Jayaraman named Biophysical Society fellow
The Biophysical Society announced Vasanthi Jayaraman, PhD, professor and John S. Dunn Chair in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, as a fellow in the 2025 Society Fellows cohort.
Fellows will be honored at the Biophysical Society’s 69th Annual Meeting, Feb. 15-19, 2025 in Los Angeles.
The fellowship honors the society’s distinguished members who have demonstrated excellence in science and contributed to the expansion of the field of biophysics. Jayaraman was honored by the society for her exceptional contributions to understanding the structural dynamics of neurotransmitter receptors.
“I am deeply honored to be named a Fellow of the Biophysical Society,” Jayaraman said. “Having been a member for over 25 years, this recognition is especially meaningful to me. It is a privilege to be a part of this community that values discovery, mentorship, and collaboration in pushing the boundaries of biophysical research, with important implications for advancing medicine and improving human health.”
Jayaraman serves as the vice-chair for research and faculty affairs and is the co-director of the Center for Membrane Biology in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. She is also a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science as a member of the 2021 Class of AAAS fellows. Additionally she has served as the editor-in-chief for Biophysical Journal and as the chair of the Keck Center Executive Committee of the Gulf Coast Consortia.
Jayaraman’s research centers around understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying physiological processes. Her postdoctoral work focused on studying electrical signaling in membrane proteins, which led to her combining her doctoral and postdoctoral experiences to study the molecular mechanisms of proteins involved in neuronal signaling and how they are altered in disease states.
Jayaraman received her PhD from Princeton University in 1995 before completing a postdoctoral fellowship at Cornell University in 1997. She joined the faculty at McGovern Medical School in 2002.
The Biophysical Society, founded in 1958, is a professional, scientific society established to lead an innovative global community working at the interface of the physical and life sciences across all levels of complexity and to foster the dissemination of that knowledge.