Theory & Computation Award for Early Career Scientists
Nomination Deadline: August 1, 2023
This award is for early career scientists working in the topical areas covered by the Theory and Computation (T&C) Subgroup. The award comes with a monetary prize of $1500 which the awardee can use as they please, including to help defray the costs of travel to the BPS Annual Meeting to present a talk on Subgroup Saturday in the T&C Subgroup Symposium. The latter talk is a requirement of the award. This award is sponsored by the Chicago Center for Theoretical Chemistry.
Eligibility:
- Nominee must be an early career scientist working in the topical areas covered by the T&C Subgroup
- Nominee must be within the first five years of their first independent appointment at the time of nomination due date
- Nominee should be a member of both the Biophysical Society and the Theory & Computation Subgroup
Nominations packets must include the following:
- A curriculum vitae including publication list; please mark the five most important publications with an asterisk
- Primary nomination letter, not to exceed two pages in length, single-spaced 11 pt font and 1 inch or larger margins
- Two seconding letters, each not to exceed two pages in length, single-spaced 11 pt font and 1 inch or larger margins
- The above materials should be arranged in that order and submitted as a single PDF file
- Please email the single PDF file nomination to Subgroup Chair Rommie Amaro at [email protected], and cc Subgroup Secretary Ed Lyman at [email protected], by August 1, 2023
This Theory & Computation Subgroup award is sponsored by the Chicago Center for Theoretical Chemistry.
Theory & Computation Award for Mid-Career Scientists
Nomination Deadline: August 1, 2023
This award is for mid-career scientists working in the topical areas covered by the T&C Subgroup. The award comes with a monetary price of $1500 which the awardee can use as they please, including to help defray costs of travel to the BPS Annual Meeting to present a talk on Subgroup Saturday in the T&C Subgroup Symposium. The latter talk is a requirement of the award. This award is sponsored by the Chicago Center for Theoretical Chemistry.
Eligibility:
- Nominee must be a mid-career scientist working the topical areas covered by the T&C Subgroup
- Nominee must be within fifteen years of their first independent appointment at the time of the nomination due date
- Nominee should be a current member of both the Biophysical Society and Theory & Computation Subgroup
Nominations packets must include the following:
- A current curriculum vitae including publication list; please mark the ten most important publications with an asterisk
- Primary nomination letter, not to exceed two pages in length, single-spaced 11 pt font and 1 inch or larger margins
- Two seconding letters, each not to exceed two pages in length, single-spaced 11 pt font and 1 inch or larger margins
- The above materials should be arranged in that order and submitted as a single PDF file
- Please email the single PDF file nomination to Subgroup Chair Rommie Amaro at [email protected], and cc Subgroup Secretary Ed Lyman at [email protected], by August 1, 2023
This Theory & Computation Subgroup award is sponsored by the Chicago Center for Theoretical Chemistry.
Early Career Award in Mechanobiology
Nomination Deadline: November 1, 2023
The BPS Early Career Award in Mechanobiology recognizes a young Principal Investigator who has made outstanding contributions to the way we understand how mechanics shape molecular and cellular processes. The award recipient will be invited to present his/her work at the Mechanobiology Subgroup Symposium during the BPS Annual Meeting.
Eligibility:
- Nominee must have made exceptional contributions to the field of Mechanobiology.
- Nominee must have obtained a Principal Investigator position less than 5 years before the date of the Mechanobiology Subgroup Annual Meeting (February 18, 2023).
- Eligibility period is extended in case of maternity (12 months extension for each child born before or after the PhD award) and paternity (extension by the time of paternity leave taken for each child born before or after the PhD award).
- Nominations must be submitted by an expert in the field who is familiar with the Nominee’s work.
- Nominations must be submitted online before November 1, 2023.
Nominations packets must include the following:
- Nominee’s curriculum vitae
- Letter describing qualifications of the nominee
- A short statement including any factor that has prevented the nominee from advancing at the rate of other colleagues (maternity, paternity, other). The judging standards will be the same for all nominees but the eligibility period may be extended with the agreement of the committee.
- Please send all nominations to [email protected]
This award is sponsored by the Mechanobiology Subgroup.
