Vol. 13 / No. 6 / June/July 2014 THE MEMBER MAGAZINE OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY CONTENTS NEWS FEATURES PERSPECTIVES 2 24 32 PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE VITAMIN D CAREER INSIGHTS A president’s perspective How much is enough? 32 Location, location, location! on Experimental Biology 2014 33 e cool professor 5 6 34 Quick guide to career fairs ANNUAL MEETING 36 5 Experimental Biology 2014 tweet analysis MENTORING 6 Scenes from the annual meeting e measure of success 9 38 NEWS FROM THE HILL OPEN LETTERS A challenge reissued e road to professor 10 40 MEMBER UPDATE 38 OUTREACH 11 New members of the American Science-communication training Academy of Arts & Sciences for graduate students 12 44 NEWS OPEN CHANNELS ASBMB wins two NSF grants Reader comments to support teachers and students 14 20 9 JOURNAL NEWS 18 LIPID NEWS Intracellular lipid transport 20 RETROSPECTIVE Malcolm Daniel Lane Sr. (1930–2014) 24 14 Science writer Rajendrani Mukhopadhyay explores the debate over how much vitamin D is enough for good health. JUNE/JULY 2014 ASBMB TODAY 1 PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE tary appeared in the Proceedings of exploring the possibilities of strategic the National Academy of Sciences, use of these tools and even attended THE MEMBER MAGAZINE OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY written by Bruce Alberts, Marc a breakfast meeting built around a FOR BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY A president’s Kirschner, Shirley Tilghman and Twitter tutorial. Harold Varmus, titled “Rescuing U.S. ASBMB sta and others used OFFICERS COUNCIL MEMBERS biomedical research from its systemic Twitter as a useful tool for highlight- SUMMERS HRABOWSKI Steven McKnight Squire J. Booker perspective aws” (4), which noted our eorts. ing upcoming events at the meeting President Brenda Schulman one of the early leaders in the eld of and for calling out exciting com- David Sabatini is paper, which identied many Jeremy M. Berg the biochemistry of zinc (my favorite ments or results in real time. Indeed, Past President Melissa Starovasnik of the same issues that we had raised Wesley I. Sundquist element), and Gottesman is a cancer and proposed some potential solu- the societies involved with Experi- Karen Allen Gregory Gatto Jr. on Experimental Secretary biologist I got to know well during mental Biology enlisted the services Natalie Ahn tions, has led to much discussion in Toni Antalis Anjana Rao my time at the National Institutes of the scientic community. of social-media-savvy individuals to Treasurer Daniel Leahy Health who got his start in research Our panel discussion at the annual live tweet selected events. Biology 2014 as a medical student in Vallee’s meeting was lively, with dierent EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS ASBMB TODAY laboratory. Summers, a professor at perspectives on these complex issues, On to Datahound Geeta Narlikar EDITORIAL ADVISORY By Jeremy Berg University of Maryland, Baltimore as anticipated, and it was covered Enrique de la Cruz BOARD It has been a great honor to serve as Co-chairs, 2014 Annual County, shared the Kirschstein by ocial meeting blogger Biochem ASBMB president following in the Meeting Program Charlie Brenner with UMBC President Freeman Committee Chair Belle (5). Spurred by our eorts and footsteps of many great scientists and Carol Shoulders s a society president, attend- to update ASBMB leadership on their Hrabowski III for their development the Alberts et al. paper, we anticipate leaders. I have greatly enjoyed the Peter J. Kennelly Shiladitya Sengupta ing the annual meeting is a eorts, get feedback and advice, and of the Meyerho Scholars Program Chair, Education and Yolanda Sanchez that much discussion and, with luck, opportunity to write these monthly Professional Development (2), a leading initiative to launch stu- Floyd “Ski” Chilton A great pleasure, and this year’s plot the paths forward for the next some needed action will occur over columns and have been gratied by Committee Cristy Gelling Experimental Biology meeting in San year. Although there are, of course, dents from diverse racial and ethnic the next year. many positive comments that I have Daniel Raben Peter J. Kennelly Diego was no exception for me. With many challenges, I am pleased to say backgrounds into careers in science Chair, Meetings Committee Michael Bradley Rajini Rao many events to lead, participate in or that the society is in reasonably good and technology. Mike gave an engag- Takita Felder Sumter at least make an appearance at, the shape. ing presentation about the conceptual Chair, Minority Aairs I found it interesting to watch the body language in the Committee ASBMB TODAY meeting is quite full. However, the framework for the program and pre- omas Baldwin Angela Hopp benets of attending many outstand- Award lectures sented both anecdotes and data about room that revealed attitudes ranging from skepticism to Chair, Outreach Committee Editor, [email protected] ing talks, catching