June 1, 2011 Dear Biophysical Society Member: The 2011 ballot for ...

OFFICERS
President
Richard Aldrich
Univeristy of Texas, Austin
President-Elect
Jane Richardson
Duke Univeristy Medical Center
Past-President
Peter Moore
Yale University
Secretary
Dorothy Beckett
University of Maryland
Treasurer
Linda Kenney
University of Illinois, Chicago
June 1, 2011
Dear Biophysical Society Member:
The 2011 ballot for the election of President-Elect and seven Members of
Council is enclosed. Also enclosed are biographical sketches of and statements
from all of the candidates.
The slate of candidates was presented by the Nominating Committee to
and approved by Council at the 2011 Annual Meeting in Baltimore. The
Committee worked diligently to ensure that the slate reflects the diversity
of scientific interests and demographics of the Society membership. Please
take a moment to familiarize yourself with the candidates and read their
statements before casting your vote.
The Biophysical Society, currently with over 9,300 members, continues
to be a vital and growing organization, thanks in large part to the active
involvement of its members. Each year, a larger fraction of the membership
participates in the election process. Your participation in the election of
the leaders of the Society is vital to its future. Please exercise your right to
vote by casting your ballot before the August 1, 2011, deadline.
Sincerely,
Dorothy Beckett
Secretary
11400 Rockville Pike, Suite 800, Rockville, MD 20852 P: (240)-290-5600
F: (240)-290-5555 E: society@biophysics.org W: www.biophysics.org
Executive Officer
Rosalba Kampman
Biophysical Society, Rockville
COUNCIL
Nancy L. Allbritton
Ivet Bahar
Patricia Clark
Marco Colombini
Enrique De La Cruz
Karen Fleming
Angel E. Garcia
Angela Gronenborn
Dorothy Hanck
Amy Harkins
Peter Hinterdorfer
Vasanthi Jayaraman
Antoinette Killian
Tanja Kortemme
Marjorie Longo
David Millar
Gail Robertson
Petra Schwille
Peter So
Claudia Veigel
Michael Wiener
BIOPHYSICAL JOURNAL
Editor-in-Chief
Edward Egelman
COMMITTEE CHAIRS
Awards
H. Jane Dyson
Finance
Linda Kenney
Nominating
Enrique De La Cruz
Member Services
Dorothy Beckett
Early Careers
Damien Samways
Education
David Dawson
International Relations
Felx Goñi
Minority Affairs
Luis Marky
Professional Opportunities
for Women (CPOW)
Rajini Rao
Membership
Erin Sheets
Publications
David Piston
Public Affairs
R. John Solaro and
Kathleen Hall, Co-Chairs

2011 Nominees for President-Elect
(Vote for One)
Paul H. Axelsen
MD
Professor of Pharmacology,
Biochemistry and Biophysics,
and Medicine
University of Pennsylvania
Research interests: Protein-lipid interactions, molecular recognition and
structure-based drug design, protein misfolding and amyloidogenesis.
Education: B.S., Biochemistry, University of Minnesota, 1978; M.D., Mayo
School of Medicine, 1982 (University of Washington, 1981-1982).
Summary of Professional Experience: Postdoctoral fellowships, Mayo
Graduate School of Medicine, 1982-1987; Staff Scientist, Mayo Graduate
School of Medicine, 1987-1993; Assistant, Associate, and Full Professor
(with tenure), Departments of Pharmacology, Biochemistry and Biophysics,
and Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, 1993-present; Visiting Scholar,
Weizmann Institute of Science, 1992-1993; Visiting Scholar, University of
Colorado, 2008-2009.
Awards, Honors and Activities: B.S. Summa cum laude, 1978; Joseph
Collins Foundation Scholar, 1979-82; General Mills Clinician Scholar, 1988;
Lucille P. Markey Scholar in Biomedical Science, 1989-1995; Zenith Fellows
Award, Alzheimer’s Association, 2006-2008; Distinguished Faculty Award,
University of Pennsylvania Graduate Group in Pharmacological Sciences,
2010.
National Scientific Activities: Physical Biochemistry Study Section
1999 & 2004, Pharmacology, Biophysics, and MD-PhD Training Study
Section 1999-2003, Biophysical Sciences Special Study Section for Member
Applications 2000, Bioterrorism & Therapeutics, Biodefense and Emerging
Infectious Diseases Study Section 2002-2003, Biophysics and Biophysical
Chemistry Study Section 2004, Biochemistry and Biophysics of Membranes
Study Section 2006-2009, Biophysics of Neural Systems Study Section 2007,
College of CSR Reviewers, 2010-pres, National Scientific Advisory Council,
American Federation for Aging Research, 2008-pres.
Candidate’s Statement: The Biophysical Society is strong and vigorous in
these tough economic times because its leadership has remained focused on its
core purposes: the promotion of scientific discovery and the exchange of ideas
through meetings, publications, and education. As president of the Society, I
would place highest priority on maintaining this focus.
However, we are facing a crisis of declining support for scientific research
that undermines our core purposes. We all know gifted colleagues for
whom the pursuit of research support has forcibly displaced their pursuit of
discovery. We all know gifted students who decide against careers in science
because they see that so many mid-career scientists are hamstrung by a lack of
research support. The decline in support began before the current economic
difficulties, but tough economic times have made the scientific crisis worse.
Under these circumstances, the Biophysical Society should make greater
efforts to educate government policymakers about how research is conducted,
and how it is funded. We must convince them that scientific investment is
essential to our competitiveness, our business climate, our health, and our
security. We must advise them on how to make strategic investments in
science with limited resources, while avoiding policies that squander what has
been built, and the talents of those who have been trained.
