Attending the Biophysical Society Annual Meeting is the richest annual networking and professional development opportunity for researchers in the field of biophysics. The breadth of research represented by the nearly 4,500 attendees and to the personal interactions that take place are enhanced by the career, education, policy, and social programs scheduled throughout the Meeting.
Networking Event 
Professional Development
Tell Me About Your Poster
Saturday, February 20–Tuesday, February 23
Find members of the BPS Editorial Boards and Publications Committee in the poster area wearing the "Tell Me About Your Poster" buttons. Take a few minutes to tell them about the research shown on your poster and you can receive 10% off publication fees if you publish a related paper in a BPS journal!
Undergraduate Student Lounge
Saturday, February 20–Wednesday, February 24
This space is reserved for undergraduate student meeting attendees looking for a quiet place to focus or catch up on coursework while at the Annual Meeting.
Undergraduate Poster Award Competition
Saturday, February 20, 3:00 PM–5:00 PM
Come meet undergraduates and learn about their research projects. Undergraduates presenting as first or second author on a poster are invited to participate to enhance their presentation skills, receive encouraging feedback, and gain recognition for their hard work in a supportive environment.
The 10 students with the best overall presentations will be awarded $100 and will be recognized during the 2026 Biophysical Society Lecture and Awards Ceremony. These students will be selected based on the quality and scientific merit of their research, knowledge of the research problem, contribution to the project, and overall presentation of the poster.
For more information on competing and to register, click here. Registration Deadline is January 5, 2027.
First-Time Attendee Networking
Saturday, February 20, 5:00 PM–6:00 PM
Is this your first time attending a Biophysical Society Annual Meeting? Wondering what to do first and how to get the most out of your time? Drop by this First-Time Attendee Networking event on Saturday evening during the Opening Mixer to meet others and learn how to navigate the meeting. Society staff and committee members will be on hand to answer your questions about the meeting and help you gain the most from your time at the BPS 2027 Annual Meeting. View our guide to learn to navigate the meeting before you go.
Opening Mixer
Saturday, February 20, 5:00 PM–7:00 PM
All registered attendees are welcome to attend this reception. Cash bar and light refreshments will be available.
Travel Awardee Reception
Saturday, February 20, 6:00 PM–7:00 PM
During this reception, students, postdocs, and early and mid-career scientists will receive their travel awards and network with their fellow travel awardees and members of the Education, Early Careers, Excellence and Engagement in Biophysics, Membership, and Professional Opportunities for Women Committees.
Postdoctoral Breakfast
Sunday, February 21, 7:30 AM–8:30 AM
Being a postdoc is not easy and there can be many challenges along the way. This breakfast presents an opportunity for postdoctoral Annual Meeting attendees to meet and discuss the issues they face in their current career stage. Attendees will have the opportunity to hear and learn from speakers who will share their journeys, experiences, and success stories. Limited to the first 100 attendees.
Moderators & Speakers to be announced.
Undergraduate Student Pizza "Breakfast"
Sunday, February 21, 11:30 AM–1:00 PM
Connect with other undergraduates at this “breakfast” for a valuable networking and social opportunity. You will also have a chance to meet and talk to Biophysical Society Committee members, and scientists at all career levels to discuss academic goals and questions and learn how to develop a career path in biophysics. Hear from invited speakers who will share their stories and answer questions. Space for this session is limited to the first 100 attendees.
Moderators & Speakers to be announced.
Education & Career Opportunities Fair
Sunday, February 21, 1:00 PM–3:00 PM
This fair will provide opportunities for candidates to meet with representatives from educational institutions, industry, and government agencies. Students and postdoctoral candidates will be able to meet with representatives from colleges and universities with leading programs in biophysics. Attendees can connect with representatives from industry and agencies who will provide information about employment and funding opportunities at their institutions/companies.
Stop by the fair to learn about the variety of opportunities available and talk one-on-one with representatives from participating organizations.
Representatives interested in reserving a table at this fair to display information about their institution/company’s biophysics-related opportunities must register online no later than January 11, 2027, and submit the registration fee in advance. All those attending the Annual Meeting are encouraged to attend. Please contact the Society at [email protected] with questions. Register here.
Committee on Sustainability Session
Sunday, February 21, 1:00 PM–3:00 PM
This session is sponsored by the Committee on Sustainability.
Teaching Science Like We Do Science
Sunday, February 21, 2:00 PM–4:00 PM
This interactive, hands-on workshop focuses on practice-applicable, easy-to-use strategies and tools that educators at any level of biophysical science education can use to assess what their students take away from their teaching, and where changes to their educational methods might be appropriate.
Monderators & Speakers to be announced.