Early Career Award in Physical Cell Biology
Nomination Deadline: January 12, 2024
The BPS Early Career Award in Physical Cell Biology is given to an outstanding postdoctoral researcher or young principal investigator working to understand the functioning of biological systems from a physical perspective, from single molecules in individual cells to whole living organisms. The award is based on the applicant's track record. The awardee will receive $300 in prize money and present their work at the Subgroup Symposium during the BPS Annual Meeting.
Eligibility:
- Nominee must have made contributions to the field of Physical Cell Biology.
- Nominee must not have obtained tenure. Postdoctoral/Non-tenure (self) nominations should be sent to Program Chair Pallav Kosuri at [email protected]
- Nominations must be submitted online before January 12, 2024.
Nominations packets must include the following:
- A ONE PAGE curriculum vitae of the nominee
- Short 3 - 5 sentences explaining the motivation for applying
- Any indication of potential career disadvantages (parental leave, Covid-19 pandemic related issues etc.)
- A copy of the abstract submitted to the Biophysical Society Annual Meeting
- Send nominations to Stefanie Redemann [email protected] and Jianhua Xing [email protected]
This award is sponsored by the Physical Cell Biology Subgroup.
Student Award in Physical Cell Biology
Nomination Deadline: January 12, 2024
The BPS Student Award in Physical Cell Biology is intended to recognize a Master's or PhD student who has just made their first significant contribution to our research community, e.g. by their first scientific paper on understanding how cells work from a biophysical perspective. The awardee will receive $200 in prize money and present their work at the Subgroup Symposium during the BPS Annual Meeting.
Eligibility:
- Nominee must be a Master's or PhD student.
- Nominee must not have obtained a PhD degree. Nominations should be sent to Program Chair Pallav Kosuri at [email protected]
- Nominations must be submitted online before January 12, 2024.
Nominations packets must include the following:
- PDF of their contribution to the field (preprint, publication, thesis work)
- A ONE PAGE curriculum vitae
- Short 3 - 5 sentences explaining the motivation for applying
- Any indication of potential career disadvantages (parental leave, Covid-19 pandemic related issues etc.)
- A copy of the abstract submitted to the Biophysical Society Annual Meeting
- Send nominations to Stefanie Redemann [email protected] and Jianhua Xing [email protected]
This award is sponsored by the Physical Cell Biology Subgroup.
Motility & Cytoskeleton Subgroup Early Career Award
The Nominations Deadline for 2023 is June 23, 2023.
Motility & Cytoskeleton Subgroup Early Career Award is intended to recognize significant contributions to the field of motility and cytoskeletal research and to boost the visibility of early career investigators. The winner will be selected by a committee consisting of the current co-chairs of the Motility Subgroup and the co-chairs from the previous year. The award, a plaque and a $1,000 honorarium, will be presented during the annual subgroup symposia at the Biophysical Society Annual Meeting and followed by a presentation from the awardee.
Eligibility:
Nominees must have made an exceptional contribution to the biophysical understanding of motility and cytoskeleton. The research can involve computation, theory or experiment and be performed at the molecular, cellular or organismal level. Junior faculty within the first 7 years of their independent tenure track or equivalent appointment at their first institution is eligible. Postdoctoral fellows and graduate students are not eligible. Nominations may be made by individuals who are experts in Motility and Cytoskeleton and intimately familiar with the nominee’s most significant and important research contributions during their independent career. The nominator and the nominee do not need to be a member of our subgroup or BPS to be considered for the award. The nomination package must include the nominee’s CV as well as a brief statement (1,000 word maximum, written by the nominator) summarizing the nominee’s qualifications, contributions and potential for future achievements.
Recommendation letters are not required. Please watch for a message in the Motility & Cytoskeleton discussion forum for submission information. Send nominations to Stuart Campbell ([email protected]) and Sarah Heissler ([email protected]).
This award is sponsored by the Motility & Cytoskeleton Subgroup.