The Biophysical Society is in a position to lead in the development of a
model for sustainable scientific enterprise in which there is balanced support
for all of the components that are necessary for progress: the cultivation of
interest in science among schoolchildren, research training in our colleges and
universities, the establishment of new independent investigators, attractive
options for career scientists, and stable support for established independent
investigators. As President of the Biophysical Society, I would promote
efforts to educate government policymakers about the nature and importance
of scientific research, and about how to provide balanced support through
rational public policies.
Biophysical Society Activities: Society member since 1986; Chair, 1998
National Meeting workshop; Chair, Membrane Structure and Assembly
Subgroup, 2002; Member, Program Committee, 2003-2004; Member,
Biophysical Journal Editorial Board, 2004-2010; Council, 2005-2008;
Executive Board, 2007-2009; Chair, Nominating Committee, 2008;
Member, Finance Committee, 2009-pres; Attended every national meeting
since 1990 (including Kansas City!).
Biophysical Society 2011 Ballot

2011 Nominees for President-Elect
Francisco
Bezanilla
PhD
Professor, Biochemistry and
Molecular Biophysics;
Lillian Eichelberger Professor,
University of Chicago
Research Interests: Biophysics of excitability, structure-function relation in
voltage- dependent membrane transport: ion channels and transport proteins.
Education: B.S. Biology Catholic University, Santiago, Chile 1964; M.S.
Biophysics Catholic University, Santiago, Chile, 1967; PhD Biophysics
Catholic University, Santiago, Chile 1968; Postdoctoral Biophysics, Laboratory
of Biophysics, NINCDS, NIH 1969; Postdoctoral Physiology, Dept. of
Physiol., Univ. of Rochester, NY 1969-71.
Summary of Professional Experience: Assistant Professor, Department
of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Chile, 1972-1974; Research
Associate, Department of Physiology, University of Rochester School of
Medicine, 1974; Professor, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences,
University of Chile, 1974-1977; Professor of Neuroscience, Department of
Physiology, UCLA, 1977-2005; Professor, Institute for Molecular Pediatric
Sciences and Dept. of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of
Chicago 2006–present.
Awards, Honors and Activities: Professor Rosenblueth Lecture (I.P.N.,
Mexico) 1977 ; Council Member, Society of General Physiologists 1985-
1987; Secretary of SOBLA, 1986-1987; Society of General Physiologists
Plenary Lecturer ,1990; American Physiological Society Annual Lecturer 1994;
Susumu Hagiwara Professor of Neuroscience 1995; Annual Review Prize
Lecture, The Physiological Society, U.K. 2000; Elected to the Latin American
Academy of Sciences, 2002; Elected to the United States Academy of Sciences
2006; Doctor Honoris Causa University of Antwerp, Belgium 2007; Lillian
Eichelberger Cannon Professor 2008.
Biophysical Society Activites: Society member since 1980; Council, 1983-
1986; Executive Board, 1984-1986; Biophysical Journal Editorial Board,
ending 1982; Kenneth S. Cole Award, 1990; Fellow of the Biophysical
Society, 1999; Biophysical Journal Editorial Board, 2007-2010; Committee
on Thematic Meetings, 2010-present
Candidate’s Statement: One of my first experiences when I came to the US
was the attendance to the Biophysical Society Meeting in 1970. There I met
most of the biophysicists working on membrane excitability -the precursors of
the now ubiquitous and monumental ion channel crowd- and for this recently
arrived postdoc, some of them converted from names in books to human
beings. The free exchange of ideas I saw, including some interesting and
heated discussions, shaped for me the meaning and purpose of the Society. As
a beginning scientist this was a fulfilling experience. At that time, unlike today,
the Society was small and participation was easier. However, I believe that it
is still possible that the Society emphasize the participation of young biophysicists,
as for example, giving them preference in oral presentations during the
meeting. A fundamental function of our Society is to disseminate Biophysics
and a way to do that is facilitating the incorporation of young scientists. This
can be helped by expanding existing plans of the Society, such as travel grants
for students and also foreign members. In this respect, an important aspect is
expansion of the facilities for job searching. The Society has grown so large
that the different sub-specialties of Biophysics rarely communicate between
them. Traditionally much progress has been made possible by the interaction
of apparently dissimilar disciplines, in that spirit I would like to promote such
exchange by organizing joint sessions during the meetings and also expanding
tutorial sessions. This is particularly relevant for new emerging techniques, an
important topic during our meetings. The interaction of sub-disciplines and
emerging techniques should be emphasized not only during the annual meeting
but also in the Biophysical Thematic Meetings carried on regularly by the
Society. The Biophysical Journal, which has been an excellent communication
means for us members, could also be encouraged to help in this aspect of the
Society exchange between the different fields of Biophysics by, for example,
implementing subject-related issues or sections. Communications these days
are cheap, easy to implement and fast. Therefore wireless communication
should be made available free to all registered participants during our annual
meetings. The Society presence in Capitol Hill has a long tradition and we
should continue and reinforce our policies in Washington DC, especially in
these difficult financial times for Science.
Biophysical Society 2011 Ballot

2011 Nominees for Council
(Vote for Seven)
Robert H. Chow
MD, PhD
Associate Professor of
Physiology & Biophysics,
Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute
Keck School of Medicine
University of Southern
California
Research Interests: Molecular control of exocytosis and endocytosis, synaptic
transmission, amperometry, membrane capacitance measurements,
single-molecule techniques, total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy,
super-resolution microscopy.
Education: BA Biology, Brown University, 1981; MD, PhD Physiology,
Univ. of Pennsylvania, 1988; Internal Medicine Residency, Univ. of Colorado,
1988-1990; Postdoc Fellow, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry,
Germany, 1990-1995.
Summary of Professional Experience: Lecturer/Senior Lecturer, Univ.
of Edinburgh, Dept of Physiology, 1996-1999; Associate Professor, Univ.
of Southern California, Keck School of Medicine, Dept. of Physiology &
Biophysics, 2000-present.
