Mentorship and uncertainty: Lessons from Telemachus
Essay

Mentorship and uncertainty: Lessons from Telemachus

By Rinalda Proko
A biochemistry educator reflects on mentorship through the Greek story of Telemachus, showing how embracing uncertainty, failure and curiosity can transform teaching.
Essay

Embracing the twists and turns along the educator pathway

A biochemistry educator reflects on the challenges of early faculty life, describing how evidence-based teaching, cross-disciplinary collaboration and classroom challenges shaped her growth.
Embracing the twists and turns along the educator pathway

News and Ideas

And they’re off: Budget season begins in Congress
Editorial

And they’re off: Budget season begins in Congress

April 29, 2026

ASBMB’s director of public affairs explains the federal budget process after the president’s proposal, highlighting proposed cuts to science agencies, next steps in Congress and how ASBMB will advocate for research funding and mobilize members.

Upcoming opportunities
Announcement

Upcoming opportunities

April 29, 2026

Registration is now open for this summer's Art of Science Communication course! Build your science communication skills in this 8-week online program. ➡️ Registration deadline: May 6.

Redesigning with students in mind
Essay

Redesigning with students in mind

April 29, 2026

Assistant professor reflects on how the shift to online teaching revealed gaps in points-based grading and led to a redesign centered on transparency and student growth.

Teaching beyond information transfer
Essay

Teaching beyond information transfer

April 29, 2026

Educator reflects on moving beyond lectures to create a biochemistry classroom centered on engagement, transparency and student ownership, showing how small shifts like “student hours” and active learning can transform understanding.

Mayday! Lessons from cellular dysfunction and group work dynamics
Essay

Mayday! Lessons from cellular dysfunction and group work dynamics

April 28, 2026

An upper-level biology course revealed that strong science doesn’t guarantee strong teamwork. One instructor shares how failed group dynamics reshaped their approach, leading to more structured, collaborative and effective student learning.

Showing students that it’s OK to ask questions
Essay

Showing students that it’s OK to ask questions

April 28, 2026

Assistant professor reflects on how admitting uncertainty and following student questions beyond the syllabus reshaped classroom culture, encouraging curiosity, vulnerability and deeper engagement in introductory biology.

Park wins Parkinson’s award
Member News

Park wins Parkinson’s award

April 27, 2026

He is one of three individuals who will receive $90,000 to fund their research.

In memoriam: George C. Hill
In Memoriam

In memoriam: George C. Hill

April 27, 2026

He conducted groundbreaking research on African sleeping sickness, supported countless underrepresented students in medical education and was an ASBMB member for 43 years.

Evolving the undergraduate biochemistry lab
Essay

Evolving the undergraduate biochemistry lab

April 24, 2026

Biochemistry professor reflects on 25 years of teaching lab courses, tracing the shift from technique-driven exercises to course-based undergraduate research experiences.

Meet Our Contributors

Poornima Sankar
Poornima Sankar
Jessica Desamero
Jessica Desamero
Jay Thakkar
Jay Thakkar
Courtney Chandler
Courtney Chandler
Quantifying how proteins in microbe and host interact

“To develop better vaccines, we need new methods and a better understanding of the antibody responses that develop in immune individuals,” author Johan Malmström said. Read More

Beyond the bench: On a mission to build an inclusive scientific community

Benjamin Garcia will receive the ASBMB Ruth Kirschstein Diversity in Science Award at the ASBMB Annual meeting, April 12–15 in Chicago. Read More

Computational biosciences illuminate how molecular condensates form

Rohit Pappu will receive the 2025 DeLano Award for Computational Biosciences at the ASBMB Annual Meeting, April 12-15 in Chicago. Read More

Who decides when a grad student graduates?
Courtney Chandler

Careers Columnist

Ph.D. programs often don’t have a set timeline. Students continue with their research until their thesis is done, which is where variability comes into play. Read More

Get the latest from ASBMB Today

Enter your email address, and we’ll send you a weekly email with recent articles, interviews and more.