Prize and the Albert variety of model organisms. Doudna architecture and function in Colo- Lasker Basic Medical Research Award. is a professor of biochemistry and rado, combining interdisciplinary He will give a plenary lecture at the molecular biology at the University research approaches to develop novel 2016 ASBMB annual meeting in of California, Berkeley. She is also an technologies and foster innovation. March in San Diego. investigator at the Howard Hughes The $200,000 award is sponsored by Medical Institute. Doudna was elected the Office of the Vice President for AAI award for Kanneganti to the National Academy of Sciences Research at CSU as part of its Catalyst in 2002 and the Institute of Medicine Thirumala-Devi for Innovative Partnerships program. in 2010. Among her many accolades Kanneganti received The IGAF also provides support for are the Eli Lilly Award in Biological the 2015 AAI-BD investigators and training for students Chemistry, the Alan T. Waterman Biosciences Inves- in a collaborative research environ- Awar, the Lurie Prize in Biomedical tigator Award for ment. Luger recently moved her lab to KANNEGANTI Sciences, and the 2013 Mildred Cohn her outstanding the University of Colorado, Boulder, Award in Biological Chemistry from early-career research contributions to where she holds the Jenny Smoley the ASBMB. the field of immunology. Kanneganti Carruthers Endowed Chair for Chem- Written by Christine Lee is a researcher in the department of istry and Biochemistry and studies immunology at the St. Jude Children’s chromatin architecture and dynamics Research Hospital in Memphis, Tenn. IN MEMORIAM: though molecular and structural biol- Kanneganti was nominated for the Richard Neil Armstrong ogy techniques. An investigator at the prize by Nobel laureate Peter Doherty, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, (1948 – 2015) who praised her as an extraordinary Luger has received the Searle Scholar investigator with a broad view of her Richard Neil Award, the Monfort Professor Award field. Kanneganti has been a member Armstrong, professor and the State Science Prize of Vorarl- of the St. Jude faculty since 2007. of biochemistry and berg, Austria. Her laboratory focuses on how the chemistry at Vander- bilt University, died innate immune system recognizes CREDIT: VANDERBILT Walter gets UNIVERSITY in June. He was 66. and responds to pathogens and how Vilcek Prize Armstrong was born in Boon- genetic mutations affect the develop- ville, Mo., on Dec. 14, 1948. After Peter Walter is the ment of inflammatory and autoim- undergraduate studies in chemistry 2015 recipient of the mune diseases. at Western Illinois University, he WALTER Vilcek Prize in Bio- obtained a Ph.D. in organic chemistry medical Science. The yearly $100,000 Doudna wins 2015 Gruber from Marquette University. He was a prize honors immigrant contributions postdoc at the University of Chicago to major American achievements. Genetics Prize and a staff fellow at the then National Recognized by the Vilcek Foundation Jennifer Doudna, Institute of Arthritis, Metabolism and for his seminal discoveries in cel- along with her col- Digestive Disease (since renamed), lular protein quality control, Walter laborator Emmanu- before joining the chemistry depart- is known for his contributions to elle Charpentier, won ment at the University of Maryland. describing the signal recognition par- DOUDNA the Gruber Genetics In 1995, Armstrong became a profes-

6 ASBMB TODAY NOVEMBER 2015 IN MEMORIAM sor of biochemistry and chemistry at acumen, Hess was a John S. Gug- ined.” Sosinsky was born on April 15, Vanderbilt University. genheim fellow, a Fulbright senior 1955, in New York City. The daughter Highly respected for his research research scholar and a recipient of the of a bookkeeper and a college chem- into detoxification enzymes, which aid Alexander von Humboldt Award. A istry lecturer, she developed an early in an organism’s ability to resist harm- member of the National Academy of interest in science and medicine. The ful chemicals, in 2004, Armstrong Sciences and the American Academy family left New York for the Chicago became editor-in-chief of the journal of Arts and Sciences, Hess was also suburbs, where Sosinsky finished high Biochemistry. He was elected a fellow a highly regarded professor recog- school. She received her undergraduate of both the American Association for nized twice by the Cornell Merrill degree in biology from the University the Advancement of Science and the Presidential Scholars as an outstanding of Chicago and a Ph.D. in biophys- American Chemical Society. The ACS educator. ics from the University of California, presented Armstrong with the Repli- Hess is survived by his wife of 35 Berkeley, graduating in 1983. Accord- gen Award for Chemistry of Biological years, Susan Coombs, and four sons. ing to her husband, Berkeley is where Processes and named him an Arthur Written by Erik Chaulk she first began to work as an electron C. Cope Scholar in 2014. Addition- microscopist interested in visualizing ally, Vanderbilt honored him with the Gina Sosinsky macromolecular specimens. Stanley Cohen Award for Outstanding (1955 – 2015) Sosinsky’s postdoc research at Contributions to Research in 2005. Brandeis University, on gap junc- A ham radio aficionado and lone Gina Sosinsky, tions and their imaging, took place proprietor of “Uncle Ricky’s Fishing professor-in-residence in the laboratory of Don Caspar and School,” Armstrong is survived by his in the neurosciences David DeRosier and involved a col- wife of 31 years, Mary Frances Clark, department at the laboration with Dan Goodenough at and two children. University of Califor- Harvard University. Sosinsky met her nia, San Diego, died husband, John Badger, when he too George Paul Hess in September of complications from a joined Caspar’s lab as a postdoc. The bone marrow transplant. She was 60. (1924 – 2015) couple married while still at Brandeis A leader in the field of high-resolution and moved together to San Diego. George Paul Hess, microscopy, Sosinsky made significant Sosinsky became an assistant professor professor emeritus contributions to the understanding of at UCSD in 1995. of biochemistry at gap junctions. Sosinsky served as the assistant Cornell University, By deciphering their molecular director of the National Center for passed away in Sep- structures through electron micros- Microscopy and Imaging Research at tember. He was 92. copy, atomic force microscopy and UCSD, was biological director of the Hess was born in Vienna, Austria, other techniques, Sosinky’s research Microscopy Society of America from and moved to the U.S. as a teenager. led to the elucidation of submolecular 2010 to 2012 and was an advocate for He completed his undergraduate and structures of gap junctions composed women in science and engineering, doctoral studies in biochemistry at the of connexin 26. (Connexin 26 is the spending seven years as co-chair of the University of California, Berkeley, and smallest of the family of proteins that UCSD Women in Science Commit- did postdoctoral training in chemistry make up gap junctions.) Her work tee. She also served on the editorial at the Massachusetts Institute of Tech- extended to nodes of Ranvier and their board for the Journal of Biological nology. In 1955, Hess joined Cornell relation to gap junction structure. Chemistry. For her manifold contributions to University’s molecular biology and Sosinsky was a movie buff who genetics department, where he would science in general and to microscopy enjoyed old-time musicals and sci- work for more than 50 years. in particular, she was awarded the Hess’ research focused on the Morton D. Maser award in 2012 from ence fiction movies. She also loved to structure and function of membrane- the Microscopy Society of America. swim, hike, ski and snorkel. In the last bound proteins that regulate commu- Sosinsky’s longtime collaborator, decade of her life, she had overcome nication between cells in the nervous friend and fellow UCSD professor several recurrences of ovarian cancer Susan S. Taylor called her “A gifted system. He led a research group that and in her last weeks made efforts to developed new methods of exploring scientist, a special friend and … a ensure members of her lab would be these proteins including a laser-pulse special mentor to each of us in so photolysis method and light-activated many ways … With her magical tools OK. She left behind her husband and neurotransmitters. she taught us to see the world of biol- three teenage sons. Highly respected for his research ogy in ways that we had not imag- Written by Samarpita Sengupta

NOVEMBER 2015 ASBMB TODAY 7 RETROSPECTIVE John A. Glomset (1928 – 2015) By Henry N. Higgs

“Nature is trying to tell us some- which nature could provide informa- thing. In fact, she’s screaming in our tion in its own time. This approach ears. If we would only listen.” paid off at least twice for him. The I’ve long forgotten the topic of first time was his discovery of platelet- the seminar in which John Glomset derived growth factor with Russell offered these remarkable words. But Ross in the 1970s. The finding came I jotted them down and am sharing out of their serum preparations for them here because they so succinctly cell-culture experiments. Changing describe his approach to science. the centrifuge used in the preparation John’s career was large in scope: from significantly altered the cell growth the biophysics of lipid–lipid interac- activity of the resulting serum. Many tions to medical aspects of cholesterol might have discounted this as an transport. All along, his consideration irritation. But John felt that nature of natural processes was at the fore was screaming in his ear. He and Ross of his work. I keep this in mind as I determined that the difference was in attempt to summarize his long and the degree of platelet contamination, eventful life in the sciences. which led them to purify this impor- John was born in Des Moines, tant growth factor. Iowa, on Nov. 2, 1928. Following The second discovery was protein something of a family tradition, he prenylation. At the time, John was John Glomset attended the University of Chicago tracking cholesterol metabolism by highly transient entities that could as an undergraduate. He went on to treating cells with a radioactive syn- reorganize dramatically at the slightest medical school at the University of thetic intermediate. While isolating change (e.g., phospholipase activity). Uppsala in Uppsala, Sweden, where he cholesterol fractions from the cells, he In this way, membrane signaling could met his future wife, Britt. They were continually found that a portion of induce much more than the simple together happily for the rest of his life. the radioactivity ended up in a non- modification of an individual lipid or Having completed both a medical lipid fraction. He could have ignored protein, instead creating larger-scale degree and a Ph.D. in medical chemis- this fraction, but again he listened changes in membrane organization. try at Uppsala, John obtained a faculty to nature. He teamed up with Mike The idea of lipid domains now position at the University of Washing- Gelb in a very fruitful collaboration, is generally accepted, thanks to the ton in 1960 and would stay there for and together they identified a protein work of many labs. As was typical the rest of his career. His early work (lamin B) that was covalently modified with John, most of his work remained focused on cholesterol metabolism by a farnesyl moiety. unpublished and would have been and transport, with his major contri- In 1991, I joined John’s lab as a difficult to interpret as work on lipid bution being the discovery of lecithin- graduate student and was captivated domains even if published. John took cholesterol acyl transferase, or LCAT, by his research passion at the time two approaches: the examination of a central enzyme in the packaging of — phospholipid heterogeneity in biosynthetic pathways and molecular cholesterol into lipoproteins. This was mammalian cells. Why do cells have- modeling. In the first approach, John a heady time in cholesterol research, hundreds of different phospholipids, would force cells to synthesize certain and John’s work contributed signifi- varying in headgroup and fatty acyl phospholipid species that they did not cantly to the field. chains in a dizzying array of com- ordinarily possess. The cells would While following this research path, binations? John’s idea was that their John always was listening to nature. specific chemical properties would rapidly remodel these lipids to very That’s how he did science. Instead of cause subtly different packing proper- specific combinations of fatty acyl forcing information out of natural ties, resulting in membrane domains. chains through transacylation and processes, he designed scenarios in These domains would be small and acyltransferase reactions, with distinct