Special Accomplishments: Medical Scientist Training Program Fellowship,
1981-1988; Grass Foundation Fellow, 1984; Alexander von Humboldt
Research Fellowship, 1991–1992; Howard Hughes Physician Postdoctoral
Fellowship, 1993–1995; Sir Henry Wellcome Innovative Research Award,
1997–1999; Human Frontiers Science Program Research Grant, 2001–2003;
Founded and served as first Head of the Membrane Biology Interdisciplinary
Research Group (IDG) at Univ. of Edinburgh; Founded the Junior Academics
Meeting on Exocytosis and Endocytosis at Univ. of Edinburgh.
Biophysical Society Activities: Society member since 1987; founded and
served as first Chairman of the Exocytosis and Endocytosis Subgroup, 2003;
Editorial Board of Biophysical Journal, 2005–2008.
Other Scientific Societies: American Diabetes Association.
Candidate’s Statement: The Biophysical Society annual meeting has always
been the most important venue for the work from my own laboratory. I have
been active in promoting our Society to the broader community by creating a
subgroup on the topic of exocytosis and endocytosis, and I have served on the
editorial board of the Society journal. The subgroup has grown each year since
its founding about eight years ago, and it continues to attract both junior and
senior scientists in the field, some of whom started to come regularly to the
meeting only after the start of the subgroup. Each year, we also recognize the
accomplishments of a senior scientist in the field by awarding the Sir Bernard
Katz Award. I offer my energy and my vision to help maintain our Society as
one of the best places to share and enjoy the fruits of our scientific endeavors.
Gaudenz Danuser
PhD
Professor, Department
of Cell Biology
Harvard Medical School
Research Interests: Mechanochemical regulation of cell and tissue morphogenesis,
quantitative live cell imaging and computational modeling of cell
dynamics.
Education: Diploma, Measurement Sciences, 1993; PhD Electrical
Engineering, 1997, both at ETH Zurich, Switzerland; Postdoctoral Fellowship,
MBL, Woods Hole, 1997–1999.
Summary of Professional Experience: Instructor in Biomechanics, ETH
Zurich, 1999–2001; Assistant Professor of Cellular Biomechanics, ETH
Zurich, 2001–2003; Assistant, Associate, Full Professor (2003–2009) of
Cell Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA; Professor of Cell
Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 2009–present; Faculty of the
Physiology Course (2009– 2010), Founding Course Director, Computational
Image Analysis in Cellular and Developmental Biology (2011– present) MBL.
Editorial Boards, IEEE Transaction on Image Processing (2004–2008), J. Cell
Biology (2010– present), J. Cell Science (2011–present).
Special Accomplishments: HFSP Young Investigator Award, 2002–2005;
Appointed Member NIH study sections MI and EBIT, 2008–present; Nikon
Fellow, MBL, 2008; Michael and Kate Bárány Award, Biophysical Society,
2009. Transformative R01 Award by NIH Director’s office, 2009–2014.
Biophysical Society Activities: Society member since 2002; Editorial Board,
Biophysical Journal, 2004–2008.
Candidate’s Statement: If elected, I will bring to the Society’s agenda three
topics that I feel are important for our community: First, the Society should
more actively promote interdisciplinary team science. All too often decisions
on graduation, hiring, or tenure appointments rely on antiquated views that
intellectual leadership is reflected by work as an individual rather than participation
in teams. I would like to help launch initiatives that advocate the
recognition of collaborations, joint authorships and multi-investigator grants.
Second, the Society should more actively communicate the value of science
as the ultimate generator of innovation. I would like to participate in committee
work that increases the visibility of science in the public and promotes
science as a target for economic investment. Third, science is a great vehicle to
integrate people across the boundaries of nationality, ethnicity, and religion.
I would like to help launch initiatives that make use of the Society’s broad
membership to reach out to scientists in politically, economically, and socially
strained regions of the world.
Biophysical Society 2011 Ballot

2011 Nominees for Council
Nathan Dascal
PhD
Professor of Physiology,
Department of Physiology
and Pharmacology, Sackler
School of Medicine, Tel Aviv
University, Israel
Michael A.
Ferenczi
PhD
Professor of Physiological
Sciences, National Heart and
Lung Institute
Imperial College London, UK
Research Interests: Signal transduction via G protein coupled receptors and
G proteins; ion channel biophysics; modulation of neuronal and cardiac K +
and Ca 2+ channels by G proteins and protein kinases. Methodologies: electrophysiology,
protein biochemistry, imaging and FRET, kinetic modeling.
Educational Experience: B.Sc., St. Petersburg University, Russia, 1974; M.
Sc., Tel Aviv University, Israel, 1979; Ph. D., Tel Aviv University, 1983;
Postdoctoral Fellowship, California Institute of Technology, 1984–1985.
Professional Experience: Lecturer, Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv
University, Israel, 1983–1987; Senior Lecturer, 1987–1991; Associate
Professor; 1991–1996; Professor, 1996-present.
Special Accomplishments: Fulbright Postdoctoral Fellowship (1984–1985);
Myron R. Bantrell Postdoctoral Fellowship (1984–1985); The Juludan Prize
(1994)
Biophysical Society Activities: Society member since 1984; yearly participation
(usually with members of my group) in the Society meetings. Participated
in the organization of self-assembled sessions and chaired several sessions.
Member of the Membrane Biophysics subgroup.
Other Scientific Societies: Society for Neuroscience, USA; Israel Society of
Physiology & Pharmacology; Israel Society for Neuroscience.
