Biophysical Society Newsletter - February 2016

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BIOPHYSICAL SOCIETY NEWSLETTER 14 FEBRUARY 2016
Subgroups
Intrinsically Disordered
Proteins
Congratulations to Shana Elbaum-Garfinkle,
Princeton University and Alexander Tischer, Mayo
Clinic, Rochester, winners of the IDP Subgroup
Postdoctoral Research Awards! Both Elbaum-
Garfinkle and Tischer will receive a monetary
award, sponsored by Molecular Kinetics, and
will present at the 2016 IDP subgroup meeting.
Elbaum-Garfinkle will discuss Disordered Proteins
at the Nexus of Liquid Phase Separation and Neuro-
degeneration and Tischer will present A Goldilocks
Predicament for Von Willebrand Factor-mediated
Platelet Adhesion.
— Sarah Bondos, Secretary/Treasurer,
IDP Subgroup
Membrane Biophysics
We are pleased to announce that this year’s Cole
Award recipient is Roderick MacKinnon of the
Rockefeller University. MacKinnon has changed
the way we understand selective ion transport by
unravelling the structural mechanisms underly-
ing the function of ion channels. For nearly three
decades his trailblazing functional and structural
investigations challenged old paradigms, estab-
lished new ones and opened the door for a mul-
titude of research lines, ranging from theoretical
chemistry and computational biophysics, to cell
physiology, molecular pharmacology, and many
other branches of chemistry, physics, and biology.
MacKinnon’s contributions to the understanding
of eukaryotic and prokaryotic ion channels have
elucidated how ion channel proteins respond to
the chemico-physical stimuli that lead to their
opening and how they maintain high-fidelity
selective transport at diffusion-limited rates. His
work stimulated some of the greatest debates in
the field of biophysics and membrane transport.
For his remarkable contributions MacKinnon was
awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry, the Lasker
award, and the National Medal of Science. He
maintains his position as one of the leaders in the
study of ion channels, focusing on the relationship
between channel structure and gating mecha-
nisms. In addition to his scientific achievements,
Mackinnon has mentored countless students and
post-doctoral fellows who have established suc-
cessful independent academic careers. His work
and the debates that followed have defined many
of central questions in the field of membrane
transport in the last two decades. Please join us in
congratulating Rod as the 2016 Cole Awardee.
The Cole Award is chosen annually from nomina-
tions solicited from the subgroup by a selection
committee comprised of the Membrane Biophys-
ics subgroup chairs elect, current, past and past-
past in addition to the subgroup treasurer.
The 2016 Membrane Biophysics symposium,
chaired by Alessio Accardi, will be held on Sat-
urday, February 27, from 1:00pm to 6:00pm.
Entitled "Unusual Mechanisms in Membrane
Transport," the symposium promises to be a
lively kick-off to the 2016 BPS meeting in Los
Angeles. The Cole banquet and awardee lecture
directly follows the symposium and will be held at
the Luxe Hotel located at 1020 Figueroa Street, a
few blocks from the LA convention center. Please
send your RSVPs for the dinner to membranebio-
if you did not already sign
up during registration for the 2016 BPS meeting.
—Chris Ahern, Secretary-Treasurer,
Membrane Biophysics Subgroup