8 ASBMB TODAY NOVEMBER 2015 fingerprints of fatty acyl combina- He knew how lucky he was to be able test them critically. The instant you tions for each headgroup. John was to follow his scientific passions. While get clear evidence that your model fascinated by both the intricacy and not universally known, he was a How- is wrong, change it. You must have the robustness of these responses. ard Hughes Medical Institute inves- the sense to balance the love of your Nature was most definitely trying to tigator for many years, was elected to model with what the data tell you. The tell us something. John’s hypothesis the National Academy of Sciences in benefit of this love affair is that even was that these precise combinations 1990 and was well regarded by those if it is ill-fated, it will take you on a of lipids were essential for appropriate who did know him. Nobelists Michael wonderful journey, and you will learn membrane domains. Brown and Joe Goldstein would say, something. John would engage oth- John’s molecular modeling “Read Glomset’s papers. They will ers in these love affairs through long approach was a collaboration with seem odd now, but they will be crucial conversations. Unbeknownst to him, Howard Brockman.. The two found in 10 years.” the lab defined the John Unit, or JU, that phospholipids containing one Outside of science, John and Britt as one hour spent “discussing” science, saturated and one polyunsaturated raised two sons, Peter and Nils, who which took the form of listening to chain could pack more tightly than have successfully pursued their own John. I logged many JUs in all sorts of lipids containing one saturated and paths. Carpentry was John’s passion, places. one monounsaturated chain. These and he built much of the family home Through these conversations, one findings ran counter to the prevailing near Seattle as well as their vacation could understand John’s ideas, which simplistic idea that more unsatura- home on the Olympic Peninsula. were deep if not always testable. They tion causes looser bilayer packing. The One final word on John’s somewhat painted a picture, a beautiful one. I key here, again, was John listening unusual scientific philosophy. I have think John would allow me to modify to nature by modeling phospholip- been told many times, “Do not fall in his original lines: Nature is painting ids that actually exist in mammalian love with your models; they compro- a picture for us. It is right before our membranes. These late works rarely mise objectivity.” John’s philosophy eyes. If we would only open them and got published, which is a shame, was almost diametrically opposed: see it. because the findings were profound Fall in love with your models, nurture Henry N. Higgs ([email protected]) is and somewhat ahead of their time. them and turn them over lovingly in professor of biochemistry at the Geisel School of John referred to his life as charmed. your hands. All the while, however, Medicine at Dartmouth College.

NOVEMBER 2015 ASBMB TODAY 9 NEWS Classifying pancreatic tumors By Indumathi Sridharan

ancreatic cancer is types among PDA like a killer lurking tumor samples — P in the shadows. The normal and activated. disease spreads aggressively The activated stro- during early stages without mal type had higher causing specific symptoms. expression of tumor- Every year in the U.S., promoting genes and about 50,000 people are was linked to poor diagnosed with pancreatic survival outcomes in cancer. Most are diagnosed patients with PDA. at advanced stages when Other researchers even surgical removal of are looking at whole the cancer may prove to be genomes to classify ineffective. PDA. Sean Grim- About 80 percent of mond and colleagues patients will die within a at the University of year after diagnosis, and Queensland, Australia, ANNE WESTON, LONDON RESEARCH INSTITUTE, CANCER RESEARCH UK only 6 percent will survive (IMAGE AVAILABLE UNDER A CREATIVE COMMONS ATTRIBUTION, NONCOMMERCIAL, NO DERIVATIVES LICENSE) performed whole- beyond five years. Pancreatic cancer cells grown in culture. genome sequencing in November is pancreatic PDA tumor samples certain occupational exposures to dyes awareness month, highlighting the to assess variations in chromosomal and pesticides. Common symptoms urgent need for better diagnosis and structure that disrupt gene function. include profound weight loss, jaun- treatment methods for the disease. They classified the tumors into four dice (which can also cause itching), subtypes: stable, locally rearranged, nausea, appetite loss, abdominal pain scattered and unstable. Notably, the How does pancreatic and back pain. unstable tumors consisted of more cancer develop? than 200 structural variations, which The most common form of What are the latest primarily disrupted genes related to pancreatic cancer affects the exocrine research developments? DNA repair. As these unstable tumors tissue, which produces digestive lack proper DNA-repair mechanisms, Identifying heterogeneity in PDA enzymes. These exocrine tumors are they respond better to treatments like tumors is an important step toward called pancreatic adenocarcinoma, or platinum-based chemotherapy, which developing more targeted treatments. PDA. PDA develops either from pre- kills cancer cells by causing excessive Jen Jen Yeh and colleagues at the Uni- cancerous microscopic lesions or from DNA damage (2). versity of North Carolina are working larger, fluid-filled pancreatic cysts that on classifying PDA into subtypes can be seen on abdominal imaging Indumathi Sridharan (sridharan. based on the molecular characteris- studies. In most cases, the lesions are [email protected]) earned tics of the stroma, the dense tissue not detected, because they do not her bachelor’s degree in bioinfor- surrounding the cancerous tissue (1). matics in India. She holds a Ph.D. cause any symptoms. If detected early, Using mathematical approaches and in molecular biochemistry from the lesions can be cured. Illinois Institute of Technology, gene-expression analysis, the research- Chicago. She did her postdoctoral work in bion- What are the risk factors ers identified two distinct stromal anotechnology at Northwestern University.

and symptoms? REFERENCES Risk factors for pancreatic cancer 1.Moffitt, R.A. et al., Nat Gen, 47, 1168 – 1178 (2015). include family history, smoking and 2. Waddell, N. et al., Nature, 518, 495 – 501 (2015).

10 ASBMB TODAY NOVEMBER 2015 JOURNAL NEWS Regulating fatty tissue By Adam Cornish

any of us have gone on the knockout mice despite the diets to decrease body lean phenotype observed. Based M fat. But what if you on these findings, Bscl2 and needed to put on fat? People ADRB3 have a complex rela- born with Berardinelli-Seip tionship in maintaining whole- Congenital Lipodystrophy body homeostasis, but Bscl2 would do anything to gain just has a definitive role in lipolysis a few pounds. Patients suffering and browning of WAT in adult from the disease have mutations tissues. in their BSCL2 gene that result This discovery immediately in a lack of fatty tissue in the conjures ideas of treatments that body and a lack of functioning Bscl2 plays a role in browning adipose tissue. could regulate Bscl2 to induce adipoctyes for lipid storage. They the lean phenotype in obese develop insulin resistance, accu- hood, thus avoiding complicating individuals, but much remains mulate fat in both muscle and the factors that would arise in global to be discovered regarding the role(s) liver, and are prone to type 2 diabetes. knockouts during infancy. The body of Bscl2. Knockout mice fed a high- Recently, the role of Bscl2 regulation weight, food intake and energy expen- fat diet showed an increase in liver in mature adipocyte maintenance was ditures of the mice (versus a control mass of 130 percent. This likely was investigated and the results described group) were monitored for twelve due to heightened fatty acid synthe- in the Journal of Lipid Research. weeks after inducing Bscl2 knockout, sis and could act as a precursor to Two primary forms of adipose and the mice also were tested for fatty liver disease, a condition often tissue are present in the body: white resistance to insulin and glucose toler- observed in individuals with muta- and brown. White adipose tissue, ance. Intriguingly, the knockout mice tions in the gene. This emphasizes or WAT, mainly functions as energy showed decreased body fat, reduced that selective knockout or knockdown storage, releasing fatty acids into the food intake and slightly increased of the gene is unlikely to serve as an bloodstream to feed the body, while energy expenditure, overall leading effective weight-loss treatment. brown adipose tissue, or BAT, acts to leaner mice, even when placed on Further research is needed to tease to generate heat by consuming fat a high-fat diet. Insulin resistance was apart the detailed mechanism by stores and is predominant in infants, noted as observed in human subjects which Bscl2 regulates WAT forma- who cannot shiver in response to cold with BSCL2 mutations, but there was tion, browning and lipolysis and how temperatures. Interestingly, studies not a decrease in glucose tolerance, these effects intersect with ADRB3 have found that WAT can brown, presenting incomplete symptoms for signaling pathways to regulate energy forming beige tissue with increased type 2 diabetes. Importantly, body homeostasis. In particular, the struc- lipolysis and subsequently lowered WAT mass decreased sharply, and ture of Bscl2 needs to be resolved, lipid content. browning was noted in the remaining as there are no known homologs of Previously, global knockdown of tissues. the protein, limiting predictions of Bscl2 in mice resulted in widespread The impact of knocking out Bscl2 binding targets or effectors. The key ablation of WAT, while the remaining on gene expression in BAT and WAT to understanding WAT development white fat demonstrated substantial was measured using next-generation and browning lies in elucidating Bscl2 browning effects. These findings RNA sequencing. As expected, signaling pathways and its interac- compelled Hongyi Zhou and Weiqin genes involved in browning, lipoly- tion partners, which could provide Chen at Georgia Regents University sis and fatty acid oxidation all were essential information for the future to examine the role that Bscl2 plays in upregulated, establishing a basis for treatment of obesity. adipose development. reconnecting Bscl2 with beige cell To investigate the effects of Bscl2 formation and decreased lipid stores. The RNA sequencing also revealed Adam Cornish (acornis3@jhu. on mature adipocyte maintenance, edu) teaches advanced placement mouse models were generated to that ADRB3, a G-protein-coupled chemistry, blogs about science knockout Bscl2 specifically in adipose adrenergic receptor known to stimu- and pays too much attention to tissues after the mice reached adult- late lipolysis, was downregulated in national politics.