Candidate’s Statement: I am a veteran member of the Society, watched it
grow and participated in almost all meetings since 1984. The Society stands
out in the excellent quality of its meetings and its Journal, and the high percentage
of participants of the young generation. I would like to contribute
from my experience to maintain and further improve these qualities, aid in
future developments and progress. In particular, I would like to promote the
widening of the range of issues featured at the Society’s meetings and satellite
meetings, toward a tighter interplay of biophysics with physiology and cell biology,
such as application of novel biophysical techniques to address important,
long-standing and unresolved issues in cell and membrane signaling and regulation.
As a member of the Council, I will be committed to the maintenance
of quality and widening of the range of the scientific program of the Annual
Meetings, support and education of young scientists, as well as to all other
aspects of Society’s activity.
Research Interests: Mechanism of muscle contraction in skeletal and cardiac
muscle. Development of biophysical techniques for time-resolved measurements
of chemical change in organised cellular systems. Application of fluorescence
methods for exploring structural changes during contraction. Timeresolved
low-angle X-ray diffraction techniques for cross-bridge movement.
TIRF, Fluorescence life-time and FRET imaging. Disease-induced changes in
muscle function.
Education: B.Sc., Physiology, University College London (UCL), 1974; PhD
UCL, 1978.
Summary of Professional Experience: Beit Memorial Fellowship, UCL,
1979-1980; Fellow of the American Muscular Dystrophy Association,
Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia,
1981-1982, then Research Assistant, 1982-1983; Scientific Staff, National
Institute for Medical Research, London, 1983-2001; Professor of Physiological
Sciences, Imperial College London, 2001-present; Head of Section, Molecular
Medicine, National Heart and Lung Institute, 2007-present.
Special Accomplishments: British Biophysical Society Executive Committee,
most years since 1984; Editorial Board, Journal of Physiology, 2002–2009;
European Biophysical Societies’ Association (EBSA) Executive Committee
since 1996; Honorary Treasurer, 1997–2003 and 2009–present; Vice-
President, then President, 2005-2009; Chairman, Organising Committee,
6th European Biophysics Congress, London 2007. ESRF Review Committee,
2007–present. Publications Committee of the European Biophysics Journal
since 1997.
Biophysical Society Activities: Society member since 1978.
Other Scientific Societies: Member of the Physiological Society since 1976.
As shown above, heavily involved in the European Biophysical Societies’
Association.
Candidate’s Statement: The interface of physics and biology provides wonderful
opportunities for technology-led scientific progress. Although basic,
blue-sky biophysics provides intellectual freedom, the potential application of
the research for medicine and the environment adds pleasure and excitement.
I am passionate to share the joys and challenges of biophysics with others, in
my teaching, and foremost in EBSA, where, by means of bursaries, we bring
young biophysicists from less favoured European and East European countries
to EBSA Congresses and schools, for inspiration from world-famous biophysicists.
I will foster greater interaction between biophysics organisations across
the continents, to promote the highest quality biophysics world-wide.
Biophysical Society 2011 Ballot

2011 Nominees for Council
Taekjip Ha
PhD
Professor, University of Illinois
at Urbana-Champaign &
Investigator, Howard Hughes
Medical Institute
Samantha Harris
PhD
Assistant Professor
Department of Neurobiology,
Physiology, and Behavior
University of California, Davis
Research Interests: Single molecule biophysics and nucleic acids
enzymes.
Education: BS, Physics, Seoul National University, 1990; PhD, Physics,
University of California at Berkeley, 1996; Post-doctoral Fellow, Lawrence
Berkeley National Laboratory, 1997, Physics, Stanford University, 1998–
2000.
Summary of Professional Experience: Assistant Professor, 2000-2004,
Associate Professor, 2004-2007, Professor, 2007-present, Physics, University
of Illinois; Investigator, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, 2005–present;
Co-director, Center for the Physics of Living Cells, University of Illinois,
2008–present.
Special Accomplishments: Research Innovation Award, Research
Corporation, 2001; Searle Scholars Award, 2001; NSF CAREER Award,
2002; Fluorescence Young Investigator Award, Biophysical Society, 2002;
Cottrell Scholar, Research Corporation, 2003; Alfred P. Sloan Fellow, 2003;
2004; Fellow, American Physical Society, 2005; Michael and Kate Bárány
Award for Young Investigators, Biophysical Society, 2007; University
Scholar, University of Illinois, 2009, Ho-Am Prize in Science, 2011.
Biophysical Society Activities: Society member and active participant
since 1999; Recipient, Fluorescence Young Investigator Award, 2002;
Awarded the Bárány Award for Young Investigators, 2007; Member,
Nominating Committee, 2006; Member, Program Committee, 2007–
2010; Editorial Board of Biophysical J., 2007-present; Program Chair, 54th
Annual Meeting; 2009–2010; Invited talks at Workshops (2000, 2002,
2006), Subgroup meetings (2002,2005,2011) and Discussion meeting
(2006). Many members of my laboratory participate each year in the annual
meetings with either posters or platform presentations.
Other Scientific Societies: American Physical Society, American Chemical
Society.
Candidate’s Statement: Biophysical Society is my home society and I
came to appreciate how democratic and forward-looking the society leadership
is through my previous services in nominating and program committees.
I wish to help the Society build on its outstanding tradition and
reinvent itself while maintaining continuity, which would be essential in
attracting and keeping the brightest young scientists.
Research Interests: Myofilament and contractile proteins, molecular mechanisms
of muscle contraction, mechanisms by which mutations in contractile
proteins cause hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
Education: BS, Biology, University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign, 1988;
PhD, Physiology (epithelial ion transport), University of Michigan, Ann
Arbor, MI, 1995; Postdoctoral training (myocardial contraction), University
of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, 1996-2001.
Summary of Professional Experience: Assistant Research Scientist,
University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, 2001–2003; Research Assistant
Professor, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 2003–2007; Assistant
Professor, University of California, Davis, CA, 2007-2011; Associate Professor
2011–present.
