The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB) is a

learned society A learned society (; also learned academy, scholarly society, or academic association) is an organization that exists to promote an discipline (academia), academic discipline, profession, or a group of related disciplines such as the arts and s ...

that was founded on December 26, 1906, at a meeting organized by

John Jacob Abel John Jacob Abel (19 May 1857 – 26 May 1938) was an American biochemist and pharmacologist. He established the pharmacology department at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in 1893, and then became America's first full-time professor o ...

(

Johns Hopkins University Johns Hopkins University (Johns Hopkins, Hopkins, or JHU) is a private university, private research university in Baltimore, Maryland. Founded in 1876, Johns Hopkins is the oldest research university in the United States and in the western hem ...

). The roots of the society were in the

American Physiological Society The American Physiological Society is a non-profit professional society for physiologists. It has nearly 10,000 members, most of whom hold doctoral degrees in medicine, physiology or other health professions. Its mission is to support research and ...

, which had been formed some 20 years earlier. ASBMB is the US member of the

International Union of 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 ...

. The ASBMB was originally called the American Society of Biological Chemists, before obtaining its current name in 1987. The society is based in

Rockville, Maryland Rockville is a city that serves as the county seat of Montgomery County, Maryland, and is part of the Baltimore–Washington metropolitan area. The 2020 census tabulated Rockville's population at 67,117, making it the fifth-largest community in ...

. ASBMB's mission is to advance the science of

biochemistry Biochemistry or biological chemistry is the study of chemical processes within and relating to living organisms. A sub-discipline of both chemistry and biology, biochemistry may be divided into three fields: structural biology, enzymology and ...

and

molecular biology Molecular biology is the branch of biology that seeks to understand the molecular basis of biological activity in and between cells, including biomolecular synthesis, modification, mechanisms, and interactions. The study of chemical and physi ...

through publication of

scientific Science is a systematic endeavor that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe. Science may be as old as the human species, and some of the earliest archeological evidence for ...

and educational journals, the organization of scientific meetings, advocacy for funding of basic research and education, support of science education at all levels, and by promoting the diversity of individuals entering the scientific workforce. The organization currently has over 12,000 members.

Publications

The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology publishes three research journals and a monthly magazine covering society news and activity updates. ASBMB journals are

peer-reviewed Peer review is the evaluation of work by one or more people with similar competencies as the producers of the work (peers). It functions as a form of self-regulation by qualified members of a profession within the relevant field. Peer review ...

and cover research in the fields of

microbiology Microbiology () is the scientific study of microorganisms, those being unicellular (single cell), multicellular (cell colony), or acellular (lacking cells). Microbiology encompasses numerous sub-disciplines including virology, bacteriology, prot ...

, molecular genetics,

RNA Ribonucleic acid (RNA) is a polymeric molecule essential in various biological roles in coding, decoding, regulation and expression of genes. RNA and deoxyribonucleic acid ( DNA) are nucleic acids. Along with lipids, proteins, and carbohydra ...

-related research,

proteomics Proteomics is the large-scale study of proteins. Proteins are vital parts of living organisms, with many functions such as the formation of structural fibers of muscle tissue, enzymatic digestion of food, or synthesis and replication of DNA. In ...

genomics Genomics is an interdisciplinary field of biology focusing on the structure, function, evolution, mapping, and editing of genomes. A genome is an organism's complete set of DNA, including all of its genes as well as its hierarchical, three-dim ...

, transcription, peptides,

cell signaling In biology, cell signaling (cell signalling in British English) or cell communication is the ability of a cell to receive, process, and transmit signals with its environment and with itself. Cell signaling is a fundamental property of all cellula ...

, lipidomics, and

systems biology Systems biology is the computational modeling, computational and mathematical analysis and modeling of complex biological systems. It is a biology-based interdisciplinary field of study that focuses on complex interactions within biological syst ...

