Theory & Computation Award for Early Career Scientists
Nomination Deadline: August 1, 2025
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. The award recipient must present a talk on Subgroup Saturday in the T&C Subgroup Symposium. The nomination letters should highlight the nominee’s contributions to the T&C community evidenced by their service (10%), leadership (10%), productivity (50%), and innovation (30%). Nominations from industry are encouraged.
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 six (6) 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 current curriculum vitae following the format of an NIH Biosketch (you do not need an eRA Commons name)
- 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 materials above arranged in that order in single PDF file to Subgroup Chair Sarah Harris [email protected], and cc Subgroup Secretary Viviana Monje [email protected], by August 1, 2025
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, 2025
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. The award recipient must present a talk on Subgroup Saturday in the T&C Subgroup Symposium. The nomination letters should highlight the nominee’s contributions to the T&C community evidenced by their service (20%), leadership (15%), productivity (50%), and innovation (15%). Nominations from industry are encouraged.
Eligibility:
- Nominee must be a mid-career scientist working the topical areas covered by the T&C Subgroup
- Nominee must be within 6-12 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 following the format of an NIH Biosketch (you do not need an eRA Commons name)
- 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 materials above arranged in that order in single PDF file to Subgroup Chair Sarah Harris [email protected], and cc Subgroup Secretary Viviana Monje [email protected], by August 1, 2025
This Theory & Computation Subgroup award is sponsored by the Chicago Center for Theoretical Chemistry.
Theory & Computation Postdoctoral Researcher Award
Nomination Deadline: August 1, 2025
This award is for postdoctoral trainees working in the topical areas covered by the T&C Subgroup. The award comes with a monetary price of $500 which the awardee can use as they please, including to help defray costs of travel to the BPS Annual Meeting. The award recipient must present a talk on Subgroup Saturday in the T&C Subgroup Symposium. The nomination letters should highlight the nominee’s contributions to the T&C community evidenced by their service (5%), leadership (15%), productivity (60%), and innovation (20%). Nominations from industry are encouraged.
Eligibility:
- Nominee must be a postdoctoral scientist working the topical areas covered by the T&C Subgroup
- Nominee must hold a current postdoctoral appointment OR be at most within their first year 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 following the format of an NIH Biosketch (you do not need an eRA Commons name)
- 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
- Please email the materials above arranged in that order in single PDF file to Subgroup Chair Sarah Harris [email protected], and cc Subgroup Secretary Viviana Monje [email protected], by August 1, 2025
This Theory & Computation Subgroup award is sponsored by the Chicago Center for Theoretical Chemistry.
Early Career Award in Single-Molecule Forces, Manipulation and Visualization
Nomination Deadline: October 10, 2025
The Early Career Award in Single-Molecule Forces, Manipulation and Visualization is intended to recognize a young principal investigator who has made significant contributions to the advancement and application of single molecule techniques. The award is given to an individual who excels in the field. The awardee will receive $250 in prize money and will have the opportunity to present their work at the Subgroup Symposium during the BPS Annual Meeting.
Eligibility:
- Individuals must be in the early career phase-- Junior faculty within the first 7 years of their independent tenure track or equivalent appointment at their first institution are eligible
- Must be a current member of BPS and Single-Molecule Subgroup.
Nominations packets must include the following:
- a CV with at least 3 key publications highlighted
- A 2-3 sentence summary of how each publication aligns with the research interests of the Single Molecule Forces, Visualization, and Manipulation Subgroup
- A short paragraph explaining your contributions to BPS, the SMFMV subgroup, and the single-molecule field as a whole
Awardees will have a 30 minute talk at the Saturday Subgroup session during the Annual Meeting and will receive special recognition. Please email all nominations to Co-Chairs Jinqing Huang ([email protected]) and Keith Mickolajczyk ([email protected]).
This award is sponsored by the Single Molecule Forces Subgroup.
The June Almeida award for Mid/Senior-Career Women in Cryo-EM
Nomination Deadline: November 14, 2025
This award, named for June Almeida, is to recognize a mid/senior-level woman in the field of cryo-EM who has made significant contributions during her independent career. June Almeida was the virologist who first identified the human coronavirus, so named for the ‘corona’ appearance of the virus particles using electron microscopy. Almeida had an international reputation for ‘extending the range of the electron microscope to new limits’. It is in the spirit of June Almeida’s innovative approaches that this award is named. The award comes with a honorarium of $1000 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 Cryo-EM Subgroup Symposium. The latter talk is a requirement of the award.
