ASBMB sets professional conduct expectations for award nominees

To celebrate excellence and advancement in the molecular life sciences, the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology’s annual awards highlight and thank leaders in our community, who reflect exemplary achievement in research, mentorship, education and more. The ASBMB Awards Committee encourages members to nominate colleagues for ASBMB’s 2026 annual awards.

Nominations are open through June 4.

Joan Conaway

“Being named an ASBMB awardee is expected to be a lifetime honor and bestows ASBMB’s determination of the individual’s exemplary role in the field and affirms our values for professional conduct on an ongoing basis,” ASBMB President Joan Conaway said. “We take seriously the recognition of deserving individuals of many experiences, ideas and perspectives for a range of activities in the field, including innovation, sustained commitment to breaking down barriers and exceptional contributions to teaching.”

In 2025, ASBMB’s Council created a policy that sets professional conduct expectations as a component of the annual award nomination process, reinforcing the organization’s commitment to supporting a professional and welcoming research community.

Nominees will be informed of society’s professional conduct expectations outlined in the ASBMB code of conduct and the application of these standards to awards. In addition, nominators will be asked to attest that, to the best of their knowledge, the nominee put forward has abided by ASBMB’s professional conduct standards.

Nominations now affirm both the nominee’s scientific achievements and their adherence to ASBMB’s values and professional conduct expectations.

Nominees will be asked to disclose, confidentially, whether they are now, or have been, subject to an allegation, inquiry, action or decision regarding alleged professional misconduct as outlined in the ASBMB code of conduct or have engaged in conduct that could give rise to such a claim. A disclosure will not automatically disqualify a nominee from an award, but it will allow the society to consider such information during award selection confidentially. Nominees will also be allowed to decline to be considered, with no imputation of any inappropriate conduct. Any disclosures will be reviewed and held in confidence by a small working group of the ASBMB Council.

Nominate a colleague for a 2026 ASBMB annual award through June 4.