Calendar of events, awards and opportunities

March 18: Twitter chat about COVID relief funding for junior scientists

The ASBMB policy team has recommended that Congress provide an additional year of funding for students and early-career researchers whose studies and work were negatively affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The proposal specifically advocates for those whose grants expired in 2020. (Learn more in this article by Sarina Neote, ASBMB's science policy manager.) Follow ASBMB on Twitter (@asbmb) and join the conversation at 2 p.m. Eastern on March 18. We'll be using the hashtag #SupportNextGenSci. See the other chats we have planned.

March 25: Twitter chat about the one-year mark for COVID

Since last March, we have found so much comfort in staying connected with our colleagues and members of the ASBMB community. As we cross the one-year mark of life during the COVID-19 pandemic, we want to know: How are you? How has your life changed? Where do you stand with your research, education and/or career goals? What have you learned? We invite you to share your experiences or just be a good listener. Follow ASBMB on Twitter (@asbmb) and tune in at 2 p.m. Eastern on March 25. We'll be using the hashtag #ASBMBCheckIns. See the other chats we have planned.

Call for virtual scientific event proposals

The ASBMB provides members with a virtual platform to share scientific research and accomplishments and to discuss emerging topics and technologies with the BMB community.

The ASBMB will manage the technical aspects, market the event to tens of thousands of contacts and present the digital event live to a remote audience. Additional tools such as polling, Q&A, breakout rooms and post event Twitter chats may be used to facilitate maximum engagement.

Seminars are typically one to two hours long. A workshop or conference might be longer and even span several days.

Prospective organizers may submit proposals at any time. Decisions are usually made within four to six weeks. 

Propose an event.

April 12: Early registration deadline for the ASBMB annual meeting

The 2021 ASBMB Annual Meeting, held in conjunction with Experimental Biology, offers unmatched opportunities to showcase your work, learn from other scientists about their latest findings and expand your professional circle. Don’t miss this opportunity to engage with scientists from around the globe!

Scientific and education sessions: Start planning how you'll spend your time at the meeting. These events have been curated by pioneers and innovators.

Award lectures: These 12 outstanding professionals are being recognized by their peers for contributions to their fields, education and diversity.

May 4–5: Celebrating the 50th anniversary of the PDB

This celebration of the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Protein Data Bank as the first open-access digital data resource in biology will include presentations from speakers from around the world who have made tremendous advances in structural biology and bioinformatics. Students and postdoctoral fellows are especially encouraged to attend and will be eligible for poster awards. Learn more.

May 5: Deadline for ASBMB annual award nominations

The ASBMB Annual Awards are given to outstanding professionals who have been recognized by their peers for contributions to their fields, education and diversity. The recipients will give talks about their work at the 2022 ASBMB Annual Meeting. You can nominate or self-nominate. See a list of available awards and prepare your nomination package.

June 20–25: Teaching science with big data

This international meeting guides faculty on how to teach using web-based, free-access large data sets. How big is "big data"? Data that is so large, fast or complex that it's difficult or impossible to process using traditional methods. Join us to learn these valuable teaching skills to prepare students for the future. Sponsored by the ASBMB and the International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. Registration and abstract submission opening soon.

June 21: Flux-independent signaling by ionotropic receptors

Save the date for the virtual event "Flux-independent signaling by ionotropic receptors: Unforeseen roles and complexities" on June 21. The organizers say it will be of interest to neuroscientists, cell biologists, molecular biologists and biochemists, among others, involved in the study of cell physiology and function in health and disease. We'll update this item as soon as we know about the abstract and registration deadline. In the meantime, read the event description.

July 21–23: Extracellular vesicle studies: From benchtop to therapeutics

Extracellular vesicles are secreted, membrane-bound compartments containing DNA and cytoplasmic constituent molecules of all types that are thought to act as mediators of intercellular communication. They are classified by both size and location/mechanism of cellular origination. They are thought to be produced by an ever-expanding diversity of cell types and species. However, there is also considerable skepticism related to their existence and utility, as it can be difficult to isolate EVs since there is no EV-specific molecular marker to target. (Editor's note: See this ASBMB Today feature on EVs by former science writer Rajendrani Mukhopadhyay.)

A primary focus in recent years has been to describe the mechanisms of molecular sorting that would allow researchers to target proteins produced from exogenously introduced DNA to EVs for cellular secretion and uptake. The potential value of EVs to therapeutics is thought to be enormous, thanks to the role of EVs in cell–cell communication as a robust, native delivery vehicle.

This event will appeal to a broad audience, including molecular biologists, biochemists, biophysicists, secretion experts, cell–cell communication specialists, clinicians, physiologists and others. Submit an abstract by May 27. The early registration deadline is June 25, and the regular registration deadline is July 16. Visit the event homepage.