Eligibility:
- Candidates must have held an independent position (as principal investigator or equivalent) for at least 8 years.
Nominations packets must include the following:
- biosketch/CV
- nomination letter
- + 1-2 supporting letters
Please email all nominations to [email protected].
This award is sponsored by the Cryo-EM Subgroup.
Student Award in Biological Fluorescence
Nomination Deadline: October 31, 2025
The Student Award in Biological Fluorescence is given to an outstanding Master’s student, PhD student, or former PhD student within three years of receiving their degree, who has recently made a significant contribution to our research community, e.g. by a first scientific paper with a focus on experimental or theoretical approaches with fluorescent probes and/or fluorescence techniques employed in biophysical sciences. PicoQuant awards this prize to encourage young scientists to present their work to a broader audience, discuss their results and share their knowledge. The award consists of a $750 honorarium and an invitation to present a 15-minute research talk at the Subgroup Meeting during the Biophysical Society Annual Meeting. In order to be considered for this award, applicants must submit an abstract for the Biophysical Society Annual Meeting and send their nomination package to the Subgroup Chair Elizabeth Hinde at [email protected].
Eligibility:
- Nominee must be a either Master's or PhD student or former PhD students where the defense has taken place no more than three years before the nomination deadline
- Nominations and self-nominations are possible
- Nominee must have submitted an abstract for the Biophysical Society Annual Meeting.
Nominations packages must include the following:
- PDF of their contribution to the field (preprint, publication, thesis work)
- A ONE page curriculum vitae
- A pdf copy of the abstract submitted to the Biophysical Society Annual Meeting including the BPS control number
- Statement (max. 400 words) summarizing significance of the nominee's work and explaining the motivation for the application
- Proof of Eligibility, three possibilities:
- (1) Short statement of maximum 20 words by the mentor confirming the nominee's eligibility (please note that this is NOT a recommendation letter), (2) copy of an official document from the institution confirming that student is enrolled as Master's or PhD student, or (3) a copy of the PhD certificate with a defense date not older than 3 years before the nomination deadline.
This award is sponsored by the Biological Flourescense Subgroup.
Early Career Award in Mechanobiology
Nomination Deadline: December 1, 2025
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 their 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 6 years before the date of the Mechanobiology Subgroup Annual Meeting.
- 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 can be submitted by an expert in the field who is familiar with the Nominee’s work. Self-nominations are also accepted.
- Nominations must be submitted online before December 1, 2025.
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.
- Send nominations to Ovijit Chaudhuri ([email protected])
This award is sponsored by the Mechanobiology Subgroup.
Early Career Award in Physical Cell Biology
Nomination Deadline: November 15, 2025
The BPS Early Career Award in Physical Cell Biology, sponsored by the journal PRX Life, is given to an outstanding postdoctoral researcher or young principal investigator working to understand the physics of living systems, from single molecules in individual cells to whole living organisms. The award is based on the applicant's track record. The awardee will receive $500 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 or Non-tenured faculty (Self-nominations are encouraged)
- Awardee must attend the BPS Annual Meeting (2025) in person to receive the award and present their talk.
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 2025
- Materials to be submitted in PDF format to Subgroup Chair Qiong Yang ([email protected]) and Subgroup program chair Robin Lee ([email protected])
- Nominations must be submitted before November 15, 2025
This award is sponsored by the Physical Cell Biology Subgroup.
Student Award in Physical Cell Biology
Nomination Deadline: November 15, 2025
The BPS Student Award in Physical Cell Biology, sponsored by the journal PRX Life, is intended to recognize a PhD student who has just made their first significant contribution to our research community, e.g. by their first scientific paper on understanding how living cells work from a physical perspective. The awardee will receive $500 in prize money and present their work at the Subgroup Symposium during the BPS Annual Meeting.
Eligibility:
- Nominee must be a PhD student.
- Nominee must not have obtained a PhD degree.
- Self-nominations are encouraged.
- Awardee must attend the BPS Annual Meeting (2025) in person to receive the award and present their talk.
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 2025
- Materials to be submitted in PDF format to Subgroup Chair Qiong Yang ([email protected]) and Subgroup program chair Robin Lee ([email protected])
- Nominations must be submitted before November 15, 2025.
This award is sponsored by the Physical Cell Biology Subgroup.
Motility & Cytoskeleton Subgroup Early Career Award
Nominations Deadline: December 1, 2025.
