Scientifica's top 7 sessions to attend at the Biophysical Society Annual Meeting

The Biophysical Society 59th Annual Meeting will take place in Baltimore from the 7th – 11th February this year. The conference, at the Baltimore Convention Centre in Maryland, is always an exciting event and this year is expected to attract over 7,000 attendees. Here, we have picked out the 7 sessions that we think look particularly interesting at this year's event.

1. Probing Ion Channels Structure/Function Using Novel Tools (9th February – Symposium – 8:15 to 10:15 AM – Ballroom II)

This symposium, like all the symposia at Biophysics 2015, is made up of four 30-minute presentations on ways to examine the physiology of various ion channels. These presentations are:

• Conformational Changes in Voltage-Sensing Domains: Concerted Simulation and Scattering Studies
• Tricking Out the Toolbox: Use of Genetic Code Expansion for the study of Ion Channels
• Small Molecule Modulation of Voltage-Gated Ion Channels
• Calcium Channel Engineering

2. Neurotransmitter Transporters (9th February – Symposium – 4:00 to 6:00 PM – Ballroom II)

This symposium concentrates on the role and functionality of this important class of membrane proteins. The presentations are on:

• The Structural and Dynamic Basis of Ion-Coupled Substrate Uptake by a Glutamate Transporter
• Functional Dynamics of Glutamate/Amino Acid Transporters of the Solute Carrier 1 Type
• Transporters in Motion: Combining Computational Approaches and LRET-Measurements
• Functional Roles of Glutamate Transport in Modulating Phasic and Tonic Neurotransmitter Signalling

3. Molecular, Cellular and Systems Neuroscience: Experimental Approaches, Modelling and Tools (9th February – Platform – 4:00 to 6:00 PM – Ballroom II)

This session of eight 15-minute presentations will introduce a number of developing techniques for research in neuroscience including electrophysiology. This is an excellent way to make sure you are up to date with laboratory techniques in these research areas.

4. Overcoming Unconscious Bias and Barriers in Science (9th February – Career & Education & Outreach – 2:30 to 4:00 PM – Room 331/332)

Removing all unconscious bias in scientific research is virtually impossible but it is important that researchers do everything they can to try and mitigate it. In particular, this talk will look at how biases against other people with whom scientists work can affect the career advancement of certain individuals and promote harmful stereotypes. In this panel Assistant Professor Chad Forbes (University of Delaware), Professor Sharona Gordon (University of Washington) and Dr Ragini Rao (John Hopkins University) will discuss ways of overcoming these biases.

5. How to get your Scientific Paper Published (9th February – Career & Education & Outreach – 2:15 to 3:45 PM – Room 314/315)

This panel will look at the dos and don'ts of submitting research manuscripts. It will focus on strategies to avoid common pitfalls, preventing and fixing problems before submission and responding to critiques or rejection of a paper.

6. Molecules of Memory: Glutamate Receptor Channels (10th February – Symposium – 8:15 to 10:15 AM – Ballroom II)

The glutamate, NMDA and AMPA receptors play key roles in the induction and maintenance of learning and memory. This symposium looks at the structure, function and dynamics of these receptors. The titles of the four presentations are:

• Conformational Changes Underlying Glutamate Receptor Gating
• AMPA Receptor Structure, Function and Dynamics
• Intracellular Domains of NMDA Receptors Control Channel Permeation and Gating Properties
• NMDA Receptors as Dynamic Allosteric Machines

7. Voltage Gated Na and Ca Channels (11th February – Platform – 8:15 to 10:15 AM – Ballroom III)

This platform takes an in-depth look at voltage-gated sodium and calcium channels and their structures and functions. Take this opportunity to learn about recent research on these channels, which are so important to a wide range of physiological processes (particularly within the nervous system).