. All articles are published online as "Papers in Press" upon acceptance. As of January 2021, all three ASBMB journals are fully open access. * The ''

Journal of Biological Chemistry The ''Journal of Biological Chemistry'' (''JBC'') is a weekly peer-reviewed scientific journal that was established in 1905., jbc.org Since 1925, it is published by the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. It covers research in ...

'' publishes research in any area of biochemistry or molecular biology in one online-only issue per week. * ''

Molecular & Cellular Proteomics ''Molecular & Cellular Proteomics'' is a monthly peer-reviewed scientific journal established in 2002 and published by the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. It covers research on structural and functional properties of prote ...

'' is a monthly online only publication. Articles appearing in MCP "...describe the structural and functional properties of proteins and their expression, particularly with respect to the developmental time courses of the organism of which they are a part." The journal also publishes other content such as "HUPO views" (reports from the

Human Proteome Organization The Human Proteome Organization (HUPO) is an international consortium of national proteomics research associations, government researchers, academic institutions, and industry partners. The organization was launched in February 2001, and it promotes ...

), proceedings from HUPO meetings, and the proceedings of the International Symposium On Mass Spectrometry In The Life Sciences. * The ''

Journal of Lipid Research The ''Journal of Lipid Research'' is a monthly peer-reviewed scientific journal that was established in 1959. Since 2000, it has been published by the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. It covers research on lipids in health ...

'' covers "...the science of

lipid Lipids are a broad group of naturally-occurring molecules which includes fats, waxes, sterols, fat-soluble vitamins (such as vitamins A, D, E and K), monoglycerides, diglycerides, phospholipids, and others. The functions of lipids include ...

s in health and disease. The Journal emphasizes lipid function and the biochemical and genetic regulation of lipid

metabolism Metabolism (, from el, μεταβολή ''metabolē'', "change") is the set of life-sustaining chemical reactions in organisms. The three main functions of metabolism are: the conversion of the energy in food to energy available to run cell ...

. In addition, JLR publishes manuscripts on patient-oriented and

epidemiological Epidemiology is the study and analysis of the distribution (who, when, and where), patterns and determinants of health and disease conditions in a defined population. It is a cornerstone of public health, and shapes policy decisions and evidenc ...

research relating to altered lipid metabolism, including modification of dietary lipids." * ''ASBMB Today'' is the society's monthly news magazine. It contains extensive coverage of awards, meetings, research highlights, job placement advertising and human interest articles. All ASBMB members receive a complimentary subscription to ''ASBMB Today''. The online version of the magazine features daily publishing.

Meetings

ASBMB hosts and sponsors numerous meetings each year. The annual meeting is held each April in conjunction with the Experimental Biology meeting. Additionally, themed special symposia are organized throughout the year. The society also produces webinars throughout the year focused on topics related to scientific research, professional development and education.

Awards

The society offers twenty-five different awards, grants, and scholarships.

Annual Awards

* ASBMB Award for Exemplary Contributions to Education * ASBMB Leadership Awards * ASBMB–

Merck Merck refers primarily to the German Merck family and three companies founded by the family, including: * the Merck Group, a German chemical, pharmaceutical and life sciences company founded in 1668 ** Merck Serono (known as EMD Serono in the Unite ...

Award * ASBMB Young Investigator Award * Avanti Award in Lipids *

Bert Bert or BERT may refer to: Persons, characters, or animals known as Bert *Bert (name), commonly an abbreviated forename and sometimes a surname *Bert, a character in the poem "Bert the Wombat" by The Wiggles; from their 1992 album Here Comes a Son ...

and Natalie Vallee Award in Biomedical Science * DeLano Award for Computational Biosciences * Earl and

Thressa Stadtman Thressa Campbell Stadtman (February 12, 1920 – December 11, 2016) was an American biochemist, notable for her discovery of selenocysteine, and her research on selenoproteins and bioenergetics. In addition she made significant advances in amino a ...

Distinguished Scientist Award * Earl and

Young Scholar Award *

Herbert Tabor Herbert Tabor (November 28, 1918 – August 20, 2020) was an American biochemist and physician-scientist who specialized in the function of polyamines and their role in human health and disease. Tabor was a principal investigator at the National ...

