International Union for Pure and Applied Biophysics

Last updated
International Union of Pure and Applied Biophysics
AbbreviationIUPAB
Formation1961;62 years ago (1961)
Type INGO
Region served
Worldwide
Membership
ICSU
Official language
English
President
Manuel Prieto
Website iupab.org

The International Union for Pure and Applied Biophysics (IUPAB) is an international non-governmental organization whose mission is to assist in the worldwide development of biophysics, to foster international cooperation in biophysics, and to help in the application of biophysics toward solving problems of concern to all humanity. It was established in 1961 as the International Organisation for Pure and Applied Biophysics but then renamed as the International Union in 1966, when it became a member of ICSU ( the International Council of Scientific Unions), which itself was renamed in 2018 as ISC, the International Council for Science. Affiliated to it are the national adhering bodies of 61 countries, as well as the European Biophysical Societies' Association (EBSA), the Asian Biophysics Association and the Biophysical Society.

Contents

IUPAB carries out its mission by: sponsoring international meetings and its own congresses triennially; fostering communications and publications; encouraging research and education; fostering the free circulation of scientists; and cooperating with other organizations on multi-disciplinary and inter-disciplinary problems. [1]

History

The first General Assembly of IOPAB (International Organisation for Pure and Applied Biophysics) and the first International Biophysics Congress were held in Stockholm in 1961 with over 1000 delegates attending. They were followed by a second General Assembly of IOPAB in Paris in 1964 and, two years later in 1966, IOPAB was admitted to the International Council of Scientific Unions (ICSU) which became the International Council for Science (ICS) in 2018. [2] In 1966 at the Vienna congress that IOPAB became IUPAB (International Union for Pure and Applied Biophysics). [3]

Since 1966, IUPAB has hosted a Congress every three years: Boston MIT in 1969, Moscow in 1972, Copenhagen in 1975, Kyoto in 1978, Mexico City in 1981, Bristol in 1984, Jerusalem in 1987, Vancouver in 1990, Budapest in 1993, Amsterdam in 1996, New Delhi in 1999, Buenos Aires in 2002, Montpellier in 2005, Long Beach, California in 2008, Beijing in 2011, Brisbane in 2014, Edinburgh in 2017 (jointly with EBSA [4] and Brazil Iguazu in 2020 (delayed to 2021 and online due to the COVID-19 pandemic). [5]

The next IUPAB Congress will take place in Kyoto in 2024.

Committees and governance

IUPAB is governed by an executive committee which includes five key Officers: a President, a Past-President, a President -Elect, a Secretary General and a Treasurer. In addition to the executive committee, 12 Ordinary Members constitute the Council which meets twice a year. Both the Officers and the Ordinary Members serve for three years (with the option to renew for one more term, or be elected to the Executive) and the Secretary General and Treasurer serve for six years and the other Officers and the Ordinary Members serve for three years (with the option to renew for one more term, or be elected to the Executive)".

In addition to the Executive Committee, IUPAB has five task force committees which focus on different areas: Meeting Committee, Structural Biology, Publications, Educations and Capacity Building and Big Data.

Conferences and activities

IUPAB holds a congress every three years (either in person or via on-line platform). During the congress a General Assembly of delegates discusses and co-ordinates the interests of the various branches of Biophysics, as well as electing Officers. Workshops, specialist meetings, and sponsorship of various activities related to Biophysics are also organized. Several lectures at relevant meetings are also sponsored by IUPAB. Some 60 bursaries for younger scientists are also awarded for the IUPAB Congress, and travel fellowships are awarded for laboratory exchanges. IUPAB also makes two awards, a Young Investigator Award, and a Senior (Avanti) award. [6]

Biophysical reviews is the journal of IUPAB published by Springer Nature. [7] [8]

Adhering bodies and societies

John Kendrew, a former IUPAB President, constructing a model of myoglobin KendrewMyoglobin.jpg
John Kendrew, a former IUPAB President, constructing a model of myoglobin

The IUPAB International Union consists of a group of Adhering Bodies representing Scientific Communities. Adhering Bodies such as Research Councils, National Academies of Science or similar institutions, or scientific Societies can apply for membership of IUPAB. There are several levels of subscriptions that will grant each adhering body representation at the General Assembly with one or more voting members depending on the option selected.

So far adhering bodies from 61 different countries have joined IUPAB.