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 Brett Colson ([email protected]) and Katya Grishchuk ([email protected]).
This award is sponsored by the Motility & Cytoskeleton Subgroup.
Motility & Cytoskeleton Spotlight Award
Nominations Deadline: December 1, 2025.
The Motility & Cytoskeleton Subgroup Spotlight Award recognizes a scientist (PhD or MD) who has made outstanding and sustained contributions to areas critical to the mission of the Motility & Cytoskeleton Subgroup. This award honors those who have incorporated a commitment to mentoring, community engagement, and public service into their research accomplishments. The recipient will be selected by a committee composed of the current co-chairs of the Motility & Cytoskeleton Subgroup and the previous year’s co-chairs. The award winner will be acknowledged during the annual subgroup symposium at the Biophysical Society Annual Meeting, followed by a lecture delivered by the awardee.
Eligibility:
Nominees must have made significant contributions to the biophysical understanding of motility and the cytoskeleton. Candidates must have obtained a Ph.D., M.D., or Ph.D./M.D.; Graduate students are not eligible. Postdoctoral to Associate professor level candidates are encouraged to apply. The Nominee and Nominator do not need to be a member of the Subgroup or BPS to apply.
Eligible nominees will have shown excellence in:
- Research productivity and scientific impact in motility and cytoskeleton-related fields
- Mentoring and training of students within their laboratory
- Mentoring and professional development of community members, including Biophysical Society or regional networks
- Public service and outreach efforts such as science education, advocacy, policy, or other forms of civic engagement
Nominations must include a CV and a brief statement (1,000 words maximum) from the nominator summarizing the nominee’s qualifications and key contributions based on the above criteria. Candidates who submit for the Early Career Motility & Cytoskeleton Subgroup Award will automatically be considered for this award if eligible.
Recommendation letters are not required. Please watch for a message in the motility & Cytoskeleton discussion for submission information. Send nominations to Brett Colson ([email protected]) and Ekaterina Grishchuk ([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, 2025
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.
Nomination should be sent to Beniamino Barbieri ([email protected]).
This award is sponsored by the Biological Fluorescence Subgroup.
Young Fluorescence Investigator Award
Nomination Deadline: October 31, 2025
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 Elizabeth Hinde 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 packages 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.
Send all nomination packages to Subgroup Chair Elizabeth Hinde at [email protected].
This award is sponsored by the Biological Fluorescence Subgroup.
Intrinsically Disordered Protein Subgroup Postdoctoral Award
Nomination Deadline: December 15, 2025
The Postdoctoral Award of the IDP subgroup honors outstanding Postdoctoral Fellows for their research accomplishments during their postdoctoral career. Up to 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, (4) a short statement (max 100 words) explaining the difference of the postdoctoral and PhD graduate projects and (5) a short statement (max 50 words) signed by your mentor or institution confirming your current postdoctoral position (please note that this is NOT a 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 the significance of the nominee's work as a postdoc to the IDP community
- A short statement (maximum 100 words) explaining the difference to their graduate PhD work, especially in cases where postdoctoral research overlaps with graduate work
- A short statement of a maximum of 50 words signed by the mentor or institution confirming your current postdoctoral position (please note that this is NOT a recommendation letter)
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Nominations are to be sent to: [email protected]
This award is sponsored by the Intrinsically Disordered Protein Subgroup.
Young Bioenergeticist Award
Nomination Deadline: November 1, 2025
The Young Bioenergeticist Award is given to outstanding postdocs and young principal investigator working in the bioenergetics field. Selection is based on the candidate’s readiness for the next stage of their career, as demonstrated by their CV, peer-reviewed publications, recommendation letters, and the abstract they will present at the Biophysical Society Annual Meeting. Winners are chosen by the Bioenergetics Subgroup Council and receive a cash prize and an invitation to present their 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.
Award for Exceptional Contributions to Biophysics & Bioengineering
Nomination Deadline: August 1, 2025
This award, sponsored by AIP Publishing, recognizes extraordinary contributions of biophysics to advancing bioengineering and bioengineering to advancing fundamental biophysical studies.
Eligibility:
- Scientists with distinguished careers at the interface of biophysics and bioengineering
Nominations packets must include the following:
- Complete CV and a nomination letter(s)
This award is sponsored by the Bioengineering Subgroup.