Special Accomplishments: Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society, 1988; American
Physiological Society Caroline tum Suden Professional Opportunity Award
for Meritorious Research, 1993; American Heart Association Chippewa
Valley Research Award, 1998; NRSA NIH Postdoctoral Fellowship, 1999-
2001; American Heart Association McClain Research Award, 2002; American
Heart Association New Investigator Award, 2003; American Heart Association
Scientist Development Grant, 2001–2006; American Heart Association
Western Affiliates Laverna Titus Young Investigator Award, 2008. Editorial
Board Member: Journal of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology, Frontiers in
Cardiac Muscle Physiology.
Biophysical Society Activities: Society member and active participant
in Annual Biophysical Society Meetings since 1996; Member of Motility
Subgroup; Motility Subgroup Speaker in 2008; Speaker and Chair, Myosin
Symposium, 2009; Member of Committee on Professional Opportunities for
Women (CPOW) 2010–present.
Other Scientific Societies: International Society of Heart Research,
Contractile and Regulatory Proteins Program Committee; American Heart
Association; American Physiological Society.
Candidate’s Statement: The Biophysical Society provides common ground
for all those wanting to know “how” things work. It is this common purpose
within a vibrant diversity of research questions that makes the Biophysical
Society a unique and exciting forum especially suited for the cross-pollination
of ideas and education across and within disciplines. As a Council member
I will work to highlight the newest intersections of ideas and methodology
across our varied fields while maintaining the breadth and depth of topics that
make the Biophysical Society a premiere venue for presentation of the most
innovative and rigorous science.
Biophysical Society 2011 Ballot

2011 Nominees for Council
Marcia Levitus
PhD
Assistant Professor,
Department of Chemistry and
Biochemistry and
Biodesign Institute
Arizona State University
Wolfgang A. Linke
PhD
Professor and Chair of
Physiology, Ruhr University
Bochum, Germany
Research Interests: Development and application of fluorescence techniques
to problems in biophysics, in particular conformational dynamics in nucleic
acids and proteins. Photophysical and photochemical properties of fluorescent
probes in biomolecular environments.
Education: BS, chemistry, University of Buenos Aires, Argentina, 1995;
PhD in physical chemistry, University of Buenos Aires, Argentina, 1998;
Postdoctoral fellow, University of California Los Angeles, 1998–2000;
Postdoctoral fellow, University of California Berkeley, 2000–2004.
Summary of Professional Experience: Assistant professor of chemistry and
biochemistry, Arizona State University, 2005-present; Assistant professor
of physics (affiliated), Arizona State University, 2006-present; Member of
the center for single molecule biophysics, Biodesign Institute, Arizona State
University, 2005–present.
Special Accomplishments: NSF CAREER Award, 2006; Inter-American
Photochemical Society Young Investigator Award, 2010.
Biophysical Society Activities: Society member since 2005; Member of the
Biological Fluorescence subgroup. My lab members and I are regular attendees
of the Annual Meeting.
Candidate’s Statement: The Biophysical Society Annual Meeting has been
an invaluable venue in my career to meet colleagues and discuss exciting
developments in the interface between physics and the biological sciences.
The size of the conference, however, has grown to the point that it is easy
to feel overwhelmed by so many options and parallel activities. I believe the
biophysics community would benefit from complementing the annual society
meetings with more focused thematic meetings, especially in the summer.
These smaller meetings would not only foster in-depth discussions in cutting
edge fields of biophysics, but also would provide new investigators with more
opportunities to interact with the leaders in these fields. Along the same lines,
increasing the number of subgroups and subgroup activities would promote
a more fluid interaction among members with a common interest. I also
believe that the Society should increase its efforts in disseminating material
to a broader audience through their website, and through webinars, webcasts
and podcasts. These materials can be invaluable educational tools for educators
looking for resources, or for new investigators in the field looking for an
introduction to a particular topic.
Research Interests: Muscle mechanics, ultrastructure, and mechanosignaling;
single-molecule experiments, atomic force microscopy, force spectroscopy;
cytoskeletal dynamics.
Education: Diploma, Biology, University of Halle-Wittenberg, Germany,
1988; PhD, Physiology, University of Halle-Wittenberg, 1991; Postdoctoral
Fellow, Dept. of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, 1991–
1994; Habilitation, Physiology, University of Heidelberg, Germany, 1998.
Summary of Professional Experience: Assistant Professor, Institute of
Physiology, University of Heidelberg, 1994–2003; Visiting Professor, Dept.
of Physiology and Biophysics, Mayo Clinic Rochester, 2001; Professor and
Head, Physiology and Biophysics Unit, University of Muenster, Germany,
2003–2009; Professor and Chair of Physiology, Ruhr University Bochum,
Germany, 2009–present.
Special Accomplishments: “Heisenberg” (career development) Award of
the German Research Foundation, 1999–2003; Elected Executive Board
Member, European Society for Muscle Research, 2009-present; Invited
Fellow, European Society of Cardiology, 2010; Editorial Board, Journal of
Muscle Research and Cell Motility, 2002–present; and Journal of Molecular
and Cellular Cardiology, 2008–present.
Biophysical Society Activities: Society member and active Annual
Meeting participant since 1992. Biophysical Society International Mentor,
2003–present.
Other Scientific Societies: European Society for Muscle Research, German
Physiological Society; German and European Societies of Cardiology,
American Heart Association.
Candidate’s Statement: I joined the Biophysical Society in 1992 as a young
postdoctoral fellow who had just arrived in the United States from former
Eastern Germany. Since then, the Society has been a scientific home for
me and the Annual Meeting always an intellectual and social highlight. As
a Council member, I will work to further promote the Meeting as a most
eminent venue for the exchange of ideas and methodology among scientists
of diverse background. There is no better time for biophysics than now, as the
challenges abound, e.g., in moving towards a more quantitative description of
complex biological systems after gathering knowledge on simpler paradigms. I
will continue my efforts in mentoring young scientists and ensuring diversity
in gender and other categories within institutions and the Biophysical Society.