List of presidents

1961-1964Arne EngstromSweden
1964-1969 Aharon Katzir-Katchalsky Israel
1969-1972 Feodor Lynen Germany
1972-1975 John C Kendrew UK
1975-1978 Britton Chance USA
1978-1981Setsuro EbashiJapan
1981-1984Richard D KeynesUK
1984-1987 Bernard Pullman France
1987-1990Lee D PeacheyUSA
1990-1993Maurizio BruroniItaly
1993-1996Herman J C BerendsenThe Netherlands
1996-1999David A D ParryNew Zealand
1999-2002Israel PechtIsrael
2002-2005Jean GarnierFrance
2005-2008I C P SmithCanada
2008-2011Kuniaki NagayamaJapan
2011-2014Gordon RobertsUK
2014-2017 Zhie Rao China
2017-2021Marcelo Morales [5] Brazil
2021-2024Manuel Prieto [5] Portugal
2021-2024 (elect) Anthony Watts [5] UK

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">International Mathematical Union</span> International non-governmental organisation

The International Mathematical Union (IMU) is an international non-governmental organization devoted to international cooperation in the field of mathematics across the world. It is a member of the International Science Council (ISC) and supports the International Congress of Mathematicians (ICM). Its members are national mathematics organizations from more than 80 countries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">International Council for Science</span> International non-governmental organisation

The International Council for Science was an international non-governmental organization devoted to international cooperation in the advancement of science. Its members were national scientific bodies and international scientific unions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry</span> International organization representing chemists

The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry is an international federation of National Adhering Organizations working for the advancement of the chemical sciences, especially by developing nomenclature and terminology. It is a member of the International Science Council (ISC). IUPAC is registered in Zürich, Switzerland, and the administrative office, known as the "IUPAC Secretariat", is in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, United States. This administrative office is headed by IUPAC's executive director, currently Greta Heydenrych.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">International Union of Pure and Applied Physics</span> International non-governmental organization that assists in worldwide physics development

The International Union of Pure and Applied Physics is an international non-governmental organization whose mission is to assist in the worldwide development of physics, to foster international cooperation in physics, and to help in the application of physics toward solving problems of concern to humanity. It was established in 1922 and the first General Assembly was held in 1923 in Paris. The Union is domiciled in Geneva, Switzerland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">International Union of Geological Sciences</span> International non-governmental organization

The International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS) is an international non-governmental organization devoted to international cooperation in the field of geology. As of 2023, it represents more than 1 million geoscientists around the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">International Union of Biological Sciences</span> International non-governmental organization

The International Union of Biological Sciences (IUBS) is a non-profit organization and non-governmental organization, founded in 1919, that promotes the biological sciences internationally. As a scientific umbrella organization it was a founding member of the International Council for Science (ICSU).

The International Commission for Optics (ICO) was created in 1947 with the objective to contribute, on an international basis, to the progress and dissemination of the science of optics and photonics and their applications. It emphasises the unity of the crossdisciplinary field of optics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology</span> International non-governmental organization concerned with biochemistry and molecular biology

The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (IUBMB) is an international non-governmental organisation concerned with biochemistry and molecular biology. Formed in 1955 as the International Union of Biochemistry (IUB), the union has presently 79 member countries and regions. The Union is devoted to promoting research and education in biochemistry and molecular biology throughout the world, and gives particular attention to localities where the subject is still in its early development.

The Pacific Science Association (PSA) is a regional, non-governmental, scholarly organization that seeks to advance science and technology in support of sustainable development in the Pacific Rim. It was founded in 1920 and its secretariat is based at the Bishop Museum in Honolulu, United States.

The International Union of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology (IUPHAR) is a voluntary, non-profit association representing the interests of scientists in pharmacology-related fields to facilitate Better Medicines through Global Education and Research around the world.

The International Commission on Mathematical Instruction (ICMI) is a commission of the International Mathematical Union and is an internationally acting organization focussing on mathematics education. ICMI was founded in 1908 at the International Congress of Mathematicians (ICM) in Rome and aims to improve teaching standards around the world, through programs, workshops and initiatives and publications. It aims to work a great deal with developing countries, to increase teaching standards and education which can improve life quality and aid the country.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David Parry (biophysicist)</span> New Zealand biophysicist

David Anthony Dougall Parry is a New Zealand biophysicist known for his work within the area of ultrastructure scleroprotein analysis. He is the former President of the International Union for Pure and Applied Biophysics and former Vice President of the International Council for Science (ICSU).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">M. Vijayan</span> Indian structural biologist (1941–2022)

Mamannamana Vijayan was an Indian structural biologist.

