Biophysical Society Newsletter - February 2016

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BIOPHYSICAL SOCIETY NEWSLETTER 12 FEBRUARY 2016
In the News
Rakesh K. Jain, Harvard Medical School and
Massachusetts General Hospital, Society member
since 1999, received the National Medal of Sci-
ence awarded by the White House.
Joseph DeSimone, University of North Carolina at
Chapel Hill, Society member since 2000, received
the National Medal of Technology and Innova-
tion awarded by the White House.
Seven Society members have been elected to be-
come Fellows of the American Association for the
Advancement of Science (AAAS):
Shu Chien , University of California, San
Diego, Society member since 1980
Dennis Discher, University of Pennsylvania,
Society member since 1995
David Piston, Washington University in St.
Louis, Society member since 1985
Edward Stuenkel, University of Michigan,
Society member since 1993
Ilya Vakser, University of Kansas, Society
member since 2014
Mark Yeager , University of Virginia, Society
member since 1991
Philip Yeagle , University of Connecticut,
Society member since 1979
On the Move
Logan S. Ahlstrom moved from the Department
of Chemistry at the University of Michigan where
he was an NRSA Postdoctoral Fellow, to become
a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Research
Associate in James Bardwell’s Laboratory, Depart-
ment of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental
Biology, University of Michigan.
Suzanne Scarlata moved from the Department
of Physiology and Biophysics at Stony Brook
University, New York, to Worcester Polytechnic
Institute, Worcester, Massachusetts, where she
is the Whitcomb Chair and a professor in the
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry.
Have you changed positions recently? Moved to
a new lab? Starting a postdoc? On the Move is a
new feature about the comings and goings of BPS
members. Send news of your move to CCurry@
. Not moving yourself but know of
a BPS member who is? Please send an email and
Society staff will follow-up.
Student Center
Anastasiia Stratiievska
Physiology and Biophysics
University of Washington
Q: How did you get
interested in pursuing
biophysics?
I have wanted to be a scientist since as long as
I can remember. The question “how does pain
work?” is what got me into biophysics. I am
studying the TRPV1 ion channel – a key receptor
in sensory transduction. Ironically, I’m extremely
sensitive to pepper, a pungent compound of
which is a TRPV1 agonist, capsaicin. My friends
joke that my research is only about how to cure
my sensitivity.
I have just recently transferred to the PhD pro-
gram at the Department of Physiology and Bio-
physics, University of Washington, Seattle, from
the PhD program at the Bogomoletz Institute of
Physiology, International Center for Molecular
Physiology, Kyiv, Ukraine.
Student Center is a new feature in the Newsletter,
where student members can share their experi-
ences on how they decided to enter the field of
biophysics. Send a photo and your answer to
.
Member's Corner
Anastasiia
Stratiievska
Rakesh K. Jain
Joseph Desimone