I look forward to being more actively involved in the Society and Annual
Meeting planning.
Biophysical Society 2011 Ballot

2011 Nominees for Council
Merritt Maduke
PhD
Associate Professor,
Department of Molecular &
Cellular Physiology
Stanford University
Research Interests: Molecular mechanisms of ion channels and transporters;
approaches include electrophysiology, biochemistry, NMR, computational
methods, and small-molecule probe development.
Education: BS, Chemistry, Wheaton College, 1989; PhD, Chemistry,
University of California San Diego, 1995; Postdoctoral Associate, Brandeis
University, 1995–2001.
Summary of Professional Experience: Assistant Professor, Dept of
Molecular & Cellular Physiology, Stanford University, 2001–2009; Associate
Professor, Dept of Molecular & Cellular Physiology, Stanford University,
2009–present.
Special Accomplishments: Summa cum laude, Wheaton College, 1989;
Esther Ehrman Lazard Faculty Fellow, 2003; Cranefield Award, 2007;
Councilor, Society of General Physiologists, 2007–2010; Chair, Ion Channels
GRC, 2010; GRC Headquarters “Hall of Fame” for Chairs who are always
pleasant to work with, 2010; Editorial Board, Journal of General Physiology,
2010-present; Co-Chair, American Heart Association Unified Peer Review
Committee, Proteins & Crystallography, 2010-present.
Biophysical Society Activities: Society member since 1995; Membrane
Biophysics Subgroup, 1995–present; I have attended almost all of the past
16 meetings, and my lab members present at every meeting. Committee for
Professional Opportunities for Women, 2010–present. Panelist: “If I Knew
Then What I Know Now” career-development session, 2010. Organizer:
Postdoc to Faculty Q & A: Transitions Forum and Luncheon, 2011.
Other Scientific Societies: Society of General Physiologists, American
Chemical Society, American Heart Association, American Physiological
Society, American Association for the Advancement of Science.
Candidate’s Statement: The Biophysical Society is a splendid community
of scientists who appreciate and pioneer quantitative approaches in biological
research. As a Council Member, there are three main areas in which I would
focus my efforts. First, to help maintain and enhance high-quality programs at
the annual meeting, I will consult broadly amongst the membership regarding
the diverse and interdisciplinary topics of biophysics. Second, I will continue
to create and promote career-development resources, especially for young
biophysicists. Finally, I will advocate for expanding the Society’s efforts in its
Public Affairs Committee. Public appreciation and support of Biophysics is
critical to sustaining the vibrant research community we know and love.
Daniel L. Minor, Jr.
PhD
Associate Professor,
Cardiovascular Research
Institute (CVRI),
University of California, San
Francisco, Physical Biosciences
Division, Lawrence Berkeley
National Laboratory
Research Interests: Membrane protein structure and function. Molecular
recognition. Ion channel drug development. Molecular machines.
Education: B.A., Univ. of Penn., Biochemistry and Biophysics, magna cum
laude, 1989; PhD Dept. of Chemistry, M.I.T, 1996; Postdoc, MRC-LMB
Cambridge, England, 1996; Postdoc, HHMI, Dept. of Physiology, UCSF,
1996-2000.
Summary of Professional Experience: Asst. Prof., CVRI and Dept. of
Biochem. & Biophys., UCSF, 2000–2007; Asst. Prof., Dept. of Cell. &
Mol. Pharm., UCSF, 2002-2007; Assoc. Prof. (w/ tenure), CVRI, Depts.
of Biochem. & Biophys. and Cell. & Mol. Pharm., UCSF, 2007-present;
Faculty Scientist, Physical Biosciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National
Laboratory, 2009–present.
Special Accomplishments: ILGWU Scholarship, 1985; Helix Prize in
Biochemistry, Univ. of Penn. 1989; Phi Beta Kappa, 1989; Burroughs
Wellcome HitchingsElion Fellowship, 1996; McKnight Scholar, 2001–
2004; Rita Allen Scholar, 2001–2005; Alfred P. Sloan Fellow, 2002-2004;
Beckman Young Investigator, 2002–2005; March of Dimes, Basil O’Connor
Scholar, 2002–2004; Searle Scholar, 2002–2005; McKnight Technological
Innovation Award, 2004-2006; Established Investigator, American Heart
Association, 2007–2011; Fellow of the American Asthma Foundation 2010–
2011; Feinberg Foundation Visiting Faculty Fellow, Weizmann Institute,
Israel, 2011.
Biophysical Society Activities: Society member since 2001; Membrane
Biophysics Subgroup Member; Chair of the Membrane Biophysics Subgroup,
2010; CPOW discussion member, 2010; I and members of my laboratory are
regular attendees of the Annual Meeting.
Candidate’s Statement: I am grateful for the opportunity to run for
Biophysical Society Council. I will strive to maintain the high standards of
exciting meetings that include sessions featuring scientists doing cutting edge
biophysics at all career stages. In this regard, the platform sessions are one of
the most important aspects of the meeting. They provide a fantastic forum for
presentations of stimulating, new results, and are an important opportunity
for students and postdocs to present their data firsthand. As biological science
becomes more quantitative, the Biophysical Society has an important role as a
venue for the development of both the science and the next generation of scientists
and as an advocate for our shared enterprise. It would be a great honor
to contribute by working directly for the Society as a Council member.