NOVEMBER 2015 ASBMB TODAY 11 JOURNAL NEWS Actions of iron-dependent dioxygenases By Christine C. Lee

ssential cellular processes Christopher J. Schofield at the Uni- including protein modification, versity of Oxford. Structural studies E DNA damage repair and epi- and reaction mechanisms featured genetic regulation require the activity in this review pointedly illustrate the of α-ketoglutarate (2-oxoglutarate contributions of Fe(II)- and 2OG- or 2OG) and other iron-dependent dependent oxygenases on enzymatic oxygenases. The eighth of the Journal activity and changes to macro- of Biological Chemistry’s thematic molecular structure. In particular, series on metals in biology features posttranslational hydroxylation of key topics related to this class of macromolecules, such as pro-collagen oxygenases. The editor of the series, and hypoxia-inducible factors, are reg- F. Peter Guengerich from Vanderbilt ulated by Fe(II)- and 2OG-dependent University, highlights recent advances oxygenases. In addition, N-demeth- in four key areas of Fe(II)- and 2OG- ylation of histones catalyzed by these dependent oxygenase biology: the oxygenases affects transcription and chemical mechanisms of catalysis; posttranscriptional events. This review posttranslational protein modifica- covers the importance of Fe(II)- and tions; epigenetic regulation by the 2OG-dependent oxygenases in regu- Fedeles and colleagues at the Mas- activity of the ten-eleven transloca- lating protein–protein interactions in sachusetts Institute of Technology tion, or Tet, dioxygenases; and the addition to regulatory roles in gene focus on nucleic acid damage repair, role of the AlkB family of oxygenases expression via histone methylation highlighting the AlkB family of in damaged DNA and RNA repair. and demethylation reactions. oxygenases. Studies have shown that The Fe(II)- and 2OG-dependent The epigenetic roles of 2OG- the bacterial AlkB oxygenases remove enzymes aid in overcoming kinetic dependent oxygenases are detailed methyl groups and lesions from barriers involved in biochemical further in the third minireview from DNA as a protective mechanism for reactions. The first review by Salette Hideharu Hashimoto, Xing Zhang, maintaining genome integrity. While Martinez and Robert P. Hausinger Paula Vertino and Xiaodong Cheng at precise functions remain unknown, at Michigan State University details Emory University. Iterative oxidations humans have nine AlkB homologs, mechanisms that require Fe(II)- and of the DNA base cytosine are per- two of which repair damaged DNA 2OG-dependent oxygenases to cata- formed by DNA methyltransferases, while the remaining homologs lyze hydroxylation, halogenation, ring which convert cytosine to 5-methylcy- demethylate RNA and proteins. This formation and desaturation reactions. tosisine, or 5meC; 5-hydroxymethyl- comprehensive review provides details Each of these four catalytic reactions cytosine, or 5hmC; 5-formylcytosine, on AlkB structure, mechanism, sub- is discussed in detail, with examples or 5fmC; and 5-carboxylcytosine, strate specificity and methodologies from human biology and commentary or 5caC. Cytosine modifications do for studying AlkB activity in vitro and on key enzymatic intermediates. This not affect base pairing but may affect in vivo. first minireview is central to under- epigenetic functions by changing Significant achievements in standing the fundamental mecha- macromolecular interactions and con- understanding the Fe(II)- and 2OG- nisms underlying the posttranslational trolling gene expression. A subset of dependent oxygenases featured in this modifications, epigenetic regulations, 5meC further is oxidized into 5hmC, minireview demonstrate the exciting and DNA and RNA repair processes 5fmC and 5caC by the activity of Tet potential in developing diagnostic covered in the subsequent dioxygenases, a type of 2OG-depen- tools to identify, investigate and treat minireviews. dent oxygenase. This review discusses human diseases. The roles of Fe(II)- and 2OG- the downstream implications of Tet Christine C. Lee (clee217@jhu. dependent oxygenases in posttransla- enzyme activity on transcription fac- edu) is a doctoral candidate in the tional modifications are presented in tor binding and base excision repair Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the Johns the second minireview from Suzana by DNA glycosylases. Hopkins Bloomberg School of Markolovic, Sarah E. Wilkins, and In the fourth minireview, Bogdan Public Health.

12 ASBMB TODAY NOVEMBER 2015 JOURNAL NEWS Digging into grass sickness Rare horse disease resembles human neurodegenerative disorders By Rajendrani Mukhophadhyay

ach year in the U.K., about 2 per- E cent of horses die from grass sickness. No one knows what causes the disease, but it does occur almost exclusively in grass-fed animals including ponies and donkeys. A similar disease is thought to afflict dogs, cats, rabbits, hares, llamas and possibly sheep. Researchers recently reported their analysis of tissue samples taken from horses stricken with the disease in the journal Molecular & Cellular Proteomics. In their attempt to under- stand what happens at BRUCE MCGORUM the molecular level of A horse suffering from grass sickness. equine grass sickness, Wishart says they do know which components of the ubiquitin pro- the researchers found misfolded and tissues are affected most consistently: teasome system. These proteins have dysregulated proteins in the tissues “We considered that a proteomic been implicated in human neurode- that resembled those found in human analysis would provide a snapshot of generative disorders. neurodegenerative conditions, such as the molecular processes in play within Finding this similarity between Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease those samples at that point in time.” human and horse neurodegenerative and Huntington’s disease. He points out that the work diseases, says Wishart, suggests the Animals with grass sickness usu- described in the MCP paper “is the aggregated or misregulated proteins ally suffer gut paralysis. The animals first application of modern proteomic are “more likely to be end-stage roll, sweat, drool and have trouble tools and in-silico analytical tech- regulators or late consequences rather swallowing. Animals acutely afflicted niques to equine neuronal tissues and than initiators of the degenerative with the disease usually have to be to an inherent neurodegenerative cascades.” euthanized. disease of large animals that is not a As equine grass sickness can be The disease is known to attack the model of human disease.” hard to diagnose in some horses, a neurons, but the causative agent is not The investigators found that the next step for the investigators is to see known. To get a look at what goes on expression levels of 506 proteins if they can come up with a noninva- at the molecular level, Thomas Wis- were changed in the ganglia taken sive diagnostic test. hart at The Roslin Institute in Scot- from horses felled by grass sickness. land teamed up with Bruce McGo- Rajendrani Mukhopadhyay Moreover, some of the proteins were ([email protected]) is rum at the University of Edinburgh’s misfolded, aggregated or in the wrong the chief science correspondent veterinary school. The investigators for the American Society for places. The proteins included amyloid applied proteomic techniques to Biochemistry and Molecular samples taken from horses that came precursor protein, the microtubule- Biology. Follow her on Twitter at twitter.com/rajmukhop. down with grass sickness. associated protein tau and several

NOVEMBER 2015 ASBMB TODAY 13 JOURNAL NEWS Reproductive assist Finding sheds light on infertility puzzle By Tracey Bryant

e don’t know if a sperm actu- among other things. fusion stalks on the sperm’s surface. ally experiences joy when it In their recent JBC paper, Martin– “Discovery of these oviductosomes W finally finds the egg, but it DeLeon and her team report that ovi- provides us with a window into the does wiggle excitedly. Patricia A. Mar- ductosomes help the sperm get ready cargo being delivered by the female tin–DeLeon, a reproductive biologist for its all-important drive into the end to the sperm,” Martin–DeLeon says. at the University of Delaware, has zone. The tiny, cargo-filled sacs attach “We’ve shown that these oviducto- witnessed this behavior many times to the sperm like decorations on a somes are carrying critical molecules in her studies of fertility in mice, Christmas tree before the sperm fuses that include not only proteins, but the closest genetic model to humans with the egg. Once these sacs are in also nucleic acids such as RNA and (and with a much faster reproductive place, they transfer proteins, including also lipids. That gives us hope they cycle). the calcium-clearance pump, to the can be used as vehicles for improving In a recent issue of the Journal sperm. fertility and the chances of producing of Biological Chemistry, Martin– “This calcium pump is required by healthy embryos and offspring.” DeLeon and her team revealed for the sperm just prior to fertilization, as Martin–DeLeon and her team now the first time what happens next in well as in the early embryo,” Mar- are analyzing the protein-rich cargo to the fertilization process. They said the tin–DeLeon says. “The sperm pumps find out exactly what gives the sperm finding could one day help couples out calcium and takes in hydrogen what it needs for its last push to struggling with infertility. ions, which seems to give it that last penetrate the egg — always head first, Once an egg exits an ovary and push into the egg and also is critical to tail out — to fertilize it. “We may enters the fallopian tube, the hairlike starting the zygote’s life.” identify proteins required to improve cilia that line this tiny tube sweep the Martin–DeLeon and her team the efficiency of (in vitro fertilization), egg toward the uterus. While in the labeled oviductosomes from a female and improve the outcome and health tube, the egg either meets the sperm mouse with a fluorescent dye and of the offspring,” she said. “It’s really and gets fertilized, which must hap- incubated them together with the another step in the direction of per- pen within a 12- to 24-hour window, sperm. Within an hour, the oviduc- sonalized medicine, since individuals or dissolves. tosomes fused to the sperm’s surface. carrying mutations of one of a variety In 2013, Martin–DeLeon and After two to three hours, the oviduc- of genes account for the largest group her team reported the discovery of tosomes continued to accumulate, of infertile couples.” special vesicles in fallopian tubes. primarily on the sperm’s head and Tracey Bryant They named these cargo-filled sacs the midpiece of its tail. Integrins, ([email protected]) is director of oviductosomes. Inside these vesicles, membrane receptors on both the research communications at the they found a calcium-clearance pump, sperm and the oviductosomes, helped University of Delaware. plasma membrane Ca2⁺-ATPase 4, to facilitate their bonding, along with

Pulling apart the cytoskeleton By Alexandra Pantos

aintaining the shape of the cytoskeleton is composed of three know so far about the cytoskeleton. cell, creating proper internal main structural components: actin The editors of “The state of the M structure, guiding organelles filaments, microtubules and interme- cytoskeleton in 2015,” Robert Fischer and pulling chromosomes apart dur- diate filaments. In a series of thematic of the National Heart, Lung and ing mitosis are some of the important minireviews, the Journal of Biologi- Blood Institute and Velia Fowler functions of the cytoskeleton. The cal Chemistry highlights what we at The Scripps Research institute,

