Annual Meeting FAQ

The 2024 Annual Meeting will be held at the Pennsylvania Convention Center, 1101 Arch Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19107, February 10-14, 2024.

The mobile app and Desktop Planner will be available for your use in mid-December. Check back for complete instructions on how to download the app and use the planner.

No, an E-book of the program will be posted online prior to the meeting. Also, the mobile app and Desktop Planner may be helpful in planning your schedule. Both will be available in December.

Badges will NOT be mailed prior to the meeting but can be picked up on-site at  Bridge West of the Pennsylvania Convention Center. All registrants will receive an e-mail containing a QR code one week prior to the meeting. Print this e-mail and bring it with you to registration so that you can scan the QR code to print your badge. If you do not receive this e-mail prior to the meeting, or you misplace it, you can bring your registration confirmation to obtain your badge.

The BPS has provided a Family Room located in Rooms 301/302 of the Pennsylvania Convention Center. In addition, the Pennsylvania Convention Center offers two portable "Mamava" lactation suite for nursing mothers to breast feed infants or to use breast pumps in privacy. The units are self-contained, mobile pods with comfortable benches, an electrical outlet and door that can be locked for privacy. The 4'x8' pod is meant for individual use, but can fit more than one person, including mothers with infants, breast pumps, or luggage. One is positioned near the Concierge Desk on the Convention Center's second level between Halls A and B and a second unit is located on the street level on the Broad and Arch Concourse.

Attendees can access their e-mail accounts throughout the concourses, Grand Hall and Overlook Cafe. Attendees cannot purchase wireless on an individual basis through the Convention Center wireless network.

Attendees can turn in items that are found in the BPS Meeting Office located in Room 304 of the Pennsylvania Convention Center. Items are stored in the Society Office. Please note that all items not picked up at the end of the meeting will be turned over to Convention Center security.

Yes. This is located in the Bridge West of the Pennsylvania Convention Center near registration.

The First Aid is located in Room 13 . Hours are:
Saturday                       8:30 AM -  6:30 PM
Sunday                          7:30 AM -  6:30 PM
Monday                         7:30 AM -  9:00 PM
Tuesday                         7:30 AM -  6:30 PM
Wednesday                  7:30 AM -  3:30 PM

Attendees who have a disability or special need should indicate this by checking the appropriate box when registering with the Biophysical Society through the online system. A BPS staff member from the Meetings Department will contact you for further information to ensure appropriate accommodations while at the Pennsylvania Convention Center.

The Pennsylvania Convention Center provides:

• Accessible Restrooms and compliant with ADA standards
• Elevators provide guests with special needs access to each level of the Convention Center
• Scootaround offers scooter rentals on a first-come, first-served basis at our UPS Store inside the Convention Center

Press may register in advance or the day of the meeting by contacting Leann Fox, Director of Advocacy and Public Affairs, at  [email protected].

The Biophysical Society welcomes the use of social media to share information from the Biophysical Society 68th Annual Meeting and to engage with the biophysics community. Please use the Annual Meeting hashtag #bps2024 when posting to help others follow along.

We encourage you to share highlights from the meeting, suggest sessions to attend, discuss stand-out presentations and posters, and connect with your fellow biophysicists, as well as our sponsors and exhibitors.

When sharing information about what you see and hear in meeting sessions, please refrain from photographing or sharing full detail of the material presented in order to respect the intellectual property of the presenters. Some presenters may request, verbally or in writing, that attendees not share information about their presentations and content; please honor those requests so that we can maintain a professional, respectful environment.

Presenters: If you do not wish to have your research shared via social media, please make an announcement before and during your presentation. BPS strongly encourages compliance with speaker requests regarding social media sharing but cannot guarantee it.
Due to the sensitive nature of data and the preliminary, unpublished research findings,  all filming and recording of any kind (camera, cell phones, personal devices) in the scientific session rooms, Exhibit Hall, and poster area is strictly prohibited unless accompanied by a member of the Society staff. Any individual seen taking photographs in any session room, the Exhibit Hall, or poster area will be escorted out by security. 

Yes, we offer a family care grant that Society member attendees can apply for. Click here to begin the application process. If granted, it can be used for dependent care-related costs while attending the Annual Meeting.

Yes, applicants must be a 2024 BPS member in order to apply for the grant.

Grant recipients must document and provide proof of expenses after the conclusion of the Annual Meeting. Once this information is received, the recipient will be reimbursed by the Society. Reimbursement requests and proof of expense can be sent to Ethan Yosebashvili at [email protected].

The early abstracts submission fee is $75.00.

Members may only sponsor one abstract, with the exception of the Biophysics Education category. Members may submit an education abstract in addition to one in another category. Regular, early career, or emeritus Biophysical Society members, with 2024 dues paid, may sponsor their own abstract or someone else's. 

Nonmembers may submit an abstract, but must have a 2024 BPS regular, early career, or emeritus member who is not submitting their own abstract sponsor the nonmember abstract. Alternatively, they may join the Society at the time of submission.

Three major changes are being implemented to the 2024 Annual Meeting Program to increase opportunities for participation. Please read the changes here to see presentation options.

The early abstract submission deadline is October 1, 2023, 11:59 PM, USA Eastern. All abstracts must be submitted via the online abstract submission site. Submission by other methods (paper, e-mail, etc.) are not permitted.

A member ID is not required for abstract submissions. However, you will need to create a myBPS account and password, if you haven’t already done so.