Biophysical Society 2011 Ballot

2011 Nominees for Council
Jeanne M. Nerbonne
PhD
Alumni Endowed Professor of
Molecular Biology
and Pharmacology
Washington University Medical
School
E. Michael Ostap
PhD
Professor of Physiology
Director, Pennsylvania
Muscle Institute
University of Pennsylvania
School of Medicine
Research Interests: Molecular determinants of voltage-gated ion channel
diversity and functioning in cardiac and neuronal cells; Inherited and acquired
disorders of excitability in the cardiovascular and nervous systems
Education: BSc, Chemistry, Framingham State College, 1974; PhD, Physical
Organic Chemistry, Georgetown University, 1978; Postdoctoral Fellow,
Biology, CalTech, 1979-1984.
Summary of Professional Experience: Assistant-Full Professor,
Pharmacology, Washington University Medical School, 1985–2001; Alumni
Endowed Professor of Molecular Biology and Pharmacology, 2002-present,
Professor of Biomedical Engineering and Internal Medicine (secondary),
Washington University, 2006-present.
Special Accomplishments: W. W. Zorbach Chemistry Prize, Georgetown
University, 1978; NIH/NRSA Postdoctoral Fellowship, 1979–1981; AHA
Postdoctoral Fellowship, 1981–1983; AHA Established Investigator Award,
1984–1989; Editorial Board, Circulation Research, 1995–present; Founding
Fellow of the American Heart Association, Basic Cardiovascular Sciences, 2001;
Medical Science Graduate Student Association Keynote Speaker, University
of Calgary, 2002; Neurosciences Graduate Student Organization Speaker,
Baylor College of Medicine, 2003; The Rudy Clarenburg Distinguished
Lecturer, Kansas State University, 2003; Neurosciences Interdisciplinary
Graduate Program Speaker, Georgetown University, 2004; Associate Editor,
Channels, 2006-present; Davis Heart and Lung Research Institute Discovery
Series Distinguished Lecturer, Ohio State University, 2006; Distinguished
Investigator Award, Washington University, 2007; Reviewing Editor, Journal
of Neuroscience, 2007–present.
Biophysical Society Activites: Society member since 1996.
Other Scientific Societies: American Heart Association; American
Physiological Society; Cardiac Electrophysiology Society; Heart Rhythm
Society; Society of General Physiologists; Society for Neuroscience.
Candidate’s Statement: Over the years, membership in the Biophysical
Society has provided great benefit to me personally, including casual/formal
interactions with colleagues at meetings, discussions at posters, and recruiting
postdoctoral fellows through the Job Board. Importantly, I also recognize the
impact that Society membership, meeting attendance and poster/slide presentations
has on predoctoral and postdoctoral trainees. I applaud the emphasis of
the Biophysical Society leadership on education, training and mentoring and I
would be happy to participate in these efforts as a member of the Council.
Research Interests: Biophysics, biochemistry, and cell biology of cell motility.
Molecular motor proteins, biochemical kinetics, single molecule biophysics.
Education: BS, Chemistry, Illinois State University, 1988; PhD,
Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Biophysics, University of Minnesota,
1993; Postdoctoral Fellow, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine,
1993–1996.
Summary of Professional Experience: Assistant Professor of Physiology,
1997–2003; Associate Professor of Physiology, 2003–2009; Professor of
Physiology, 2009–present; Director, Pennsylvania Muscle Institute, University
of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, 2010–present.
Special Accomplishments: Damon Runyon-Walter Winchell Post-Doctoral
Fellowship, 1994–1996; Mary L. Smith Award for Cardiovascular Research,
1999; Established Investigator of the American Heart Association, 2002–
2005; Deans Award for Excellence in Graduate Training, 2006; Director T32
Training Program in Muscle Biology and Disease, 2006–present; Vice Chair,
Gordon Conference on Muscle & Molecular Motors, 2011.
Biophysical Society Activities: Society member since 1993; Co-Chair of
Motility Subgroup, 2003; Motility Subgroup Speaker, 2007; Biophysical
Society Symposium Speaker, 2009; Editorial Board, Biophysical Journal,
2007–present.
Other Scientific Societies: American Society for Cell Biology.
Candidate’s Statement: Our Society is the premier organization for the dissemination
of state-of-the-art biophysical research. Therefore, the council’s
number-one priority must be to maintain this world-class distinction by
ensuring the quality and significance of its meetings, publications, and education
initiatives. We will accomplish this goal by highlighting the historic
strengths of our membership, while working to bring our rigorous standards
and new technologies to emerging fields of biology and biomedicine. The
latter is especially true as changes in research funding opportunities (national
and international) are pointing us in new research directions. Having served
as chair of the Motility Subgroup and as a member of the Biophysical Journal
Editorial Board, I am excited about the opportunity to play a new role in supporting
our vibrant Society.
Biophysical Society 2011 Ballot

2011 Nominees for Council
Douglas N.
Robinson
PhD
Associate Professor
of Cell Biology
Johns Hopkins University
School of Medicine
James R.
Williamson
PhD
Professor, Dean of Graduate and
Postdoctoral Studies, The Skaggs
Institute for Chemical Biology
and The Scripps Research
Institute
Research Interests: Actin crosslinkers, cell mechanics, cell shape change,
cellular mechanosensing, cytokinesis, cytoskeleton, development, imaging,
molecular motors, myosin.
Education: BS, Biology, Purdue University, 1991; PhD, Yale University
School of Medicine, 1997; Postdoctoral Fellowship, Stanford University,
1997–2001.
Summary of Professional Experience: Assistant Professor of Cell Biology,
Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, 2001-2008; Associate Professor of
Cell Biology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, 2008-present; Secondary
appointments in the Departments of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences,
Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and Chemical and Biomolecular
Engineering, Johns Hopkins University Whiting School of Engineering.