Gregorio Weber Award for Excellence in Fluorescence Theory and Applications
Nominations Deadline: October 31, 2023
The Gregorio Weber Award for Excellence in Fluorescence Theory and Applications, sponsored by ISS, Inc, is intended to recognize and honor distinguished investigators who have made significant and original contributions to the advancement and applications of fluorescence techniques. Awardees will receive a plaque and a $2,000 honorarium to be presented to the honoree at the Biological Fluorescence Subgroup during the Biophysical Society Annual Meeting. The award is named after Professor Gregorio Weber, who pioneered the developments in the theory and applications of fluorescence techniques to biology and biochemistry.
Eligibility:
- Nominees must be senior-level researchers with a rank of full professor, lab director or equivalent.
Nomination packets must include the following:
- 1-2 page description of the individual's accomplishments and their relevance to the field.
Please send all nominations directly to Beniamino Barbieri [email protected].
This award is sponsored by the Biological Fluorescence Subgroup.
Young Fluorescence Investigator Award
Nomination Deadline: December 30, 2023
The Young Fluorescence Investigator Award is given to an outstanding researcher at the beginning of his or her career for significant advancements and/or contributions in or using fluorescence methodologies. Horiba Scientific sponsors this award which consists of a $1,000 honorarium and an invitation to present a 20-minute research talk at the Subgroup Meeting during the Biophysical Society Annual Meeting. Send all nomination packages to Subgroup Chair Hugo Sanabria at [email protected].
Eligibility:
- All pre-tenure faculty or junior level investigators who have completed their Ph.D. and are working in the field of fluorescence; self-nominations are not allowed.
Nominations packets must include the following:
- Letter of Nomination that highlights how the candidate's work represents novel and exciting applications of fluorescence to biology and biophysics
- Include the candidate's CV, a reprint which exemplifies the candidate’s contribution and three letters of support.
This award is sponsored by the Biological Fluorescence Subgroup.
Intrinsically Disordered Protein Subgroup Postdoctoral Award
Nomination Deadline: December 15, 2023
The Postdoctoral Award of the IDP subgroup honors outstanding Postdoctoral Fellows for their research accomplishments during their postdoctoral career. Two Postdoctoral Award winners are selected from submitted nomination packets. The award includes an oral presentation at the IDP symposium and an Honorarium. We would like to encourage women and other underrepresented scientists at the postdoctoral stage to consider applying for this award.
To apply, please send (1) your submitted abstract and BPS control number to [email protected] along with (2) your CV, (3) a statement (300 words) summarizing the significance of your work as a postdoc to the IDP community, and (4) a short statement (max 100 words) explaining the difference of the postdoctoral and PhD graduate projects. The application needs to be accompanied by a short statement (max 20 words) by your mentor declaring that you are eligible for the award (please note that this is NOT recommendation letter).
Eligibility:
- Postdoctoral fellows working in the intrinsically-disordered proteins field.
Nominations packets must include the following:
- A copy of the abstract submitted to the Biophysical Society Annual Meeting, including the BPS control number
- CV of the nominee
- Statement (300 words) summarizing significance of the nominee's work as a postdoc to the IDP community
- Short statement (maximum 100 words) explaining the difference to their graduate PhD work, especially in cases where postdoctoral research overlaps with graduate work
- Short statement of maximum 20 words by the mentor confirming the nominee's eligibility for the award (please note that this is NOT a recommendation letter)
- Nominations to be sent to: [email protected]
This award is sponsored by the Intrinsically Disordered Protein Subgroup.
Young Bioenergeticist Award
Nomination Deadline: January 15, 2024
The Young Bioenergeticist Award is given to outstanding postdocs and young principal investigator working in the bioenergetics field. The award is based on the candidate's track record of accomplishments, including his/her publication(s), as well as the candidate's abstract that will be presented at the Biophysical Society Annual Meeting. The Young Bioenergeticist Award is selected by the members of the Bioenergetics Subgroup Council. The award recipient will will receive a $150 cash prize and will be invited to present his/her work at the Subgroup symposium.
Eligibility:
- Postdoctoral fellows/young principal investigators working in the bioenergetics field.
- PIs must have obtained their PhD position less than 6 years before the nomination deadline (extended by time of maternity or paternity leave).