The purpose of the International Commission for Acoustics (ICA) is to promote international development and collaboration in all fields of acoustics including research, development, education, and standardisation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">International Union of Psychological Science</span>

The International Union of Psychological Science, abbreviated IUPsyS or the Psy Union, is the global umbrella organization for psychology.

The British Biophysical Society is a scientific society that exists to encourage and disseminate developments in the application of physical and chemical concepts to biological systems. It was founded in 1960 following a report from a Working Party on Biophysics and Biophysical Chemistry initiated by the Council of the then Faraday Society of London. The current Chair is Olwyn Byron.

The European Biophysical Societies' Association is an association existing to promote Biophysics in Europe and to disseminate "knowledge of the principles, recent developments and applications of biophysics, and to foster the exchange of scientific information among European biophysicists and biophysicists in general".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anthony Watts (biophysicist)</span>

Anthony Watts is a British biochemist and Professor of Biochemistry at the University of Oxford and C W Maplethorpe Fellow in Biological Sciences and tutor at St. Hugh's College, Oxford. He is a fellow of the Royal Chemical Society, the Institute of Physics, Royal Society of Biology and Biophysical Society. He was managing director of the European Biophysics Journal, and is a co-opted member of the European Biophysical Societies' Association (EBSA), chair of the British Biophysical Society and chair of the Scientific Committee for the IUPAB/EBSA/BBS/IoP Biophysics congress, 2017. He was President of EBSA (2017-2019) and elected President-elect of IUPAB in 2021.

Ponnuraj Karthe is an Indian structural biologist and a professor and the head of the Department of Crystallography and Biophysics of the University of Madras. He is known for his research in the fields of structural biology and drug designing. His studies have been documented by way of a number of articles and Google Scholar, an online repository of scientific articles has listed 46 of them. Besides, he has contributed chapters to books edited by others and has delivered invited speeches at many seminars which include the Workshop on Advances in Computer Aided Drug Design held in August 2010 at the University of Madras. He was a member of the national organizing committee of the Annual Conference of Indian Biophysical Society - Molecular Architecture, Dynamics and Assem, organized by Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics and serves as a member of the national committee of the International Union for Pure and Applied Biophysics (IUPAB) as well as the executive council of the Bioinformatics and Drug Discovery Society (BIDDS), a non governmental organization promoting dissemination of knowledge in the fields of bioinformatics, biological sciences and other life sciences. The Department of Biotechnology of the Government of India awarded him the National Bioscience Award for Career Development, one of the highest Indian science awards, for his contributions to biosciences, in 2010.

The International Science Council (ISC) is an international non-governmental organization that unites scientific bodies at various levels across the social and natural sciences. The ISC was formed with its inaugural general assembly on 4 July 2018 by the merger of the former International Council for Science (ICSU) and the International Social Science Council (ISSC), making it one of the largest organisations of this type.

References

  1. Marcelo M. Morales (2021). "IUPAB—serving the international biophysics community". Biophysical Reviews. Biophysical Reviews, Springer. 13 (3): 303–305. doi:10.1007/s12551-021-00802-z. PMC   8207813 . PMID   34155443.
  2. "ICS directory".
  3. "News from the International Union for Pure and Applied Biophysics. (1970)". Quarterly Reviews of Biophysic.
  4. "2017 IUPAB and EBSA Edinburgh Congress".
  5. 1 2 3 4 Itri, Rosangela; Baptista, Maurico; Costa-Filho, Antonio; Garratt, Richard (2021). "A special issue of Biophysical Reviews dedicated to the 20th IUPAB (virtual) Congress "in" Foz do Iguaçu". Biophysical Reviews. 13 (6): 797–801. doi: 10.1007/s12551-021-00910-w . PMC   8590420 . PMID   34804246.
  6. "IUPAB Awards list".
  7. "Biophysical Reviews Journal, Springer Nature".
  8. Damien Hall (2021). "Biophysical Reviews—the IUPAB journal tasked with advancing biophysics". Biophysical Reviews. Biophysical Reviews, Springer. 13 (1): 1–6. doi:10.1007/s12551-021-00788-8. PMC   7874989 . PMID   33589863.