Public Affairs Session
Sunday, February 21, 2:30 PM–4:00 PM
This session is sponsored by the Public Affairs Committee.
PI to PI Mixer
Sunday, February 21, 4:00 PM–6:00 PM
Engage in meaningful one-on-one discussions with colleagues and exchange insights on navigating the challenges between landing your job and securing your next promotion. Connect with other PIs to share strategies for managing lab staff, getting your research published, renewing funding, and building a strong professional network that supports your career advancement.
Primarily Undergraduate Institutions (PUI) Network Annual Meeting Mixer
Sunday, February 21, 5:00 PM–6:30 PM
Are you interested in or currently building your career at a Primarily Undergraduate Institution (PUI)? Would you like to meet and learn from biophysicists at PUIs around the world? Then join us at the Annual Meeting for the PUI Network Annual Meeting Mixer! Here you'll have the opportunity to meet with a diverse group of PUI professors to learn, discuss, and share ideas related to your career at a PUI. We hope to see you there!
Student Research Achievement Award (SRAA) Poster Competition
Sunday, February 21, 6:00 PM–9:00 PM
This session features graduate, masters, and PhD students who are presenting posters at the Annual Meeting. During the competition, students will give a five-minute oral presentation of their posters to one or more judges. Winners will be recognized on Monday evening prior to the Biophysical Society Lecture. For more information click here.
Graduate Student Breakfast
Monday, February 22, 7:30 AM–8:30 AM
This breakfast presents an opportunity for graduate student Annual Meeting attendees to meet and discuss the issues they face in their current career stage. Limited to the first 100 attendees.
Moderators & Speakers to be announced.
Meet the Editors - Biophysical Journal, Biophysical Reports, and The Biophysicist
Monday, February 22, 10:15 AM–11:15 AM
Take this opportunity to meet editors of all three of the Society's prestigious journals! The Editors-in Chief, members of the Editorial Boards, and BPS staff will be available to answer your questions about what areas of research the journals cover, how to give your paper the best chance of being accepted, the submission process, special issues, and anything else related to BPS journals.
New Member Welcome Coffee
Monday, February 22, 10:15 AM–11:15 AM
All new Biophysical Society members are invited to participate in an informal gathering to meet members of the Society’s Council and Committees, find out about the Society’s activities, get acquainted with other new members, and enjoy refreshments. Current members are encouraged to come meet the new members.
Annual Meeting of the Student Chapters
Monday, February 22, 11:00 AM–12:30 PM
Looking to expand your network, gain leadership experience, and connect with fellow students who share your passion for biophysics? Join BPS Student Chapters from around the world for an engaging networking session. Meet chapter officers and members, learn about chapter activities and benefits, and discover how getting involved can enhance your student experience. Whether you're interested in joining an existing chapter or starting one at your institution, this is a great opportunity to build connections, exchange ideas, and become part of a global student community.
Public Affairs Committee Policy Session
Monday, February 22, 1:00 PM–2:30 PM
This session is sponsored by the Public Affairs Committee.
Biophysics 101: Novel Applications of Artificial Intelligence in Biophysics
Monday, February 22, 1:30 PM–3:00 PM
Biophysics 101 is an opportunity to learn about hot topics in biophysics from experts in the field!
Moderators & Speakers to be announced.
NSF-NCEMS Beginner Hands-On Training: Four Data Science Techniques to Immediately Accelerate Your Research
Sunday, February 22, 11:30 AM–3:30 PM
Are you eager to accelerate your work through data science and interpretable machine learning, but unsure where to begin? This beginner-friendly training session is your gateway to utilizing these powerful tools without needing any prior coding experience or software setup. Hosted by the NSF National Center for Emergence in Molecular and Cellular Sciences (NCEMS), this hands-on session will equip you with the skills to harness the four most widely used data science techniques. You will learn how to calculate the association between a feature and a phenomenon; identify key features driving biological behaviors; control for confounding factors; and avoid common pitfalls like data overinterpretation. In addition, you will learn how to state your results in plain English. Through interactive Jupyter notebook exercises, we will dive into the theory and scope of these methods and guide you in interpreting their outputs. By the end of the session, you’ll have the chance to apply these techniques directly to your own datasets, empowering you to make more informed, impactful discoveries in your research. This training is designed specifically to benefit biophysicists, offering practical, easy-to-use methods that can be broadly applied across the field.
Trainers:
Daniel Nissley, Pennsylvania State University (NCEMS), USA
Ian Sitarik, Pennsylvania State University (NCEMS), USA
Maowei Dong, Pennsylvania State University (NCEMS), USA
CPOW Workshop
Monday, February 22, 2:30 PM–4:00 PM
This workshop is sponsored by CPOW.