Nominations packets must include the following:
- Nomination letter from a Subgroup member
- CV and publication list of the nominee
- Two Letters of recommendation
- A copy of the abstract submitted to the Biophysical Society Annual Meeting
- PDF of at least one published paper
This award is sponsored by the Bioenergetics, Mitochondria & Metabolism Subgroup.
Student Bioenergeticist Award
Nomination Deadline: January 15, 2024
The Student Bioenergeticist Award is given to outstanding master and graduate students working in the bioenergetics field. The award is based on the candidate's track record of accomplishments as well as the candidate's abstract that will be presented at the Biophysical Society Annual Meeting. The Student Bioenergeticist Award is selected by the members of the Bioenergetics Subgroup Council. The award recipient will will receive a $150 cash prize and will be invited to present his/her work at the Subgroup symposium.
Eligibility:
- Master/Graduate students working in the bioenergetics field
- A published paper is not required.
Nominations packets must include the following:
- Nomination letter from a Subgroup member
- CV of the nominee
- Two Letters of recommendation
- A copy of the abstract submitted to the Biophysical Society Annual Meeting
This award is sponsored by the Bioenergetics, Mitochondria & Metabolism Subgroup.
Nomination Deadline: December 1, 2023
The purpose of the Award is to boost the visibility of a beginning faculty member whose research and recent achievements focus on cutting-edge investigations of biomolecular processes in living organisms. The research can involve computation, theory or experiment. The winner will present a featured talk at the 2024 Biopolymers in Vivo Subgroup symposium on Saturday February 10, in Philadelphia.
The BIV Awards Committee that selects the winner is comprised of the BIV Executive Committee, the two immediate Past Chairs, and the current postdoc and grad student representatives.
Eligibility:
Candidates must be a member of the subgroup, be employed by a research university at the tenure-track, assistant professor level, and will be primarily evaluated on their research accomplishments as an independent investigator. The Award comprises a plaque and a check for $500 to be awarded at our symposium. The winner must register for the meeting at his/her own expense, but the subgroup will try to reimburse travel costs, pending success in obtaining sponsorships. Currently serving BIV officers are not eligible to apply for the BIV Young Faculty Award, but are granted an extra year extension past the normal eligibility limit for every year that they served as an officer.
To apply, candidates must submit (1) a cover letter that includes a short statement about the significance of their past research accomplishments, (2) a one-page outline of current and future research plans with their "research vision", (3) a two-page curriculum vitae, (4) a full publication list that highlights independent work, corresponding authorship and contributions from students supervised directly by the applicant, and (5) two letters of recommendation to be sent by the recommenders. All items from the nominee (1-4) should be sent as a single pdf file to [email protected], and letters of recommendation should be sent to the same address with the nominee’s name in the subject line of the email.
This award is sponsored by the Biopolymers in vivo Subgroup.
Nomination Deadline: September 8, 2023
The Sir Bernard Katz Award for Excellence in Research on Exocytosis and Endocytosis is named after the investigator who established the exocytotic nature of synaptic transmission and discovered the ligand-gated channel basis for the post-synaptic response. He is one of the founding fathers of biophysics and neuroscience. The recipient of the Katz Award will be honored as the keynote speaker at the Membrane Fusion, Fission, and Traffic Subgroup's annual symposium.
About Bernard Katz:
Bernard Katz was born on March 26, 1911, in Leipzig, Germany, of Russian Jewish origin. His early education was at the Albert Gymnasium in Leipzig (1921-1929). He then studied Medicine at the University of Leipzig and obtained his MD in 1934.
Katz fled Germany in 1935 and was accepted as a Ph.D. student by Professor A.V. Hill at University College, London (UCL), where he worked until August 1939. He referred to Hill as his greatest scientific influence and later described this period as “the most inspiring period of my life.” Katz then left Britain for Sydney, Australia, where he worked with John Eccles and Stephen Kuffler. In 1941 he became a naturalized British citizen, and in 1942 he joined the Royal Australian Air Force and served as a Radar Officer in the South West Pacific until the end of the war. Immediately after the war Hill invited Katz to return to UCL in 1946 as Assistant Director of Research and Henry Head Research Fellow. During this period, he presented the first description of inward rectification and demonstrated, together with Alan Hodgkin, that the overshoot of the action potential results from an influx of Na+. In 1952 Katz succeeded Hill as Professor of Biophysics at UCL (he headed a department there until his retirement in 1978). Katz also married Marguerite "Rita" Penly, and they had two children, David and Jonathan, during this time.
