BETHESDA, MD – The Biophysical Society is pleased to announce that A. Joshua Wand, of Texas A&M University, USA, will receive the 2026 Ignacio Tinoco Award. Wand will be honored at the Society’s 70th Annual Meeting, being held in San Francisco, California from February 21-25, 2026.

Wand is being recognized for pioneering contributions to understanding the structural and mechanistic bases of biomolecular function.

“Josh is an outstanding scientist. His recognition aptly honors the legacy of Ignacio “Nacho” Tinoco, who challenged our community to continually push our fundamental understanding of biophysics,” said BPS President Lynmarie Thompson of the University of Massachusetts Amherst. “By using cutting-edge NMR approaches, Josh has been able to answer a broad range of critical biological questions, and we are honored to recognize him with this award.”

About the Award – The Ignacio "Nacho" Tinoco Award of the Biophysical Society honors the scientific contributions, work, and life of an outstanding biophysical chemist. Tinoco’s contributions to the spectroscopic, thermodynamic, structural, and single-molecule study of biopolymers consistently deepened our understanding of fundamental biophysical principles, constantly moving this field toward new frontiers. This award is intended to recognize meritorious investigators who make important contributions to the physical chemistry of macromolecules.

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The Biophysical Society, founded in 1958, is a professional, scientific society established to lead an innovative global community working at the interface of the physical and life sciences, across all levels of complexity, and to foster the dissemination of that knowledge. The Society promotes growth in this expanding field through its Annual Meeting, publications, and outreach activities. Its 6,500 members are located throughout the world, where they teach and conduct research in colleges, universities, laboratories, government agencies, and industry.