14 ASBMB TODAY NOVEMBER 2015 JOURNAL NEWS describe how cytoskeletal polymers colleagues discuss tubulin, which have been a topic of interest for more forms the heterodimers that make than 70 years. However, many ques- up microtubules. Specifically dis- tions about the polymers are just now cussed is the tubulin code, which beginning to be answered. The more consists of post-translational specific topics discussed in these mini- marks that are then interpreted reviews include actin mechanics and by two categories of cellular fragmentation, vimentin intermediate effectors. The first category of filament networks and the microtu- effectors is those that are bound bule cytoskeleton. to the microtubule and alter its Actin filaments determine the shape properties noncovalently; this of the cell surface and are involved in includes motors and microtubule- cellular locomotion. In the minireview associated proteins. The second titled “Actin mechanics and frag- category consists of those that mentation,” Enrique De La Cruz of actually modify the tubulin Yale University and Margaret Gardel subunits at a chemical level; these at the University of Chicago discuss effectors are tubulin post-transla- recent advances in understanding the tional modification enzymes. mechanical properties and stability In the minireview titled of actin filaments. This includes how “Building the microtubule forces can influence local biochemical cytoskeleton piece by piece,” enclosed organelles came the revela- interactions leading to formation of Ray Alfaro–Aco and Sabine Petry of tion that bacteria contained structural mechanically sensitive and dynamic Princeton University note the impor- homologs of eukaryotic actin and states of actin filaments. The research tance of the microtubule cytoskeleton tubulin. This discovery led inves- could provide crucial information on within the cell. They explain that tigators to wonder if homologous how the actin cytoskeleton helps cells these important functions rely on the polymers present in bacteria may have respond to mechanical forces. precise arrangements of microtubules, roles in organization and structure Intermediate filaments are com- which is achieved by the teamwork of that are similar to those of their posed of various intermediate filament a class of proteins called microtubule- eukaryotic counterparts. Research on proteins, one of which is called associated proteins. They highlight these homologs is reviewed in “Bacte- vimentin. Vimentin helps to keep how these MAPs work together to rial filament systems: toward under- the organelles in their proper places create a whole that is greater than standing their emergent behavior and within the cell. Organelles anchored the sum of the microtubule-network cellular functions” by Ethan Garner by vimentin include the nucleus, parts. at Harvard University and colleagues. endoplasmic reticulum and mito- Septins, though not one of the This minireview summarizes the chondria. In their minireview titled main three components of the current understanding of how the “Properties of vimentin intermediate cytoskeleton, play an important role homologs are assembled in addition filament networks,” Robert Goldman in the cytoskeleton. In “Septin form to their dynamic behavior within the at Northwestern University and col- and function at the cell cortex,” bacterial cells. leagues discuss the role of intermediate Andrew Bridges and Amy Gladfelter These minireviews provide insight filaments in regulating cell architec- of Dartmouth College review septins, into the variety of important roles of ture and function. More specifically, which are GTP-binding proteins that the cytoskeleton. The more knowledge the authors note that mutations in form structures on the cell cortex. The researchers continue to gain about the the genes encoding intermediate cell cortex is a layer of cytoplasm on form and function of the cytoskeleton, filament proteins lead to a number of the inside of the plasma membrane the bigger the impact on preventing or human diseases, including cataracts, that helps support the membrane and curing diseases that involve cytoskel- myopathies, and a progressive and connects with actin and microtubule etal dysfunction, such as Alzheimer’s, fatal neurodegenerative disorder called cytoskeletal systems. The focus of the Parkinson’s and Amyotrophic lateral Alexander disease. review is on gaining an understanding sclerosis (ALS). Microtubules are long, hollow of how septins and the plasma mem- Alexandra Pantos (apantos@ and more rigid than actin filaments. brane interact. asbmb.org) is an editorial In “Writing and reading the tubulin Along with the discovery that assistant and former intern for code,” Antonina Roll–Mecak at the bacterial cells are spatially organized ASBMB Today. National Institutes of Health and despite their lack of membrane-

NOVEMBER 2015 ASBMB TODAY 15 FEATURE

SCIENCE ON A VISA The U.S. biomedical research enterprise heavily depends on scientists who were born overseas. But the legal pathway to work and live in this country is different for each skilled worker, and navigating the complex visa and immigration system can be daunting. By Rajendrani Mukhopadhyay

16 ASBMB TODAY NOVEMBER 2015 Prologue out of the country. Back when I was wading through It was February 2014, and the sky the paperwork, I, like a number of was a chilled blue. My eyes watered my fellow foreigners, was especially from a vicious cold, but I had to go hesitant to voice my concerns about out. I pulled on a vibrant red jacket. the confusing system. After all, I had I wanted to be photographed later in decided to stay in the country, so I the day, and I wanted the jacket color couldn’t very well complain about to be symbolic. what I had to do to stay. In the car with my husband, I Because most people are hesitant to tapped on our GPS, entering the talk about the issues they face while address I had received in the mail a holding temporary visas or trying few weeks before from U.S. Citi- to get green cards, I have decided to zenship and Immigration Services. share parts of my story here. The deci- Neither of us recognized the address, sions I made while going through this which was somewhere near Baltimore. process were based on my personal We soon found ourselves driving circumstances, and every person com- through nondescript, sparse suburbia, ing into the U.S. has his or her own winding down a road that was sur- unique situation. There is no one-size- rounded by flat greens and woods. fits-all approach to these matters. For The GPS directed us to the back this reason, this article should in no of a single-level, gray building that way be considered legal advice. squatted on an asphalt parking lot. A dark glass door with a black steel frame marked the entrance to the The system building. There was a giant flagpole and the numbers on the sidewalk in front of the door. From the 1920s to the mid- An enormous Stars and Stripes, 1960s, admission to the U.S. largely designed to inspire awe, draped from depended upon an immigrant’s the top of the pole. country of birth. The quota system Later that February day, I uploaded during that time favored immigrants a photo of myself clutching a small from Europe (70 percent of the slots version of the Stars and Stripes against were reserved for the British, Irish and my red jacket. It was official, I told Germans). In 1965, the Hart–Celler my Facebook friends. I now was an Act did away with the national origins American citizen, 16 years after I first quotas and set forth new immigration rolled into the U.S. from Canada as priorities: facilitating family reunifica- a biochemistry graduate student on a tion and bringing in skilled workers Greyhound bus. from any country. The complexity of the visa and Since the act passed, according to immigration process makes those of a recent Pew Research Center report, us who are in it, or who have been about 59 million immigrants have through it, skittish. I consider myself arrived in the U.S. “For the past half- to be very lucky to have gotten century, these modern-era immigrants through the system with a few hic- and their descendants have accounted cups. Even with my citizenship and a for just over half the nation’s popula- U.S. passport in hand, I can’t help but tion growth and have reshaped its feel uneasy revealing how I became a racial and ethnic composition,” the citizen. I don’t want others scrutiniz- report said. ing the steps I took through the visa Another report, this one released and immigration maze. I still have by the National Academies in Sep- flashbacks to sleepless nights spent tember and titled “The Integration of worrying that an innocent error on my paperwork would get me kicked CONTINUED ON PAGE 18

NOVEMBER 2015 ASBMB TODAY 17 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 17 visa. The J-1 visa program is designed to give citizens of other countries an Immigrants into American Society,” experience of American life that they noted: “One difference from earlier can take back to their home countries. waves of immigration is the large Overseen by the U.S. Department percentage of highly skilled immi- of State, the J-1 visa, with its various grants now coming to the United categories, allows foreigners to come States. Over a quarter of the foreign- to the U.S. to “teach, study, conduct born now have a college education or research, demonstrate special skills or more, and they contribute a great deal receive on-the-job training for periods to the U.S. scientific and technical ranging from a few weeks to several workforce.” years,” according to the department’s According to the National Sci- website. ence Foundation, 18 percent of the Last year, the State Department scientists and engineers residing in the issued nearly 32,000 J-1 visas, which United States in 2013 were immi- can be valid for as long as five years, grants. In addition, the NSF found for professors and research scholars. that the life sciences had the highest “It’s a status that’s easy to obtain,” says employment growth among immi- Taylor. “But it brings with it burdens grant scientists and engineers from that many people find difficult.” 2003 and 2013, followed by computer The greatest burden is the J-1 visa’s and mathematical sciences and social home-residency requirement. Once sciences. a J-1 status expires, the visa holder To work in the U.S., immigrants has to return to his or her country of must go through the U.S. visa and origin for at least two years. immigration system. But this is a This stipulation applies to medical daunting task. The system “is second trainees, people funded by the U.S. or in complexity only to the tax code,” their home countries’ governments, said Michael Teitelbaum in his book and people trained in certain subject “Falling Behind: Boom, Bust & the areas, such as biology, mathematics Global Race for Scientific Talent.” and physical sciences. For the latter Immigration lawyer Frances Taylor category, the State Department draws of Baltimore’s Taylor & Ryan law firm up a list of fields requiring specialized wholeheartedly agrees. “It’s abso- knowledge and skills that are consid- lutely Byzantine. I’ve been working ered to be crucial for the development in this field for close to 30 years, and of an exchange visitor’s home country. there are still days where I’m learn- For example, Indian citizens trained ing something new,” says Taylor. “It in any area of science, engineering would be shocking if anybody who is technology or math must return to trying to navigate the system could do India for at least two years when their it easily, without a lot of stress, bother J-1 statuses end. and pain.” “Very often, we find that people come in and are doing their work or The J-1 visa getting their education and doing Biomedical research relies heavily some fruitful work with the right kind on non-U.S. citizen postdoctoral fel- of support. But then their J (status) lows. Nearly 60 percent of postdocs in comes to an end, and they’ve got to the life sciences in 2008 were tempo- leave,” says Taylor. rary residents of the U.S., according to Amita Bansal is a postdoctoral Paula Stephan’s book, “How Econom- fellow at the University of Pennsylva- ics Shape Science.” nia on a J-1 visa. Bansal, who earned Fellows who earn their Ph.D.s her Ph.D. in New Zealand, says the abroad come into the U.S. on the J-1 home-residency requirement “is chal-

18 ASBMB TODAY NOVEMBER 2015 lenging because visa process may create in your life that limits a later on? Or do you take that posi- lot of postdocs tion because you are passionate about from thinking doing your research?” she asks. “For of longer-term most of us, we’re passionate about career plans research. It’s the complicated visa in the United system which makes the postdoctoral States.” life difficult.” A J-1 holder Love presents Bansal can apply for problems too, as a waiver from the home-residency Edgar Kooijman requirement. The waiver request found out when requires dealing with the home-coun- he was a Ph.D. try government as well as the U.S. student at Kent government. If an applicant is success- State University ful, he or she will get a different visa in the late 1990s. to stay in the country. A citizen of the Bansal points out another J-1 Kooijman Netherlands, drawback: J-1 visas are not always Kooijman then held an F-1 student given out for the full five years for visa. But shortly after he began his which they can be issued. The dura- studies, “I met this wonderful Filipino tion of a J-1 may depend on the lady who was working here as a amount of available funding from, for researcher,” says Kooijman. His future instance, a research grant. wife was working on her Ph.D. at an A postdoctoral fellow can apply institution in the Philippines and was for an extension on an initial J-1 in the U.S. on a J-1 visa as a visiting visa. If successful, the fellow gets a research scholar. The visa had a home- revised DS-2019 document, which is residency requirement, which meant a certificate of eligibility for J-1 status, Kooijman’s future wife would have with new dates. The document allows to return to the Philippines. “We got the J-1 holder to stay legally in the married and then it was ‘Oh, shoot! U.S. Now what are we going to do?’” Kooi- But even the revised DS-2019 can jman recalls. cause headaches, particularly when They both quit their graduate pro- it comes to international travel for grams and left the U.S. for the Neth- scientific conferences and going back erlands. Back in his home country, home to visit family, says Bansal. If Kooijman went on to get his Ph.D. a postdoctoral fellow needs to go at Utrecht University, and he and his abroad, he or she must make arrange- wife started a family. (There’s more to ments during the journey to get a new this story below.) J-1 visa stamp to re-enter the U.S. Bansal points out that much of The H-1B work visa the complexity of the visa system isn’t By the time I had completed my apparent when a person is still outside Ph.D. in 2004, I long had decided of the U.S. It’s only when the person to devote myself to science writing. I accepts a postdoctoral fellowship didn’t apply for a postdoctoral posi- and enters the visa process that the tion. Instead, I aimed to land a job complexities of the system become straight out of graduate school. To do obvious. that, I had to move away from my F-1 Bansal says people like her perse- student visa and get a temporary work vere because they are in the U.S. for visa, known as the H-1B. the science. “Do you turn down a First introduced in the 1990 Immi- position because of the mayhem the CONTINUED ON PAGE 20

