Biophysical Society Newsletter - November 2014

18

BIOPHYSICAL SOCIETY NEWSLETTER

2014

NOVEMBER

Two BPS Members Win 2014 Nobel Prize in Chemistry

Stefan W. Hell and William E. Moerner , along with Eric Betzig were awarded the 2014 Nobel Prize in Chemistry "for the development of super- resolved fluorescence microscopy." Hell, a professor at the Max Planck Institute of Biophysical Chemistry, has been a member of the Biophysical Society since 1998. He received his PhD from the University of Heidelberg in 1990. Moerner, a professor in the Chemistry Depart- ment at Stanford University, joined the Biophysi- cal Society in 1996. He received his PhD from Cornell University in 1982. “I congratulate Hell, Moerner, and Betzig for this well-deserved award,” said Biophysical Society President Dorothy Beckett . “Their work has given us the ability to observe biomolecules in action at high resolution in the cell... For example, we can now track the cellular distribution of specific proteins during processes such as transcription, translation, and cell division. The methods have applications in diagnosis, treatment, and prog- nosis of a host of diseases, including cancer and Alzheimer’s.” Beckett continues, “It is particularly exciting to see the Nobel awarded for super- resolution fluorescence microscopy because the Biophysical Society has a long history of showcas- ing advances in biological fluorescence both at the Annual Meeting and in the Biophysical Journal . The powerful techniques created by Hell, Moern- er, and Betzig have now so permeated biophysics that it is impossible to attend the Annual Meet- ing without encountering their application in the entire range of systems studied by our members." Biophysical Journal Associate Editor Dave Piston adds, “What unites these three researchers is their long-standing belief that we can achieve better clarity in imaging the inner workings of cells. As evidenced by the awarding of the Nobel Prize, the advances they have contributed to super-resolu- tion imaging have been stunning.”

Enrico Gratton , Chair of the Society’s Fluores- cence subgroup, shared his enthusiasm for the award as well. “This is a great recognition by the Nobel Committee of the transformation that fluorescence nano-imaging is bringing to biophys- ics and biology. Super-resolution microscopy has changed the way we perform experiments, open- ing new fields of biophysical research.” The recipients will receive their awards on December 10th at the Nobel Banquet in Stockholm, Sweden.

Stefan W. Hell

William E. Moerner

Members in the News

Howard Berg , Harvard Uni- versity and Society member since 1979, and George Oster , University of California, Berke- ley, and Society member since 1995, have received the 2014 Raymond and Beverly Sackler International Prize in Biophys- ics from Tel Aviv University.

Howard Berg

George Oster

Judith Klinman , University of California, Berkeley, and Society member since 1998, received the National Medal of Science.

Judith Klinman