JUST-B Poster Session
Monday, February 22, 3:00 PM–5:00 PM
The JUST-B Poster Session celebrates the achievements of students, postdocs, and early career researchers in the field of biophysics. The poster session will promote the research endeavors of trainees, offer support through networking opportunities, and serve as a recruitment venue for future graduate students, postdocs, faculty, staff scientists, journal editors, or any other career within biophysics. The goal of this program is to remove barriers to participation and ensure that all students and trainees, including those who are underrepresented in biophysics, have equal access to advancement opportunities and community support. Students, postdocs, and early career researchers who wish to present posters during the session must submit an application and be an author on a poster being presented at the Annual Meeting, with an abstract submitted by the late abstract deadline of January 5, 2027.
Speed Networking
Monday, February 22, 4:30 PM–6:00 PM
Career development and networking are important in science but can be a big-time commitment. Here we offer refreshments and the chance to speed network, an exciting way to connect with a large number of biophysicists (including Biophysical Society committee members) in a short amount of time. Mid-career and more experienced scientists could learn how to get more involved in the Society or network for open positions in their labs. Early career scientists could discuss career goals and challenges, get advice on tenure or grant writing, or find out how to gain recognition for their work. Graduate students and postdocs could make contacts to find their next position.
After introductions, you’ll rotate through a series of 5-minute conversations, enough time to exchange information, ask questions, and then move on to the next person. By the end, you’ll have made meaningful connections with many colleagues. It's that simple! Space is limited for this event and pre-registration is recommended to ensure a spot. Please register here.
Founding and Establishing a Research Laboratory at a Primarily Undergraduate Institution
Tuesday, February 23, 12:00 PM–1:30 PM
Get guidance on founding and establishing a research laboratory at Primarily Undergraduate Institutions. Panelists are faculty members at PUI's who have been successful in their positions and will share their experiences and answer your questions.
Moderators & Speakers to be announced.
Careers in Industry Panel: A Q&A Panel
Tuesday, February 23, 1:00 PM–2:30 PM
Join us for a Q&A discussion about scientific careers in industry. Industry panelists will answer audience questions and share their career experiences. Hear from professionals in different roles and positions and get tangible advice for identifying and pursuing a career in industry.
Moderators & Speakers to be announced.
Inside NIH: Explore Biophysics Grant Opportunities in Key Institutes
Tuesday, February 23, 1:30 PM–3:30 PM
The National Institutes of Health (NIH), with its 27 Institutes and Centers, can cause researchers moments of pause as they navigate where their research is best applied. While each Institute and Center has its own distinct focus of research, there is a considerable amount of overlap and coordination that does occur – particularly in biophysics research. Join the Public Affairs Committee for a panel session with Program Directors from the National Institute on Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), the National Cancer Institute (NCI), and the National Institute on General Medical Science (NIGMS).
Moderators & Speakers to be announced.
Inside Perspectives and Opportunities: NSF Grants
Tuesday, February 23, 3:30 PM–5:00 PM
The National Science Foundation (NSF) is one of the largest federal funders of biophysical research each year alongside the National Institutes of Health. Through the Division of Molecular and Cellular Biosciences, scientists continue to advance basic and biomedical research. Join us for an insider's perspective on the various divisions offering grant funding within NSF and learn how to put together a strong grant application. This session is a great opportunity for new and early career investigators.
Moderators & Speakers to be announced.
Dinner Meet-ups
Sunday, February 21 - Tuesday, February 23, 6:00 PM
Local students will be waiting at the Society Booth to meet up with attendees who want to experience the local flavor of Philadelphia.
In addition to general Dinner Meet-Up groups, there will be specific meet-ups for different groups and focus topics. Dates and topics to be announced. Attendees are responsible for covering their individual expenses.
One-on-One with a Mentor
The One-on-One with a Mentor program aims to connect members with mentors at the Annual Meeting. This is a first-come, first served program, and we will do our best to match pairs based on your application and membership details, such as Subgroup membership, areas of research, and techniques. We may not be able to meet all requested preferences. This program is open to all members who are attending the Annual Meeting, but sign-up is required by December 31.
Mentor/Mentee Expectations:
1. Mentors and mentees will connect prior to the meeting to introduce themselves. BPS will share the contact details with mentor and mentee pairs.
2. Mentors and mentees should agree on a place and time to meet in-person early in the meeting.
3. Mentees should prepare a few questions for their mentor, to help guide the meeting. In addtion, mentors can share strategies to make the most out of attending the meeting.
4. Some mentors and mentees may decide to stay in contact after the meeting, but this is not an expectation.
5. All mentors and mentees are expected to read and adhere to the BPS Code of Conduct.