NOVEMBER 2015 ASBMB TODAY 19 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 19 unique.” At academic and nonprofit institu- gration Act, the H-1B status usually tions, there is no limit on the number is granted for a three-year period with of H-1Bs available. But Jennifer the possibility of renewal. An Ameri- Kerilla at Johns Hopkins University can employer must sponsor the H-1B and Ilana Smith at the California worker. The employer has to attest to Institute of Technology, both interna- the Department of Labor that the for- tional office directors, emphasize that eign worker will be treated like other their institutions are very careful with employees, given appropriate working applying for H-1B visas so as not to conditions, and get paid the prevailing abuse their privilege. wage or the same wage the employer For the private sector, where I pays to other employees, whichever is worked, there is a congressionally higher. The employer also must pay mandated limit on the number of the costs of the process (including the H-1B visas issued every year. The cap filing fees) and submit paperwork on is 65,000. Up to 20,000 additional the behalf of the foreign worker. applications from people who have I was fortunate to have a gener- obtained master’s degrees or Ph.D.s ous employer willing to sponsor my from U.S. institutions are exempt visa, so after wading through the from this limit. (I qualified for that paperwork with my employer and my category.) immigration lawyer, Vivian Wang, I For the 85,000 available H-1B managed to get one. visas for fiscal year 2016, there were But the setup could lead to abuse. more than 230,000 applications in “Your ability to stay in the coun- April 2015, the month when the try is dependent on whether you’re application process opened. Wang employed by that specific employer. says the overwhelming number of That puts you in a vulnerable posi- applications forced USCIS “to run a tion. You don’t want to talk back computer-generated lottery to decide to your boss, because if you get which applications get in and which terminated, you have the leave the don’t get in.” As with any lottery, country,” says Ronil Hira, an asso- there are many disappointed people. ciate professor of public policy at “The need is grossly disproportion- Howard University. “That puts a lot ate to the supply,” says immigration of bargaining power in the employer’s lawyer Taylor. Pointing out that the hands.” process isn’t cheap and painless for Joshua Muia, employers, Taylor adds, “No one does a Kenyan citizen this for fun. If they are doing it, they on an H-1B are doing it because the person they visa at Wash- are sponsoring is really good or they ington Univer- can’t find a U.S. worker who is going sity School of to do this job. Congress has created an Medicine in artificially limited system and made it St. Louis, is an very difficult for people in industry.” instructor of (In some circumstances, there are Muia medicine. When other options. See the sidebar “O-1 he was job hunting, he worried about and L-1 options.”) being discriminated against because It’s important to note that not of his need for H-1B sponsorship. everyone agrees with Taylor on the “You don’t know how employers will think,” he says. “If you tell them you supply and demand for H-1B visas need an H-1B, you don’t know if they in the private sector. There is much will say, ‘That’s a lot of work,’ even debate about what types of workers if you have qualifications that are should be allowed into the U.S. and

20 ASBMB TODAY NOVEMBER 2015 O-1 and L-1 options high, so the foreign student or scholar has to strive for excellence. There are two other nonimmigrant visa options “All of the things that (principal investigators) open to members of the highly skilled foreign work- encourage postdocs to do, the postdocs should be force. Both the L-1 visa and the O-1 visa can be “a doing them. Ultimately, it helps create a dimension backup option if the person doesn’t get in on the H-1B to one’s accomplishments that fit into the criteria that lottery,” says immigration lawyer Vivian Wang. USCIS will look at in a standardized way,” says Smith. “To qualify for an O-1 visa, the beneficiary must Whenever she hears someone turn down the opportu- demonstrate extraordinary ability by sustained national nity to present at a conference or to review a paper, she or international acclaim and must be coming tempo- is disappointed: “One has to take advantage of all of rarily to the United States to continue work in the area the opportunities offered.” of extraordinary ability,” says the U.S. Citizenship and The L-1A visa allows an American employer to Immigration Services website. “Extraordinary ability bring an executive or manager from one of its affiliated in the fields of science, education, business or athletics international offices to one of its U.S. offices. The visa means a level of expertise indicating that the person is also lets a foreign company that does not yet have an one of the small percentage who has risen to the very affiliated U.S. office send an executive or manager to top of the field of endeavor.” the United States to establish a U.S. presence. The O-1 visa certainly applies to scientists who’ve “In recent years, because of the H-1B quota prob- earned awards for their work, have a notable publi- lem, some large companies consider sending the person cation record and have been invited to give talks at to the overseas office to work one year so the person conferences, Wang explains. Jennifer Kerilla and Ilana can become qualified to transfer back into the U.S. Smith, both directors of international offices at top-tier office on an L visa that way,” says Wang. institutions, emphasize that the bar for the O-1 visa is

about what they contribute to the excelled in their careers. country’s economy. The EB-3 employer-sponsored route, which I took, requires the Going for the green card employer to prove that the company is not passing over an equally qualified With my H-1B paperwork com- American worker by hiring the foreign plete in 2005, I immediately began to worker. The proof takes the form of a look into getting a green card. After certification issued by the Department living in the country for seven years, of Labor. The company posts the job I badly wanted to become a part of it. and sees if any qualified American A tornado of paperwork, fees and a workers apply. “If a single qualified medical exam (to make sure I wasn’t U.S. worker is found, the application ridden with tuberculosis and other fails,” says Wang. transmittable diseases) ate up about However, if the employer doesn’t a year. find an American worker equally For those who want to transition qualified as the foreign worker, the from temporary skilled workers to Labor Department issues a certifica- permanent residents (and it’s impor- tion for the foreign worker. With the tant to note that not everyone does), certificate in hand, the employer sub- there are various ways of getting a mits an immigration petition for the green card. Self-petition or employer foreign-born worker to USCIS. “It’s sponsorship are the two options for very time-consuming and very expen- highly skilled workers. Self-petition sive,” says Wang of the process. “For works for people with impressive résu- example, the current processing time més; for example, the EB-1A category, from the time of filing is eight to 12 known as the “alien of extraordinary months without audit.” The employer ability,” can accept people who have CONTINUED ON PAGE 22

NOVEMBER 2015 ASBMB TODAY 21 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 21 fellowships require applicants to be permanent residents or U.S. citizens. and the candidate have to pay for, “It may take you a while to petition among other things, the job postings, for a green card and get started,” he the Labor Department certification says, adding it may take up to 10 step and the medical exam. years for a Kenyan like him to get a The U.S. can issue at least 140,000 green card. employment-based green cards each But the system can have unex- year. The distribution of those permits pected surprises. The Kooijmans’ is based on the applicants’ coun- case is an example of what happens tries of origin. For applicants from when someone is from a country that countries like China, India and the doesn’t have a backlog of green card Philippines, waiting for the backlog applications. After spending several can take years. Indian immigrants can years in the Netherlands (during expect to wait 11 or more years for which time his wife became a Dutch some employment-based green cards. citizen), they returned to the U.S. so Furthermore, the immigrant has that Kooijman’s wife could finish her to hold the same job as covered by Ph.D. They went back to Kent State, the Labor Department's certifica- where Kooijman eventually became tion. “While they wait several years a tenure-track faculty member on for their green card application to an H-1B visa. He became eligible to go through, if something happens at apply for green cards for himself, his their company — for example, the wife and their two children. company has layoffs — the labor “I guess U.S. government doesn’t certification application will fail,” says expect any Dutch people to want to Wang. “Nothing can go wrong while ever move to the U.S.,” he says. “We your application is pending!” submitted the paperwork. We had to Muia, the Kenyan instructor of go to Cleveland for biometric process- medicine on an H-1B visa, points out ing. I thought they were going to give that a foreign scientist’s aspirations us a full-blown interview, but all they to pursue a career as an independent did was took our fingerprints and researcher can be uncertain until that our picture and we were done. Three green card shows up. Many grants and months later, our green cards rolled into the mailbox. Unbelievable.” He counts himself and his family very lucky, because, he says, “I have colleagues who are from India and China who having been waiting five years for green cards, and they haven’t gotten anything yet.” The green card application process also held an unanticipated surprise for me. I knew of the backlog in process- ing green card paperwork for Indian- born nationals like me, so I was desperate to submit the paperwork as quickly as possible. On the day I was about to submit the green card paperwork, I caught a mistake. My country of birth was recorded as India, which was cor-

EMILY HUFF rect — but so was my husband’s. Study guides given to would-be citizens of the U.S. That wasn’t correct: He was born in

22 ASBMB TODAY NOVEMBER 2015 Canada. I mentioned the mis- take to Wang. The relief in Wang’s voice over the phone was palpable. She told me that this would mean the application would go into the smaller queue — the Canadian one. This was an out- of-the-blue welcome twist. But there still was an anxious wait with an unsettling silence from the USCIS. In early 2008, a non- descript white envelope arrived in the mailbox. In it were instructions to visit an unmarked office in a strip mall in a suburb of Washington, D.C., on a particular day. When we showed up, it turned The author on the day she became a U.S. citizen. out to be a white-walled office with regulation- On that cold February day in gray chairs with red numbers flashing 2014, I passed the citizenship test. on a screen. When my number came After assuring the government that, up, an employee from the Depart- among other things, I didn’t belong to ment of Homeland Security who the Communist Party or have syphi- didn’t indulge in conversational lis, I took the oath to become a U.S. pleasantries took my photo and my citizen. I accepted my naturalization fingerprints. certificate from smiling DHS officials In May 2008, another nondescript and momentarily panicked when envelope turned up in the mailbox. In I was asked to hand over my green it nestled a card in a deep green color. card. I had carried that green card in (That’s when it dawned on me that my wallet for more than five years it is a green card in the most literal with the same fervor a toddler reserves sense.) The overwhelming sense of for a lovie. relief at getting my green card, which I pledged allegiance to the flag and was the same size as a credit card, left sang “The Star-Spangled Banner” me feeling weak in the knees for days. as best as I could with a sore throat. I was free to switch jobs if I desired. I With tears in my eyes, brought on by could seriously contemplate becoming the relief of ending a long, nerve- a citizen. wracking journey, I watched a video Epilogue of President Barack Obama welcom- ing me and my fellow freshly minted When the fifth year of holding U.S. citizens. a green card was complete, I was eligible to apply for citizenship. I Rajendrani Mukhopadhyay ([email protected]) is the chief science welcomed the paperwork as an old correspondent for the American Society for friend and gave myself a crash course Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. Follow her on in American history, civics and law. Twitter at twitter.com/rajmukhop.