Yes, however, your abstract must be sponsored by a current BPS member. Nonmembers may have a regular, early career, or emeritus member who is not submitting his/her own abstract sponsor the nonmember abstract. Alternatively, a nonmember may apply for membership at the time of submission and sponsor his/her own abstract and pre-register at the member rate.

Student members, with 2024 dues paid, may ONLY sponsor their own abstract. No other member can sponsors a student's abstracts.

No, as a student member you can only sponsor your own abstract.

Your abstract must be marked “complete” in order for it to be considered by the Program Committee. When you log into the abstract submission site, a “Complete” status next to your abstract title confirms that your abstract has been received and will be reviewed. An e-mail confirmation will be sent to the Presenting Author. The Presenting Author is responsible for notifying all authors about the abstract status.

Programming for abstracts will be sent to the Presenting Author only via e-mail in late November (session information and individual presentation time and date for accepted abstracts). To ensure you receive all BPS correspondence, add [email protected] and [email protected] to your e-mail “safe senders” list.

Early abstract submissions must be received by October 1, 2023, 11:59 PM, USA Eastern.  Following the abstract submission deadline you will be able to make  revisions/withdrawals by October 4, 2023, 11:59 PM, USA Eastern.  REMEMBER - ALL ABSTRACTS MUST BE RECEIVED BY OCTOBER 1, 2023.
To make revisions to your abstract:

• Log into your myBPS account and return to the Annual Meeting abstract submission page. Click on the control number of the abstract you wish to edit. 
• Select the appropriate section on the left-hand margin to return to that portion of the submission site. In order to complete the section and save any changes, you must click the “Save and Continue” button at the bottom of the section. You will be directed to the “Review My Work” section.
• If all sections have a blue check mark  a message will appear that states, “This submission is complete.” Any abstract marked “Incomplete” will not be considered for programming until it has a “Complete” status.

Early abstracts must be received by October 1, 2023, 11:59 PM, USA Eastern. Following the October 1, 2022 deadline, revisions and withdrawals must be made no later than October 4, 2023, 11:59 PM, USA Eastern.  No changes will be accepted after this date. Requests for abstract withdrawal must have been received in writing by the Biophysical Society via email: [email protected] from the presenting author’s email address. The presenting author's full name and abstract number must be included in the withdrawal request. All abstracts not withdrawn by this date will be published in the abstracts issue, regardless of changes.

No, you must register for the 2024 Biophysical Society Annual Meeting separately. Payment of an abstract fee does not include registration for the Annual Meeting. An abstract presenter must register as a Member, Nonmember, Early Career member, Early Career nonmember, Student member, Student nonmember, or Emeritus member.

No, the abstract submission fee is non-refundable.

Early abstracts are not peer-reviewed, but they are citable.  Abstracts will be published online ONLY prior to the meeting in a supplement to the Biophysical Journal.

No. Attendees must make their reservations through the BPS Official Housing Bureau: Convention Housing Partners, in order to take advantage of BPS contracted discounted rates.

Yes, by filling out the Room Sharing form you are able to find other attendees who are also looking to share a room. Click here to access the Room Sharing service. Please remember to remove your information once you have found a roommate.

The hotel deadline is January 26, 2024 . However, to ensure that you get into the hotel of your choice it is recommended that you make your reservation as early as possible.

BPS does not provide shuttle buses to the convention center. It is the responsibility of the attendees to make their own transportation arrangements.

Employers may post a job in advance to arriving at the Annual Meeting via the online job board, or they may wait until arrival and post on job boards in the Career Center, located in Room 108A . Job Applicants will have access to the job postings throughout the Annual Meeting. Instructions are available on the Meeting website, here.

No. Unless you are a paid-in-full exhibitor, there is a fee for posting a job. All job postings must be done through the Career Development Center. Rooms may be available for private interviews.

Go to the Career Center in Room 108A to schedule an appointment. Appointments are given on a first-come, first-serve basis.

No. Workshops are open to all attendees. Only 1-on-1 resume critiques require appointments.

The application deadline is October 4, 2023. Remember: You MUST submit an abstract by October 1 in order to be eligible for a Travel Award.

No. ALL parts of your application are due by the October 4, 2023 deadline – including your letter of recommendation! Start asking your advisers for references now, and be sure to read the award requirements so that you are prepared.

If you are applying for a travel award, you must submit an abstract by the October 1 abstract deadline. Students and scientists within 10 years of their terminal degree must be the presenting author. Applicants 10+ years beyond their terminal degree must be either presenting or senior author. You do not need to register prior to submitting a travel award application. However, you will need to register for the meeting in order to attend.

You should apply based on your career level as of October 1, 2023. In your case, you must apply as a graduate student.

All students and applicants within 10 years of their terminal degree MUST be the presenting author on their submitted abstract. Applicants 10+ years beyond their terminal degree may be either the presenting or senior author. If these conditions are not met, your application will not be accepted for judging.

Letters of recommendation can be emailed to [email protected]. Please ask your advisor to include your name and application number in the email subject line.

You may only apply for one "career level" Travel Award, but you can apply for a Travel Award as well as for Bridging Funds and/or Low Income Country Travel Award if you meet the requirements. However, if you are selected for more than one award, you will only receive the award of higher value.

Processed status means that your application has met all of the requirements and has been put forward for review. You will receive notification about the outcome of your application via email by December 3, 2023.

Abstract submission fees and combo fees are non-refundable. If you wish to retract your registration, you will be refunded the registration fee, less a $50 cancellation fee, if your request has been received by the January 4  , 2024 deadline and you did not pay the combo fee.

You will be notified on the outcome of your application via email by December 3, 2023. Be sure to check your spam folder if you don’t see the email.