During the 1950s, Katz and Paul Fatt observed spontaneous miniature synaptic currents and developed the “quantal hypothesis” that is the basis for our current understanding of neurotransmitter release as exocytosis and for which he received the Nobel Prize in Medicine or Physiology (together with Ulf von Euler and Julius Axelrod) in 1970. In the late 1960s, Ricardo Miledi and Katz advanced the hypothesis that depolarization-induced influx of Ca2+ triggers exocytosis. In the early 1970s, Miledi and Katz quantified the voltage noise induced in muscle by acetylcholine to infer properties of single ion channels before they could be directly measured and thus opened the era of molecular neuroscience.
In addition to his scientific achievements, Katz was also admired for his crisp, unpretentious writing style. He remained scientifically active long after his retirement. Katz's wife died in 1999, and he himself died at age 92 on April 20, 2003.
Eligibility:
Investigator who has made a substantial contribution to the understanding of exocytosis and endocytosis
Nominations packets must include the following:
- A brief statement summarizing the qualifications of the nominee, emphasizing the contributions that the nominee has made to membrane biophysics
- Nominations, including self-nominations, should be sent to Michelle Knowles [email protected].
This award is sponsored by the Membrane Fusion, Fission & Traffic Subgroup.
Nomination Deadline: October 27, 2023
The Kenneth S. Cole Award is a prestigious recognition given to one or more exceptional researchers in the field of membrane biophysics in acknowledgment of their significant research accomplishments, potential for future contributions, and service to the scientific community. The Awards Committee, comprising the Chair, the Chair-elect, the past Chair, and two designated individuals who are not Subgroup Officers, will select the award recipient. Nominations for the award are open to all Subgroup members and should include the nominee's curriculum vitae, a brief summary of their qualifications, contributions, and potential for future achievements. Letters of support may also be submitted, but they need not be from Subgroup members. The award will be presented at the subgroup dinner following the Saturday symposium at the Biophysical Society Annual Meeting.
Eligibility:
- Investigator who has made a substantial contribution to the understanding of membrane biophysics
Nomination packets must include the following:
A brief statement summarizing the qualifications of the nominee, emphasizing the contributions that the nominee has made to membrane biophysics, and a CV. Nominations should be sent to: Jerome Lacroix, subgroup Secretary-Treasurer: [email protected].
This award is sponsored by the Channels, Receptors & Transporters Subgroup.
Nomination Deadline: October 18, 2023
The Thomas E. Thompson award recognizes an outstanding contribution in the field of membrane structure and function.
The award will be presented at the Membrane Structure and Function Subgroup (MSAF) symposium during the Annual Meeting. The winner will receive a $1000 cash prize and will be invited to present an award lecture at the Subgroup symposium.
Goals of the Award: Promote excellence in research in membrane structure and assembly. Increase the visibility of MSAF members within the Biophysical Society. Celebrate the legacy of Thomas E. Thompson (1926-2021), a pioneer in the field of membrane structure and assembly, and a former president of the Biophysical Society and Editor-in-Chief of the Biophysical Journal.
Eligibility:
Nominees must have made an exceptional contribution to our understanding of membrane structure and assembly. Nominees must have an active research program. Preference will be given to mid-career researchers who have not previously been recognized by a Biophysical Society award. Dual nominations will also be considered. Nominees must be current members of the MSAF Subgroup and must not have been on the MSAF executive committee for the past three years.
Nomination packets must include the following:
- A nomination letter from an MSAF member
- Two supporting letters
- Nominee’s curriculum vitae
Selection Committee
- The recipient will be chosen by the Awards Committee. Nominations should be sent to Elizabeth Kelley at [email protected].
This award is sponsored by the Membrane Structure & Function Subgroup.