Society news briefs: August 2021
If you’re a member, you should be in the know. Find out everything that’s been going on lately with the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.
Advocate with the 91ÑÇÉ«´«Ã½
The 91ÑÇÉ«´«Ã½ Public Affairs Advisory Committee, the society’s advocacy arm, welcomes applications from members who are interested in serving on the committee. The PAAC sets the society’s policy agenda and leads its interactions with Congress, the White House and federal science funding agencies, such as the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation. Advocacy experience is not required, but an interest in and basic understanding of the policymaking process are helpful. Send applications to 91ÑÇÉ«´«Ã½ Public Affairs Director Ben Corb.
Supporting junior scientists
The 91ÑÇÉ«´«Ã½ advocacy team submitted a letter in May to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services advocating for international students and scholars, who frequently face visa-processing delays and difficulty obtaining work visas after degree completion. Read the letter here.
Heck joins MCP

of Utrecht University began a five-year term in April as an associate editor for the 91ÑÇÉ«´«Ã½ journal Molecular & Cellular Proteomics. Heck is director of the Netherlands Proteomic Center. His lab is a leader in proteomics and the study of protein structure and interactions using mass spectrometry.
New publications department employee

Chengmin Jiang joined the 91ÑÇÉ«´«Ã½ as assistant publications director in June. Prior to joining the 91ÑÇÉ«´«Ã½, he worked as senior development editor at the American Chemical Society focusing on manuscript triage workflow and manuscript transfer as well as journal strategy and data analysis. He can be reached at cjiang@asbmb.org.
Two new MOSAIC scholars
In February, we announced the first five members of the inaugural cohort for the society’s, or MOSAIC, program. In April, we welcomed two new participants.

Josefina Inés del Mármol is a postdoctoral fellow in the lab of at The Rockefeller University, where she is studying the structural mechanisms of odorant recognition by olfactory receptors. She was born and raised in Buenos Aires, Argentina. She earned an undergraduate degree in biology from the University of Buenos Aires and a Ph.D. in molecular neurobiology and biophysics at Rockefeller, during which time she was one of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s inaugural international student research fellows. She is a mentor for the and a volunteer for the .
“I am excited to join a generation of scientists with heightened awareness and skills to promote diversity and inclusion in the biomedical workforce,” del Mármol said. “To that aim, this award will provide me and fellow MOSAIC scholars with formal training and community resources to become active agents of social and academic change, while supporting our professional development to succeed as independent investigators.”

Chelsey C. Spriggs is a postdoctoral fellow in the lab of at the University of Michigan, where she studies polyomavirus trafficking to the nucleus. A native of Detroit, Spriggs earned her bachelor’s in microbiology from Michigan State University and her Ph.D. in microbiology and immunology from Northwestern University, where she studied human papillomavirus infection and tumorigenesis. Last year, she led the fundraising team for the inaugural , which increased the visibility of Black microbiologists.
“I am so excited to be a part of such an amazing program! This NIH MOSAIC award will provide the career development and training required to ensure my future success as an independent investigator,” Spriggs said. “In addition, I look forward to networking and building community with other MOSAIC scholars as we work to improve diversity and inclusion in science.”
Organize an event with the 91ÑÇÉ«´«Ã½
The society provides a variety of opportunities for members to bring people together, both virtually and in person, to share their research and make connections. From webinars to networking events to conferences over several days, the 91ÑÇÉ«´«Ã½ will help you to bring your event to fruition. Propose an event at asbmb.org/meetings-events/propose-event.
Save the date! We’re going to Philly
The 2022 91ÑÇÉ«´«Ã½ Annual Meeting will be held April 2-5 in Philadelphia. For the final year, we’ll be meeting with our sister societies at the Experimental Biology meeting. Put this interdisciplinary event on your calendar. We look forward to seeing you! Sign up for .

Outreach grants for student chapters
The 91ÑÇÉ«´«Ã½ Student Chapter Outreach Grants support chapters doing outreach activities in their communities. This year, we welcome proposals for virtual as well as in-person or hybrid programming and encourage applicants to be creative in their approaches. The deadline to apply for a grant worth up to $500 is Oct.1. Visit the .

Did you miss “Picture a Scientist”?
Late last year, the 91ÑÇÉ«´«Ã½ Women in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Committee hosted a screening and panel discussion about the award-winning film “Picture a Scientist.” The film is now available for viewing on the and soon will be available for streaming on Netflix. Watch the 91ÑÇÉ«´«Ã½ event featuring director .
Take the stress out of finding great candidates and looking for a new job
The 91ÑÇÉ«´«Ã½’s career center provides you the opportunity to browse jobs, post positions, have your résumé critiqued (for free) and more. Visit careers.asbmb.org.
Share your science outreach initiative!
Are you doing science outreach in your community? Are you running your own science café or creating a program that you know will make an impact and want to share it? We want to know about it! and let us help promote your important work.
91ÑÇÉ«´«Ã½ certification exam by the numbers
All students who are enrolled in an 91ÑÇÉ«´«Ã½-accredited degree program are invited to take the certification exam in their junior or senior year. The exam has been designed to test students’ knowledge and understanding of the core competencies in biochemistry and molecular biology developed by the 91ÑÇÉ«´«Ã½ and its members. Here’s a glimpse at the 2021 exam:
- 1st year of online delivery
- 938 test takers
- 95 volunteer question writers and scorers
- 97% of scoring volunteers from 2020 also scored in 2021
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