NOVEMBER 2015 ASBMB TODAY 23 FEATURE Meet Kathryn J. Moore Associate editor of the Journal of Lipid Research By Angela Hopp

Kathryn J. Moore at New York University Medical Center has been an associate editor for the Journal of Lipid Research since 2014. Moore’s lab studies the innate immune system and microRNAs in the regulation of lipoprotein metabolism and atherosclerosis. ASBMB Today’s executive editor, Angela Hopp, interviewed Moore to learn more about her scientific interests, academic path, and thoughts on balancing work and home life. The interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Briefly explain what your lism and noncoding RNAs promote research group is studying. disease. My research team investigates Tell us about your the mechanisms underlying chronic sterile inflammation and metabolic academic background dysregulation in atherosclerosis and and research training. diet-induced obesity. Our current I grew up in Montreal, Canada, projects focus on three main areas: where I attended McGill University noncoding RNA regulation of choles- for both my undergraduate and grad- terol metabolism and inflammation, uate studies. My early interests were mechanisms of sterile innate immune in infectious disease, and I obtained a activation, and neuronal guidance cue bachelor’s degree in microbiology and regulation of immune cell trafficking a Ph.D. in parasitology/immunology. and inflammation. While studying the host immune Using animal models combined response to the trypanosome Leish- with cellular and molecular biology mania donovani, I became fascinated techniques, we aim to understand with macrophages and their front-line better how imbalances in metabo- role in innate immunity. This became

24 ASBMB TODAY NOVEMBER 2015 an enduring passion. I moved to Bos- ton to pursue postdoctoral training It helps to be honest with those around you at Harvard Medical School, focusing about your responsibilities and their expectations. on the role of macrophage-driven inflammation in lupus nephritis and pending. One side of my list has work atherosclerosis. I was intrigued by the items and the other side family and mechanisms underlying chronic sterile home items so that I am aware of all inflammation in these conditions and of my responsibilities and can think how the macrophage, despite its good about how to divide my time. It helps intentions, could wreak such havoc. to be honest with those around you One of the things that I love about your responsibilities and their most about science is the freedom to expectations. explore. My lab continues to study Times are changing for both men macrophages and their various roles and women, and topics like sched- in innate immunity, lipid metabolism uling meetings to avoid conflicts and inflammation, which continually with daycare or school drop-off or takes us into new directions – non- pickup are no longer frowned upon. coding RNA, cellular metabolism, Although an academic research career immune cell migration. Every day is very demanding, it also comes with presents a new puzzle, and I enjoy a degree of flexibility that is not pres- being continuously challenged. ent in an industry setting. That means that I can still chaperone a school trip What does it mean or work from home on a day when I to you, on a personal level, need to attend a soccer game at 3 p.m. But, inevitably, there is not enough to be an associate editor time in the day to get everything for the JLR? done, and I find myself returning emails after midnight! Joe Witztum, one of the editors- in-chief, called to ask me personally to consider becoming an associate What do you do outside editor, and despite my busy schedule, of the lab? Hobbies? I couldn’t say no. Joe and Ed Dennis, I love home improvement projects. the other editor-in-chief, work incred- I get some of my best scientific ideas ibly hard to keep JLR one of the top with a paintbrush in hand. lipid journals in our field, and they inspire me to try do the same. For scientists in training, Do you have any advice for do you have any balancing life inside and words of wisdom or outside of the lab? a favorite motto? Achieving work-life balance is a Develop a circle of mentors and daily challenge! I have two small kids peers that you can go to for feedback and commute for three hours a day. and advice. No one person can fulfill I’ve learned that everyone has advice all of your mentoring needs, and it on how to balance the demands of an is important to build a network of academic research career and family, people to help guide you on your road but you need figure out what works to success. Finally, never give up! for you personally. Angela Hopp ([email protected]) I am constantly making to-do lists is the communications director for PHOTO COURTESY OF KATHRYN J. MOORE the ASBMB and executive editor Kathryn J. Moore spends time with her husband, and prioritizing items so that I have for ASBMB Today. Robert Blaustein of Merck, and two children, 9-year- a clear picture of everything that is old Jake and 7-year-old Emma.

NOVEMBER 2015 ASBMB TODAY 25 STEAM STEM + ART

The Petri painter By Nicole C. Woitowich

o scientists, Petri dishes may a shiny, plastic appearance. As she be just another lab consum- considered fusing her novel method T able. To artist Klari Reis, they with explicitly biological subject mat- are containers for vivid, mesmerizing ter, using Petri dishes to encapsulate creations. the paintings seemed like a natural Klari Reis’ Petri dish paintings evoke cellular In her early 20s, Reis was diag- next step. processes. nosed with the chronic immune “When I started to paint biological disorder Crohn’s disease. Reis was in images, I immediately thought that London for art school at the time and Petri dishes would be an excellent sub- eager to learn all she could about the strate or container for the paintings. It disease and its treatments. Her doctor just took about four years of practic- also happened to be a researcher at ing and trial and error to get the com- King’s College London, and, noting position of epoxy to work correctly Reis’ determined interest, he invited within the Petri dishes,” she says. her into the lab to view her blood Reis resembles a lab virologist when cells reacting to at work in her San Francisco-based immune suppres- studio. She dons an airtight coverall sants and addi- suit, gloves, a respirator and goggles tives. Fascinated before breaking out the epoxy. As she by the cellular fills the Petri dishes with a combina- structures and tion of epoxy and a choice of paints, the bright nuclear powders or dyes, the various chemicals stains she saw, Reis react in a pushing, dividing, stretch- decided then and ing and bubbling of bright hues that there to translate resembles mitosis or cell motility. The what was under process is never quite the same, and the microscope taken together, her finished dishes into art. reflect the expansive variety of life that Reis, who is can be viewed under the microscope. now 38, already Reis describes her dishes as “color- had been creat- ful and personal, yet approachable.” ing unique works Initially she thought the collection by painting with would be small, maybe no more than epoxy polymer, a 150 pieces. But she says, “I just real- material similar to ized that I loved making them and resin that com- I kept going, and I am still making monly is used in them today!” the production of In 2009, Reis began the project “A surfboards, high- Daily Dish,” for which she unveils a gloss floors and new Petri dish painting each day on cars and which her blog of the same name Reis’ Petri dish installation at Clemson University. gave her paintings (www.adailydish.com). The project

26 ASBMB TODAY NOVEMBER 2015 initially was conceived to run for a year but Reis continued making the dishes and restarted the blog in 2013. She makes the dishes she posts in batches and prices them to sell individually or in groups. “I work on five to 15 at a time, and it takes about a week to complete,” she says. All of this productivity allows Reis to exhibit the dishes together as larger installations. They’ve been hung in patterns of circles inside larger circles, as dancing waves, and as rising walls of color in public and private settings around the world. In addition to her Petri dish collection, her portfolio includes pieces that seem to derive from a similar molecular starting point but are more systemic in nature. They resemble cells in a network communicating with other cells, THOMAS KUOH PHOTOGRAPHY highlighting the interconnected- The artist in her San Francisco studio. ness of living systems. In the collection “Street Anatomy,” Reis itself … There is an inherent beauty recreated topographical maps of major in the way the piece functions visually, cities. But instead of mimicking the but also conceptually and intellectu- grey grids cities appear to be from the ally when we ponder the seeming air, “Each block ended up looking like disparities between art and science,” a cellular form and the city looking he says. like a bodily system,” she says. Detrich imagines viewers of Reis’ Over the past several years, Reis’ work will be challenged to step out- ability to create works that represent side the comfort zones of academic the dynamic nature of living systems divisions and begin to ask questions has garnered the attention of the sci- about the relationship of art to sci- entific community. One of her paint- ence. “The end run suggests that there A mix of paint and epoxy settle in a Petri dish. ings graced the cover of the journal is perhaps a seamless, coexistent con- Nature Chemical Biology, and biotech nection between the two,” he says. and pharmaceutical companies alike Although Reis’ art may challenge have requested custom works. In its viewers to explore a melding of 2014, Reis was commissioned to cre- these worlds, the artist herself is ate an expansive installation for the humble about the implications of her Life Sciences Building at Clemson work. When asked why she thinks it University in Clemson, S.C., which is so appealing to researchers, she says, features 600 Petri dish paintings and “(The paintings are) creative experi- spans three floors. mentation and hopefully give off that Clemson art professor David expression.”

Detrich is impressed with the science- Nicole C. Woitowich (nicole.woito- meets-art intersectionality of Reis’ [email protected]) is a member of the public outreach committee work. “The fact that the installation and a Ph.D. candidate at Rosalind ALL PHOTOS OF ARTWORK COURTESY OF KLARI ART embodies attributes of both disci- Franklin University of Medicine A topographical map from Reis’ “Street Anatomy” plines is a thing of beauty in and of and Science. collection.

NOVEMBER 2015 ASBMB TODAY 27 CAREER INSIGHTS Messages on bottles A scientist celebrates winemaking creativity through artfully designed labels By Indumathi Sridharan

ilvery grapevines under purple Given the emphasis on label skies wrap around the label of artistry, it’s surprising to discover S a 2012 bottle of cabernet sau- that Bare Bottle is the brainchild of vignon. The label on a 2013 blend of a medically trained scientist. Corey sauvignon blanc and sémillon reads, Miller is a self-proclaimed wine geek “Rain or shine, I’m on your side,” in who set out to become a physician- bright hues of gold, pink and blue. scientist. But a stint in San Francisco Both wines are produced by Bare that cemented Miller’s commitment Bottle, a California-based wine com- to research, also triggered an unex- pany that believes what’s on the bottle pected foray into the wine industry. can matter as much to today’s wine drinker as what’s in it. The company Unexpected perks of teams winemakers with graphic designers to produce the visually doing science arresting labels. Miller says his father, who also was a physician-scientist, handed down a love for science and medicine. “He showed me that the two paths could influence each other. He laid out a great example,” Miller says. Miller started his research career as a summer student examining chemi- cal mechanisms in an organic chem- istry lab. But he soon found doing science for science’s sake was not enough. More interested in thinking about biology from the perspective of disease, he completed a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry at the Univer- sity of Michigan and then pursued epicenter of American wine culture. an M.D./Ph.D. in the immunology It contains two major wine regions, department at the University of Cali- Napa Valley and Sonoma Valley, both fornia, San Francisco. located a short driving distance from Time at UCSF brought revelations. San Francisco in the region’s North After the first two years of medi- Bay. It is also home to a deep market cal school, he started doctoral work of local wine connoisseurs and hobby- on T-cell biology and found that, ists that extends throughout Northern unlike clinical practice, academic California. Miller tapped into this research offered him a greater degree community and found some profes- of creative freedom. The relaxed pace sionals in the area’s East Bay. “There of research also afforded him the time are a number of wineries in Berkeley and opportunity to reignite one of his that operate as cooperatives,” says longtime interests — wine. Miller. “It is a collaborative environ- The San Francisco Bay Area is the ALL IMAGES COURTESY OF COREY MILLER ment with a mix of hobby winemak-