Special Accomplishments: Phi Beta Kappa, Purdue University Chapter,1991;
Damon Runyon-Walter Winchell Cancer Research Fund Postdoctoral
Fellow, 1997–2000; Burroughs-Wellcome Fund Career Award in the
Biomedical Sciences, 2000–2004; Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation
Young Investigator Award, 2003–2006; American Cancer Society Research
Scholar Award, 2007-2011; Editorial Board Member of Biophysical Journal,
since 2009; Editorial Board Member of Current Biology, since 2010; Editorial
Board Member of Cytoskeleton, since 2011.
Biophysical Society Activities: Society member since 2004; Editorial Board
Member of Biophysical Journal, since 2009; Chair of the Symposium on Cell
and Tissue Mechanics and Modeling, 2011; Many members of my group and
I regularly attend and present at the Annual Meeting.
Other Scientific Societies: American Society for Cell Biology.
Candidate’s Statement: I joined the Biophysical Society in 2004 because
my cell biology research was evolving towards a more biophysical emphasis.
As an Editorial Board Member of Biophysical Journal, I have enjoyed the role
of fostering and improving papers as they progress through the peer-review
process. I have always appreciated the efforts of the Biophysical Society to
increase diversity in science. These efforts have helped inspire me to do more
along these lines in my own lab where I established an outreach effort to
mentor underprivileged high school students from Baltimore. Furthermore,
during these unsettled economic times, the Society plays an important role
in communicating the mission of science to our government leaders and the
general public. Cultivating diversity in science and promoting outreach will
be of particular interest to me if I am elected as a Council member.
Research Interests: We study the structure, dynamics and assembly of ribonucleoprotein
complexes using a wide variety of biophysical methods, including
fluorescence, mass spectrometry, electron microscopy, x-ray crystallography,
and NMR. Particular areas of focus include ribosome assembly, 3’-UTR
binding proteins from C. elegans, RNA binding proteins regulating T-cell
activation, and Rev-host factor complexes involved in HIV RNA transport.
Education: B.S. in Chemistry Mount Union College 1981; PhD in
Chemistry Stanford University, 1988; postdoctoral work at the University
of Colorado.
Summary of Professional Experience: Assistant/Associate Professor in the
Department of Chemistry at MIT, 1990-1997; Professor in the Department
of Molecular Biology at The Scripps Research Institute, 1998-present;
Associate Dean, 2001-2007 and Dean of Graduate Studies, 2008-present
at The Kellogg School of Science and Technology at The Scripps Research
Institute.
Special Accomplishments: American Academy of Arts and Sciences, 2010;
Camille Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Award, 1995; Alfred P. Sloan Fellow,
1995; Rita Allen Scholar, 1994; Searle Scholar Award, 1991; Associate
Editor, Annual Reviews of Biophysics, 2003-present; Board of Editors, ACS
Chemical Biology, 2006-present; presently on Editorial Boards for Chemistry
and Biology, RNA, Molecular Cell, Structure, Biopolymers, BMC-Biology.
Biophysical Society Activities: Society member since 2002; Chair, Annual
Meeting Program Committee, 2011; Program Committee, 2010-2012
Candidate’s Statement: This is an exciting time in Biophysics, and my own
research is moving in a direction that is more centrally biophysical in approach.
Through the annual meeting, the Society is reaching out to include new and
emerging disciplines, and it is critically important that the Society continues to
evolve. Through service on the Council, I am willing to help foster the careers
of younger scientists, and to promote and advocate for the Society.
Biophysical Society 2011 Ballot

2011 Nominees for Council
David T. Yue
MD, PhD
Associate Professor
of Cell Biology
Johns Hopkins University
School of Medicine
Research Interests: Ca 2+ and calmodulin signaling; ion channels, with
emphasis on Ca 2+ and Na channels, biological regulation, genetic diversity,
biophysical mechanisms, structure-function relations, and structure; genetically
encoded optical biosensors and actuators; FRET-based live-cell imaging.
Education: BA, Magna Cum Laude, Biochemical Sciences, Harvard
University, 1979; MD, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine,
1987; PhD, Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School
of Medicine, 1987; Postdoctoral Fellowship, Johns Hopkins University,
Division of Cardiology, 1987–1989.
Summary of Professional Experiences: Assistant Professor, Department of
Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, 1989–1993; Associate
Professor, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University,
1993–1999; Professor, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns
Hopkins University, 1999–present; Professor, Department of Neuroscience,
Johns Hopkins University, 1999–present.
Awards, Honors, and Activities: Johns Hopkins University Alumni
Excellence in Teaching Award, 2009; NIH MERIT award, 2004; Board of
Scientific Counsellors, NINDS, 2003-2006; Presidential Faculty Fellowship,
NSF, 1992–1997; Established Investigator Award, American Heart
Association, 1990–1995; Pfizer Scholar New Faculty Award, 1988–1990;
David Israel Macht Research Award, 1987, Johns Hopkins University.
Biophysical Society Activities: Society member since 1987; Chair, Membrane
Biophysics Subgroup, 2006; Kenneth S. Cole Award, Membrane Biophysics
Subgroup, 2011; Chair and Speaker, Symposium on Ca 2+ -regulation
of channels, Biophysical Society Annual Meeting, 2011; Editorial Board
Member, Biophysical Journal, 2010-present.
Other Scientific Societies: Society for Neuroscience.
Candidate’s Statement: The Biophysical Society has been a treasured scientific
home base since graduate school. For me, this society fosters and represents
the best in mechanistic biological science. My goals as a council member
are therefore three-fold: (1) To ensure that the society continues to draw the
highest levels of mechanistic biological science; (2) To improve the reach of
the society to attract emerging biological fields of the future; (3) To expand
the enticements for younger generations of scientists to join the ranks of those
committed to mechanistic biological discovery.
Biophysical Society 2011 Ballot