Nomination Deadline: October 15, 2025
The Chris Miller Award is a recognition of extraordinary scientific achievement in the field of membrane transport. It honors scientists whose work has transformed our understanding of how metabolites, ions, drugs, and other molecules cross biological membranes. This award is named in honor of Chris Miller, whose groundbreaking scientific accomplishments and exceptional mentorship helped shape the membrane transport community and inspired generations of scientists. While the award is typically given to a single recipient, up to three individuals may be jointly awarded if they have contributed equally to the same area of work. The award, which consists of a plaque and a $2,000 honorarium, will be presented at the Membrane Transport (MT) subgroup symposium, where the recipient(s) will also give an award lecture.
Eligibility:
- Any independent scientists who contribute significantly to our understanding of membrane transport processes. The nominee does not need to be a MT subgroup member. Award winner is expected to attend the symposium for the award lecture.
Nominations packets must include the following:
- A nomination letter is required and should include a summary of the candidate’s scientific achievements, contributions to the field, and community service, including mentoring
- The candidate’s curriculum vitae must also be included.
- Any MT subgroup member may submit a nomination letter. Nominations from individuals who are not MT subgroup members must be endorsed by a current member of the MT subgroup. Candidates may not be nominated for both the Chris Miller Award and the Kenneth S. Cole Award in the same year.
- Nominations should be sent to Seok-Yong Lee, Subgroup Chair ([email protected]) by October 15, 2025.
This award is sponsored by the Membrane Transport Subgroup.
Student Bioenergeticist Award
Nomination Deadline: November 1, 2025
The Student Bioenergeticist Award is given to outstanding master and graduate students working in the bioenergetics field. Selection is based on the candidate’s readiness for the next stage of their career, as demonstrated by their CV, peer-reviewed publications, recommendation letters, and the abstract they will present at the Biophysical Society Annual Meeting. Winners are chosen by the Bioenergetics Subgroup Council and receive a cash prize and an invitation to present their 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, 2025
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 15, in Los Angeles.
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:
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 the "BIV Awards Committee" and delivered as email attachments 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 1, 2025
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:
- The nominations should be sent to the current Subgroup Chair, Yongli Zhang at [email protected].
This award is sponsored by the Membrane Fusion, Fission & Traffic Subgroup.
Nomination Deadline: October 25, 2025
The Kenneth S. Cole Award is a prestigious recognition given to one or more researchers in the field of membrane biophysics in acknowledgment of their exceptional research accomplishments, potential for future contributions, and service to the biophysics 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(s). Any CRT subgroup member may submit a nomination, which should include the nominee's curriculum vitae, a letter briefly summarizing their qualifications, their scientific achievements and their contributions to membrane biophysics. The nominee does not need to be a CRT subgroup member. Up to two letters of support may also be submitted (these letters need not be written by current CRT subgroup members). Previous unsuccessful nominations are welcome to be resubmitted (the full packet must be submitted again). 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:
- The nominee's curriculum vitae (maximum 3 pages).
- A nomination letter from a CRT subgroup member summarizing the nominee’s qualifications, scientific achievements and their contributions to membrane biophysics community. The letter should not exceed 3 pages.
- Up to two supporting letters, each limited to 3 pages.
Nominations should be sent to Joao Carvalho-de-Souza, Subgroup Secretary-Treasurer, ([email protected]) by 11:59PM EST October 25, 2025.
This award is sponsored by the Channels, Receptors & Transporters Subgroup.
Nomination Deadline: October 17, 2025
The Thomas E. Thompson award recognizes an outstanding contribution in the field of membrane structure and function.
The goals of the award are to promote excellence in research in membrane structure and function and to increase the visibility of MSAF members within the Biophysical Society. The award celebrates the legacy of Thomas E. Thompson (1926-2021), a pioneer in the field of membrane structure and function, and a former president of the Biophysical Society and Editor-in-Chief of the Biophysical Journal.
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.
Eligibility:
Nominees must have made an exceptional contribution to our understanding of membrane structure and function. 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. At the time of nomination, nominees must be current members of the MSAF Subgroup and must be at least 3 years past stepping down as Chair (or 2 years past stepping down as Secretary-Treasurer). The membership of past executive boards can be found here.
Nomination packets must include the following:
- A nomination letter from an MSAF member
- Two supporting letters
- Nominee’s curriculum vitae (preferably no longer than 3 pages)
Nominations and supporting letters may not be provided by current members of the executive committee.
Selection Committee
- The recipient will be chosen by the Executive Committee.
- Nominations should be sent to Markus Deserno, [email protected]
This award is sponsored by the Membrane Structure & Function Subgroup.