28 ASBMB TODAY NOVEMBER 2015 ers and professionals.” Miller approached the cooperatives to learn about the basics of winemak- ing. And that’s when things fell into place. “I realized that all the bio- chemistry and microbiology courses I took as an undergraduate and during medical school prepared me equally well for a career as a winemaker. That realization gave me the hubris to believe I could make good wine,” says Miller. But, as he learned from his first winemaking attempt, there’s more to great wine than just mixing and wait- ing. Reminiscing about that not-so- stellar first vintage, Miller says, “It was a disaster. The wine turned out thin, flavorless and horribly undrinkable.” Like any seasoned scientist, Miller sought to understand the disaster by analyzing the variables. He found that a large batch volume and greater quantities of yeast were necessary to keep the temperature high enough to extract maximum flavor from the grapes. Soon, he became proficient enough to sell his own wines to retail stores and restaurants in the Bay Area. The venture was not commercially successful, but he gained insight into the craft of winemaking and the industry and became even more intent on making a mark in the world of wine. ‘Wine meets design’ The general perception of wine is Corey Miller is a medically trained scientist and the founder of Bare Bottle. that it’s highly technical and requires began working on in 2012 during to take this concept to market,” he focused study and special knowledge his graduate school years. “I want to says. to fully appreciate. But Miller saw bring the winemaker out from behind Miller says he was lucky that San winemaking as a creative endeavor the winery and tell a story about their Francisco has a large startup culture that could be accessible to all. While creative process through an equally and many investors looking for the winemakers may adhere to tech- original label,” he says. next big idea. After finishing his niques and parameters, they also push Finding financial backers was no M.D./Ph.D. in 2014, Miller raised boundaries of the craft through exper- easy task. Early on, Miller’s biggest the seed capital he needed to launch imentation, analysis and imagination. hurdle was convincing potential inves- Bare Bottle. In the wine label, Miller saw a bridge tors that he had what it takes to run For each release, Miller works with that could showcase that creativity a wine company, especially given his his team to pair a winemaker with a while also providing a visual story. professional background. “It was chal- designer. The winemaker creates a cus- It was this idea of pairing design lenging to adequately articulate Bare tom blend, and the designer tastes and with wine that provided the founda- Bottle’s concept to investors and prove draws inspiration from the wine. The tion for Bare Bottle, which Miller first that I, a scientist, am the right person CONTINUED ON PAGE 30

NOVEMBER 2015 ASBMB TODAY 29 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 29 ing. Despite the challenges, Miller comes from the fact that, on average, believes that young scientists should one of the two things I’m focused on result is an evocative piece of original be open to entrepreneurship, which will be going well at any given time,” art that shares a visual interpretation can be an equally fulfilling way to use he says. “In the end, if you are doing of a tasting experience. their training. what excites you, you shouldn’t be so Bare Bottle released its first two “In my view, scientific training unhappy as to need mental recharging wines in the summer of 2015. True to helps you identify interesting ques- and escape.” Miller’s original vision, Bare Bottle’s tions and problems that other people So what does Miller’s 10-year plan website also features audio interviews don’t see. That is also the foundation look like? He laughs out loud and and photo essays of the winemaker of entrepreneurship,” says Miller. And says, “I don’t have one. There may and designer that offer glimpses into considering the precarious nature of come a time when I have to grow up each maker’s unique creative process. academic funding, Miller says entre- and pick either science or Bare Bottle. preneurial success also can provide a But, for now, I am excited about Looking to the future certain degree of financial buffer and working on both.” independence. Miller is now a postdoctoral scholar Indumathi Sridharan (sridharan. at UCSF, where he studies T cell With science and winemaking [email protected]) earned development and the thymic stromal eating up most of his days, Miller her bachelor’s degree in bioinfor- matics in India. She holds a Ph.D. cells that are responsible for negative has little time to unwind. But he says he doesn’t need to because he finds in molecular biochemistry from selection and immune self-tolerance. Illinois Institute of Technology, Juggling a research career with the catharsis in working on completely Chicago. She did her postdoctoral work in bion- responsibilities of a startup is daunt- different projects. “For me, balance anotechnology at Northwestern University.

30 ASBMB TODAY NOVEMBER 2015 HOBBIES Science and spices Rajini Rao unleashes her creative spirit in her recipes and cooking blog By Alexandra Pantos

hen she goes on vaca- take. It was “practically unheard of for tion, Rajini Rao at Johns young, unmarried females to travel W Hopkins University carries so far from home,” says Rao. It took small amounts of spices with her in a bit of persuasion and compromise 15-milliliter screw-cap tubes. Rao says with her parents and grandparents she enjoys trying local produce and before she was allowed to go. uses the spices to cook one vegetarian The compromise was that she meal a day when she and her family agreed to have tea with a young are traveling. The biochemist loves bachelor before she left India. That to cook so much she has an entire bachelor eventually moved to the U.S. kitchen cabinet at home brimming as well and became her husband. Like with spices from around the world. a well-balanced dish, their pairing Rao grew up in India, in particular has been a great match. Her husband in Kolkata in the state of West Bengal “has been a huge supporter of my

and in Dehradun in the northern research career and an enthusiastic PHOTOS COURTESY OF RAJINI RAO state of Uttarkhand. After graduating partner in raising our kids,” she says. A young Rajini Rao and her husband. from college in Bangalore, in south “We’ve been drinking tea together for India, she moved to the U.S. for a 30 years.” cheek by a relative or family friend graduate program in biochemistry As a child, Rao initially wanted to and asked what I wanted to be when I at the University of Rochester in be a physician, but she realized that grew up, I replied, ‘biochemist.’” Rochester, N.Y. Though she made the she was “too squeamish to be a doc- The fascination with biochemistry move in the 1980s because biochem- tor.” She heard about biochemistry only grew stronger as time went on. istry programs and research were while she was still very young and says ATP synthase, which she worked on more advanced in the U.S. than in “the term charmed and intrigued me. in graduate school, was a topic Rao India, it was a bold step for her to So the next time I was pinched on the fell in love with during college while reading her pirated copy of Albert Lehninger’s “Principles of Biochem- istry.” Today, Rao’s research is on ion transport proteins, including pro- ton pumps, calcium ATPases and sodium-hydrogen exchangers. Her lab is currently “focused on linking trans- porter defects to autism, cancer and neurodegenerative diseases,” she says. Although she is immersed in her work in the U.S., cooking has helped Rao to maintain her connection to India. Her mother got her started with cooking when she was a child and still teaches her recipes. There are some mixtures of spices that her mother uses but that Rao hasn’t Rao, right, with her children and parents in Bangalore, India. learned to make yet. (Her mother

32 ASBMB TODAY NOVEMBER 2015 Rao’s falafels are tinted with tumeric. graciously packs small batches of spice on hand, Rao without hesitation men- Rao’s recipes.) mixes for Rao to take back to the tions her spices. There are many she Rao has a blog titled “Madame Sci- U.S.) uses routinely, but Rao says her go-to entist’s Not-So-Mad Musings” where To set up her kitchen for suc- spices are coriander, cumin, fen- she occasionally pairs her recipes with cess, she stocks her pantry with the nel, cloves and mustard seeds, all of stories. The stories sometimes bring basics: “flours, grains, lentils and which she stocks whole, not ground. in her scientific expertise, like a recent plenty of aromatics like fresh lemons, Rao says she enjoys adding her own post on falafel. In “Falafel Faves and ginger, cilantro and onions.” When twist to recipes, sometimes leading to Favism,” Rao explains that falafel asked what she considers the most “everything tasting Indian, much to originally was made from fava beans, important ingredients always to have my chagrin!” (See page 34 for one of but the beans can set off life-threaten- ing anemia known as favism in a few people of Mediterranean descent who inherit particular variants of glucose- 6-phosphate dehydrogenase. For that reason, people stopped using fava beans in their falafel and switched to chickpeas. Her interest in blogging has an additional facet: She enjoys writing. As a head of a busy research labora- tory, Rao says, her blog has become “an outlet for my joy of storytelling, an expression of my sense of humor, and a document of my experiments at the bench — which are now more in the kitchen than in the lab." Alexandra Pantos (apantos@ asbmb.org) is an editorial assistant and former intern for ASBMB Today. Rao’s mattar paneer with chappatis and yogurt.

NOVEMBER 2015 ASBMB TODAY 33 Rajini Rao’s Practically Perfect Pilaf

• Measure out basmati rice: I use 2 cups to serve four generously (with leftovers for lunch the next day). Rinse a few times under cold running water. To drain, cover with a plate and let the water dribble out or simply tilt as much as you dare. Season the wet rice with coarse salt, a pinch of sugar and some red chili powder. Toss together and let sit for about 20 minutes while you prep the rest of the pilaf. This step further elongates the already long grain and makes it as delicate as a flower. • Measure out twice as much water as rice (by volume) into a pot and heat on the back burner. I use 4 cups. • Grate 2 carrots coarsely. Do you peel carrots? Why? • Wash and roughly chop a bag of spinach. I use baby spinach, so I leave it alone. • Thinly slice one sweet onion. • Gather your spices: 2 – 3 cardamom pods, split (you ought to save the shells for tea, but I leave them in); 2 bay leaves; cinnamon sticks; some cloves; and about a tablespoon of fennel seed. • Heat some oil in a heavy-bottomed pan. I like to use the broad, shallow type so that the rice is not crushed by its own weight at the bottom. A broad base also allows some golden crunchiness to develop at the bottom, Persian style. • Add whole spices and let sizzle for a few seconds. • Add sliced onions and toss around on high first. Then reduce heat to allow partial caramelization. You want the onions to turn partly brown so that they impart their rich color and sweetness to the pilaf. • Add the grated carrots and spinach and mix. At this point, I add a handful of dry fruits and nuts (cranberries, golden raisins, almonds or whatever you have on hand). • Add the pre-soaked basmati rice and toss together gently. Take care not to break the delicate grain. My mother told me so. • Add the premeasured hot water and stir. I like to dot the surface with some clarified butter to infuse the rice with a heavenly, buttery flavor. Cover and let steam on low heat for about 10 more minutes. • The rice is done when the water is absorbed. I add a handful of unsalted, roasted cashews at this point. Gently toss to mix. Excerpted from Rao’s blog, “Madame Scientist’s Not-So-Mad Musings”

34 ASBMB TODAY NOVEMBER 2015 Promoting Research Opportunities for Latin American Biochemists

The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, the International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and the Panamerican Association for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology have instituted a program (PROLAB) and committed funds to foster interactions among biochemists in Latin America, Portugal and Spain with those in the United States.

This program is open to postdoctoral fellows, graduate students and tenure-track faculty members (within five years of their training).

The application deadline is Dec. 5.

Learn more at www.asbmb.org/pabmb.

