Annual Meeting FAQ

We are anticipating over 6,000 scientists and more than 150 exhibiting companies.

Register online and request a letter of invitation during the registration process. You may also send an email requesting a letter, along with your registration receipt, to [email protected]

Program books and all other meeting material will be available for pickup at the Registration counters located in the Lobby of the San Diego Convention Center.

The Mobile App and Desktop Planner will be available for your use in February. 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 Desktop Planner and Mobile App may be helpful in planning your meeting schedule. Both will be available in February.

Badges will not be mailed prior to the meeting, but are to be picked up on-site at the registration kiosks located in the Lobby of the San Diego Convention Center. All registrants will receive an email containing a QR code one week prior to the meeting. Print this email 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 email prior to the meeting, or you misplace it, you can bring your registration confirmation to obtain your badge.

Attendees may turn in items that are lost to the BPS Meeting Office. Items are stored in the Society’s safe in the Society Office. Please note that all items not picked up at the end of the meeting will be turned in to San Diego Convention Center security.

Yes. This is located in the Lobby of the San Diego Convention Center near registration.

The First Aid Room is located in Box Office G. Hours are:
Saturday: 8:00AM – 10:00PM
Sunday: 7:30AM – 10:00PM
Monday: 7:30AM – 10:00PM
Tuesday: 7:30AM – 10:00PM
Wednesday: 7:30AM – 10:00PM

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 Meeting site.

Press may register in advance or on-site in the BPS Meeting Office.

Registration includes admission to all scientific sessions, subgroups, poster area, and exhibits; Biophysical Society Lecture and Awards Ceremony; programs for minorities, students, postdocs, and international attendees; printed daily schedule, desktop planner, mobile app, and social functions.

Located in the Lobby of the San Diego Convention Center during the following times: 

Friday: 3:00PM – 5:00PM 

Saturday: 8:00AM – 6:30PM 

Sunday - Tuesday: 7:30AM – 5:00PM 

Wednesday: 8:00AM – 3:00PM

You will be able to obtain one replacement badge at the onsite Registration counter in the lobby of the San Diego Convention Center. Please note that there will be a $30 badge re-print fee. A photo ID is required. All subsequent requests for badge replacements will require the attendee to re-register for the meeting at the full on-site registration rate in the attendee's member category.

Meeting registrations are non-transferable. They are non-refundable after January 28, 2020. Refunds must be requested, in writing, no later than January 28, 2020. Also please note that all refunds are subject to a cancellation fee of $50. No refunds will be issued for requests made after January 28, 2020.

If you have accidentally paid for the wrong registration category, please email [email protected] so that we can make the correction. There will be a processing fee of $5. Please note that once processed, combo fees are non-refundable and non-transferable.

If you or your institution requires a receipt for past or present Society transactions, they may be obtained at the BPS Meeting Office. Be prepared to provide your name or Membership ID number, product purchased, and any information your institution requires (i.e. method of Payment, verification name or signature).

$75.00/$150.00 is the abstract fee only. The abstract payment did not include registration or dues payment. Registration fees must be paid separately.

Guest badges are available through the Biophysical Society’s online registration site when purchasing registration for the meeting. To purchase a guest badge on-site, visit the Registration counters in the lobby of the San Diego Convention Center.

There could be a number of reasons for this email: Attendee may not be a Society member yet he/she has paid the member registration rate. (Attendee would need to join and pay the membership fee or pay outstanding non-member balance.) Attendee has sponsored his/her own abstract but is not a member or has not renewed his/her 2020 membership dues. (Attendee needs to join and pay membership fee or renew.) Attendee is either not a member or has not renewed his/her dues or his/her sponsor is not a member. (Attendee needs to join or have his/her sponsor join or renew for 2020.) Attendee is not a member and his/her sponsor is a student. (Attendee must join; students may sponsor their own abstract only.) Attendee has submitted more than one abstract. (Attendee must find another 2020 Regular or Early Career member to sponsor the other abstract(s).)

Please go to the BPS Meeting Office or the Society Help Desk (Lobby of the San Diego Convention Center) and a staff member will provide one.

Unfortunately, meeting registrations are non-transferable.

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.

The regular abstract submission deadline is October 1, 2019.

The Biophysical Society Office will email abstract scheduling notices only to Presenting Authors in late November 2019. The Presenting Author holds the responsibility of notifying all authors on the abstract of the scheduling.

If you have submitted an abstract in the past, visit the abstract submission site and enter your login and password. If you are unable to remember your password, you can have it emailed to the address you used when you originally created your account. If you have not submitted an abstract before, visit the abstract submission site and click the “Click here to create a new user account” link on the left-hand side. Provide all required information for the Presenting Author, including complete first name and email address. Should you re-enter the site to submit another abstract or revise your abstract, you will need your login information.

No, but a nonmember 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.

Revisions for regular abstract submissions must be received by October 4, 2019, 11:59 PM EST.

The deadline to change presenting authors on your abstract is October 4, 2019, 11:59 PM EST. After the combination abstract and registration fee has been processed, the registration cannot be transferred to the new presenting author. A combo registration is non-refundable and non-transferable.

The deadline for withdrawals is October 4, 2019, 11:59 PM EST. 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.

Late abstracts are not considered published material and will only be searchable through the Mobile App and the Desktop Planner.

The Speaker Ready Room is available for all speakers to check their presentations and rectify any errors that may occur prior to presenting. Audiovisual technicians will be available during the hours listed below to answer any questions. Saturday – Tuesday: 8:00AM – 6:30PM Wednesday: 8:00AM – 3:00PM

You must bring your own laptop. BPS does not provide them.

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. Please visit the room share page under hotel & travel in order to complete the form. Please remember to remove your information once you have found a roommate.

The hotel deadline is January 20, 2020. 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 San Diego Convention Center. It is the responsibility of the attendees to make their own transportation arrangements.