Biophysical Reviews’ “Meet the Editors Series”—a profile of Kuniaki Nagayama: encounters and leaps in a transborder journey through biophysics

Abstract

In this second instalment of the Biophysical Reviews' Meet the Editors Series we hear the story of Prof. Kuniaki Nagayama, one of the five Executive Editors of Biophysical Reviews. In front of exhibition panels showing small sea creatures In my role as Executive Editor of Biophysical Reviews, I have been asked to provide a short description of my life and research for the readers of Biophysical Reviews. I have tackled this request in roughly chronological order. Boyhood (1950s) Science fiction poet Ray Bradbury has a short story collection S Is for Space. It was a collection of his masterpieces from the time when Sputnik's photographs were all over the newspapers and everyone dreamed of future adventures in space. In my boyhood, not only space but science also held a rosy dream and future. Looking back on those days, I feel like I was aspiring to science in a natural way following the trends of that era. However, boys cannot distinguish between science and technology. Edison was the scientist by whom I was most impressed among those I met through the world of scientific biographies. The presented vision of Edison (probably adapted from biographers and different from the real image), was, for me, at that time, what constituted a true "inventor"indeed to my young mind, science was invention. My passion for inventions distinguished my elementary school days. Summer vacations had to be always the season of invention. Devising teaching materials used in science classes and providing them to the class teachers satisfied my inventive spirit. I also learned at that time that there was sweet temptation of appreciation of my teachers and praise of my friends for each deed of invention.

Biophysical Reviews—the IUPAB journal tasked with advancing biophysics

“…Directly after this Editorial (Hall 2021 ) is the latest instalment of the Biophysical Reviews’ ‘Meet the Editors Series’ (Vassalli 2021 ). In beginning, this biographical endeavor the journal placed its focus on the five Executive Editors (Olson 2020 ; Nagayama 2020 ; Itri 2020 ; Ho 2020 ; Jagannathan 2020 ). After this initial foray, we then started with members of the Editorial Board (Benedetto 2020 ).…”

Biophysical Reviews’ national biophysical society partnership program

“…In practice, this pairing of attributes means that review articles submitted to Biophysical Reviews benefit from both high-level reviewing and practical assistance in structuring, framing, and expression (when required) that goes above and beyond that experienced when submitting one's work to a different journal. A general idea of the rara avis nature of the Biophysical Reviews editorial team can be gotten from the recently established "Meet the Editors Series" (Olson 2020;Nagayama 2020).…”

Biophysical Reviews—Quantitative analysis of biological phenomenon

“…In a remarkably honest fashion, he describes the highs and lows along his career trajectory, one that culminated in him leading India's principal MRI Department at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) located in New Delhi. While some scientific biographies can be a little dry, this contribution (Jagannathan 2020), very much like its two predecessors (Olson 2020;Nagayama 2020), is quite fun to read and remarkably human.…”