NOVEMBER 2015 ASBMB TODAY 35 OUTREACH What you need to know about the HOPES program

The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology established the Hands-on Opportunities to Promote Engagement in Science grant program in 2011 to incentivize and support the development of outreach programs and partnerships by teachers and researchers.

About the grants The past five years — by the numbers Each year, the ASBMB awards grants of up to $2,000 for partnerships between Competition K – 12 teacher(s) and academic researchers 131 applications to bring hands-on, inquiry-based learning 41 winners to K – 12 students. Applications are judged based upon the diversity of Participants the target audience, the nature of the 67 teachers project/activity and the plan for sharing 50 scientists responsibilities. As of 2015, the grants 175 undergraduates became renewable for up to one more year. Impact 5,741 K – 12 students About the workshop 2,264 underrepresented students The annual workshops include: 2,572 low-income students presentations from previous grant recipients, hands-on outreach demos and networking opportunities.

36 ASBMB TODAY NOVEMBER 2015 Number of student beneficiaries by state since 2011

37

37 84 89 235

20 30 108 50 142

100 483 200 20 102 104 45 2,000

57

1,498 Projects supported in 2015 1. Supporting Science Instruction for Deaf 7. CSI: Choosing Science and Innovation: Authentic Science Experiences Students: Sara Raven, Kent State University for Fifth-Grade Students: Bethany Melroe Lehrman, Dakota Wesleyan 2. Introducing Kinesiology STEM Activities University in Clarkston School District: Robert Catena, 8. Student Explorations of Synthetic Biology: Todd Eckdahl, Missouri Washington State University Western University 3. Collaboration between a Community 9. “Hands-on, Minds-on” Biology Laboratory Outreach: Susan Stull, College and a Local High School to Engage North Central Missouri College Students in Authentic Microbiology Research: Joan Petersen, Queensborough Community College 4. Collaborative Development and Organizing committee Implementation of Problem-basedBiomedical Regina Peter Kennelly, Laboratory Projects into the Curricula of Stevens-Truss, Virginia Tech Regional High School Biology Classes: Darren Kalamazoo College Stoub, Dordt College University 5. Drosophila Microbiome: Using Microbiology and Molecular Techniques to Identify Microbiome Diversity: Neal Ray Sweet, Geoff Hunt, Silverman, University of Massachusetts formerly of Janssen American Society Medical School R&D for Biochemistry 6. From Atoms to Biomolecules: Increasing and Molecular Appreciation of Central Dogma and Biology Biomolecule Evolution with Eighth-Grade Students: Daniel Dowling, University of Massachusetts Boston Learn more www.asbmb.org/outreach

NOVEMBER 2015 ASBMB TODAY 37 OUTREACH

Community, suds and science By Caitlin Fritz

t is another late night at Land- A bimonthly public science educa- classroom or lecture hall, replacing mark Americana Tap and Grill, a tion program funded by the American quizzes with quesadillas, study notes I popular sports bar in the Wyn- Society for Biochemistry and Molecu- with nachos and lab reports with nefield neighborhood of Philadelphia. lar Biology’s Outreach Seed Grant lagers. Gathered among the bartenders and Program, Science on the Hill is the Now in its second year, Science on patrons are teachers and students, brainchild of co-organizers Edwin Li, the Hill has featured experts covering parents and teenagers, a librarian, a an assistant professor of biology at a variety of topics, including climate motorcycle enthusiast, a postal worker Saint Joseph’s University, and Caitlin change, epigenetics, urban landscapes and a microbiologist. Amid talk of Fritz, who manages GeoKids LINKS, and a scandalous version of Darwin’s who is ordering the next round of a program that places SJU fellows in voyage on the HMS Beagle. Many of beer and cheese fries is a lively discus- local elementary school classrooms. the events get attendees off of their sion about the differences between a Modeled after science cafés, which bar stools and out of their seats. Par- bacterium and a virus. This is Science bring scientists out of the lab to ticipants have swabbed for bacteria, on the Hill, and the bar is abuzz with engage community audiences in infor- popped water balloons to demonstrate chatter about the science of everyday mal discussions, Science on the Hill Neosporin’s effect on a bacterial cell phenomena. cuts through the pressures of a formal and caught Wiffle® balls as they acted

PHOTO COURTESY OF CAITLYN FRITZ Botanist Karen Snetselaar shows how vacant city lots can become biodiverse landscapes.

38 ASBMB TODAY NOVEMBER 2015 out the role of cell receptors. No one tive, fun and has spilled a glass or knocked over a informative table … yet. atmosphere” Discussions are open and casual, and the and participants are empowered to opportunity contribute their own insights. One to “engage avid soccer fan found a discussion her children so engaging he missed watching the outside of a World Cup to stay late and challenge school setting the Darwin speaker on the basis of with people evolution. of all differ- Audience members tell the organiz- ent ages. Sci- ers they come back to Science on ence is part the Hill events because the topics of everyone, are interesting, current and provide and Science opportunities to learn. After the on the Hill recent measles outbreak in the U.S., allows us to Paul Offit of the Children’s Hospi- find com- tal of Philadelphia shared firsthand mon ground insights from a similar outbreak in regardless of 1991. Cynell Scott, who regularly other barri- attends Science on the Hill, said talks ers.” like Offit’s put “a microscope on it Scott’s and make you look at everyday things children say with a different view.” the events Li, the co-organizer said, “Science have deep- cafés welcome everyone, especially ened their those who are interested in the topic interest in but who may not typically have the science by chance to get involved.” For instance, helping them many families attend Science on the look at it Hill. in a differ- Scott, who regularly brings her two ent way and teenage children to the Landmark gain a better for the events, enjoys “the interac- understand- Posters designed by the author for Science on the Hill events. ing of what scientists do. participate. While the idea of mixing science Regular attendees bring so many with drinks is not novel, the events friends and family that the talks have have been transformative for this had to move to a larger room. As the local neighborhood. Neighbors share program growss, the goal is to hold a ideas for new gardening techniques, science night in the community once a month and expand to include scien- librarians exchange contact informa- tists from a wider range of disciplines. tion with new patrons, and teachers interact with students and parents More information on Science on outside of school walls. the Hill can be found at The events frequently go well http://scienceonthehill.weebly.com.

past their scheduled times, with the Caitlin Fritz ([email protected]) is waitstaff chiming in on the lingering the GeoKids LINKS Program Man- ager at Saint Joseph’s University. conversations as they clean tables. She holds degrees in environ- Some bartenders request to be sched- mental science and community uled for science nights so they too can development and planning.

NOVEMBER 2015 ASBMB TODAY 39 OPEN CHANNELS

Re: President’s Message, you term “vertically ascending sci- the harshest funding environment in ence”) is their preferred approach to modern times, and trying to make it October issue science and that those pursuing this even harder for us to succeed. course of carefully building the body You should be ashamed of yourself, Dr. McKnight, of knowledge through solid, unflashy Dr. McKnight, for trying to make science are taking NIH funds that biomedical science an even more Why do you continue to use rightfully belong to persons like competitive and difficult career path this forum to beat up and demon- yourself. to follow. ize (National Institutes of Health) Your preferred approach of expel- — Philapodia reviewers, especially those who have ling reviewers from study sections not been in the system for decades that do not perform to some unde- P.S. By the way, the NIH process is or are not what you consider real fined and nebulous standard that only by no means hands-off as you imply. scientists? This elitist idea you keep you seem to be aware of is simply a The Scientific Review Officers, or pushing of study sections infested thinly veiled way to make sure that SROs, that actually organize the study with vermin (what you so eloquently junior investigators (who lack study sections already monitor reviewers called riffraff in previous articles) is section experience) are not able to be for quality. If a reviewer isn’t up to highly insulting to the hundreds of us involved in a process that is essential snuff, then he or she simply won’t be who volunteer our precious time and to their survival in academic science. invited back. Having an IC director effort to provide thoughtful and strin- As someone in a position of come and babysit the SROs (many gent review of grants for the NIH and authority and influence, you should of whom have been doing their is simply wrong. be promoting solutions to help all jobs effectively for years) is simply You seem to have a personal ven- scientists, not just those who you micromanagement and is a waste of detta toward younger investigators, deem worthy. You should be using everyone’s time. The IC directors’ who you seem to feel are not worthy your position to promote increased to be working scientists because they funding levels for all of us, not beat- time would be much better spent try- do not necessarily hold your view that ing up on those of us who have been ing to secure new streams of funds for flitting between shiny objects (what struggling to establish our careers in their investigators.

Upcoming ASBMB events and deadlines Nov. 5: Abstract-submission deadline for the ASBMB 2016 Annual Meeting, San Diego Nov. 12: Travel-award application deadline for the ASBMB 2016 Annual Meeting, San Diego NOV. Nov. 11 – 14: Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students (ABRCMS), Booth #900, Seattle Nov. 21: ASBMB workshop Developing and Sharing Best Practices: From Concept to Classroom, San Diego

Dec. 1: Deadline for 2017 Special Symposia proposals Dec. 5 – 8: ASBMB Special Symposium Kinases and Pseudokinases: Spines, Scaffolds and Molecular DEC. Switches, San Diego

Jan. 9: ASBMB workshop Developing and Sharing Best Practices: From Concept to Classroom, Melbourne,

JAN. Fla. Jan. 23: ASBMB workshop Developing and Sharing Best Practices: From Concept to Classroom, Hattiesburg, Miss. Jan. 23: ASBMB workshop Developing and Sharing Best Practices: From Concept to Classroom, New York City Jan. 28: Late-breaking abstract deadline for the ASBMB 2016 Annual Meeting, San Diego

40 ASBMB TODAY NOVEMBER 2015 REMINDER: Renew your 2016 ASBMB Dues!

ASBMB Member Benefits: • Career resources, including an online job board, blog and free workshops for graduate students and postdocs • Reduced publication fees and FREE color in all ASBMB journals* • Free online access to all ASBMB journals: • Journal of Biological Chemistry • Molecular & Cellular Proteomics • Journal of Lipid Research • Free print and online subscription to ASBMB Today, the member magazine • Travel awards • Discounts on registration for ASBMB meetings • A voice on Capitol Hill

*Must be a regular member publishing as the corresponding author.

www.asbmb.org/renew Sample ASBMB Abstract Topic Category Titles (#2000-2697)

• Bioinorganic Catalysis • Cell Signaling, Kinase and Chemotheraphy Abstract-submission • Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery deadline: Nov. 5 • Chromatin Organization and Gene Regulation • DNA Replication, Repair and Recombination Travel-award application • Education and Professional Development deadline: Nov. 12 • Glycoscience in Biology • Lipids and Lipid Signaling ASBMB members can save • Metabolism, Disease and Drug Design up to 56% on MEETING COSTS! • Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease • Post-translational Modifications Late-breaking poster • Protein Synthesis and Degradation abstracts welcome! • Recent Advances in Protein Engineering • Systems Biology and Proteomics www.asbmb.org/meeting2016