up on science and the program’s successes. He con- Rajendrani Mukhopadhyay Once the Experimental Biology meet- confusion to excitement. Bob Matthews other activities with old friends and cluded with a discussion of eorts to Sr. Science Writer, ing formally begins, a considerable Chair, Public Aairs [email protected] acquaintances, seeing long-planned replicate the program at other institu- Advisory Committee amount of the president’s schedule Marnay Harris projects come to their next phase, and tions. I was just sorry that he did not received over the years, including Kathleen Collins Designer, [email protected] revolves around the award presenta- have time to discuss the outstanding The role of social media Chair, Publications meeting young students and excited some at the meeting. Andrew Harmon tions. e society gives more than 15 Committee teachers and hearing them talk about research in RNA structural biology Discussions of the role of social Science and Technology awards (1), and the award lectures Indeed, as my term approached its Martha J. Fedor Publishing Manager, new educational programs make it that he and his largely undergraduate media were a thread that ran through end, I realized that I likely needed to Editor-in-chief, JBC [email protected] give the society members an opportu- all worthwhile. is year’s meeting research team have completed over the meeting, starting at the ASBMB nd another outlet, particularly for Herbert Tabor Ciarán Finn nity to hear the winners describe the the years (which also has roots in zinc Web Assistant, [email protected] also provided many new perspec- Council meeting. Social media have the data analyses that I nd helpful Co-editor, JBC work that led to their selection. ese biochemistry). Karen Schools Colson tives on social media that, I believe, potential roles to play in many activi- for my own thinking about science- A. L. Burlingame presentations come from a mix of Director of Publications, were thought-provoking for many ties related to the ASBMB, including policy issues that also help shape Editor, MCP [email protected] well-established investigators describ- involved. The Public Affairs Advisory meetings, publications, education Edward A. Dennis Barbara Gordon discussions in more productive direc- ing long careers’ worth of work and and outreach. Indeed, considerable Joseph L. Witztum Executive Director, relatively young investigators who Committee panel on tions. One of the happy outcomes Co-editors, JLR [email protected] Before the meeting coverage of the sustainability panel of the Experimental Biology meet- have made important contributions sustainability came from tweeting with the hashtag early in their careers. ing was a chance to meet with some For the president and other ocers #SBRE, as summarized in the Storify and sta members at the Ameri- For me, two special treats this year One of my major eorts during my science bloggers who operate the For information on advertising, contact Fox Associates Inc. summary by Biochem Belle (6). can Society for Biochemistry and were the inauguration of the Bert and term has been to stimulate discus- collective blogging platform called at 800-440-0231 or [email protected]. Some of the younger ASBMB Molecular Biology, the activities start Natalie Vallee Award in Biomedical sions about addressing some crucial Scientopia (7). issues that have made the biomedical sta members gave the Council a before the opening of Experimental Science, awarded to Michael Got- I was invited to join the group research enterprise unsustainable in presentation on the rudiments of Biology with meetings of the ASBMB tesman, and the and have started a new blog called its present form. I wrote about this Twitter and some other social media www.asbmb.org/asbmbtoday Council and other committees. Ruth Kirschstein Datahound (8). I already have posted eort a year ago (3), and a key next tools. I found it interesting to watch PRINT ISSN 2372-0409 ese meetings allow the groups who Diversity in on many topics, including trends step was a panel discussion at Experi- the body language in the room that in training stipends, the distribu- Articles published in ASBMB Today reect solely the are working on both longstanding Science Award authors’ views and not the ocial positions of the mental Biology. revealed attitudes ranging from skep- ASBMB activities, such as publica- presentation by tion of indirect cost rates and gaps American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular While we were in the nal stages ticism to confusion to excitement. A Biology or the institutions with which the authors are tions, and more recent initiatives, Mike Summers. aliated. Endorsement by ASBMB Today or ASBMB of preparation for this, a commen- few Council members moved toward CONTINUED ON PAGE 4 of products or services mentioned is not implied. such as public outreach, to meet and GOTTESMAN Bert Vallee was 2 ASBMB TODAY JUNE/JULY 2014 JUNE/JULY 2014 ASBMB TODAY 3 ANNUAL MEETING CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3 McKnight.