Research Award * Mildred Cohn Award in Biological Chemistry - The Mildred Cohn Award in Biological Chemistry was established in 2013 to honor the scientific achievements of

Mildred Cohn Mildred Cohn (July 12, 1913 – October 12, 2009) was an American biochemist who furthered understanding of biochemical processes through her study of chemical reactions within animal cells. She was a pioneer in the use of nuclear magnetic r ...

. Cohn was the first female president of the society, in 1978. The award of $5,000 is presented annually to a scientist who has made substantial advances in understanding biological chemistry using innovative physical approaches. The recipient is expected to deliver the Mildred Cohn Award lecture at the annual meeting. * Ruth Kirschstein Diversity in Science Award * The Alice and C. C. Wang Award in Molecular Parasitology * Walter A. Shaw Young Investigator Award in Lipid Research *

William C. Rose Award The William C. Rose Award given by the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology recognizes outstanding contributions to biochemical and molecular biological research and a demonstrated commitment to the training of younger scientists ...

Student Chapter Awards

* ASBMB Student Chapters Regional Meeting Award * Outstanding Chapter Award * Student Chapter Outreach Grant * ASBMB Undergraduate Research Award * Student Chapters Award

Other awards

* Marion B. Sewer Distinguished Scholarship for Undergraduates * Promoting Research Opportunities for Latin American Biochemists * ASBMB Science Fair Award

Recipients of Mildred Cohn Award

Source
American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
*2020 -

Carol Fierke Carol may refer to: People with the name *Carol (given name) *Henri Carol (1910–1984), French composer and organist *Martine Carol (1920–1967), French film actress * Sue Carol (1906–1982), American actress and talent agent, wife of actor Al ...

*2019 - Angela Gronenborn *2018 – Leemor Joshua-Tor *2017 –

Wei Yang Yang Wei or Wei Yang may refer to: *Shang Yang or Wei Yang (Chinese: 衞鞅; c. 390–338 BCE), ancient Chinese philosopher and politician *Yang Longyan (897–920) or Yang Wei (楊渭), King of Wu of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period *Yan ...

*2016 –

Eva Nogales Eva Nogales (born in Madrid, Spain) is a biophysicist at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and a professor at the University of California, Berkeley, where she served as head of the Division of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Structural Biol ...

*2015 – Judith P. Klinman *2014 – Lila M. Gierasch *2013 – Jennifer A. Doudna

Advocacy

The Public Affairs Office works with the PAAC to advocate for increased research budgets for the major governmental funding agencies, primarily the

National Institutes of Health The National Institutes of Health, commonly referred to as NIH (with each letter pronounced individually), is the primary agency of the United States government responsible for biomedical and public health research. It was founded in the late ...

and the

National Science Foundation The National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent agency of the United States government that supports fundamental research and education in all the non-medical fields of science and engineering. Its medical counterpart is the National I ...

. ASBMB has developed a set of recommendations for

pre-medical Pre-medical (often referred to as pre-med) is an educational track that undergraduate students in the United States pursue prior to becoming medical students. It involves activities that prepare a student for medical school, such as pre-med course ...

course requirements consistent with the new

Medical College Admission Test The Medical College Admission Test (MCAT; ) is a computer-based standardized examination for prospective medical students (both Allopathic M.D. and Ostepathic D.O.) in the United States, Australia, Canada, and Caribbean Islands. It is designed ...

. Advocacy efforts also focus on protecting the conditions that promote a successful research environment. In addition, the office works to maintain a healthy relationship between ASBMB members, government officials, and the public in order to foster awareness of the importance of science to everyday life. As part of their advocacy efforts, ASBMB organizes Capitol Hill Day, an annual event that allows graduate students and trainees to meet their congressional representatives in Washington, D.C.

References

External links

*
American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology records, 1906-2005
at the University of Maryland Baltimore County