BETHESDA, MD – The Biophysical Society is pleased to announce that Charles L. Brooks III, of the University of Michigan, USA, has been named the recipient of the 2026 Klaus Schulten and Zaida Luthey-Schulten Computational Biophysics Lecture Award. Brooks will be honored at the Society’s 70th Annual Meeting, being held in San Francisco, California from February 21-25, 2026.
Brooks will be recognized for his pioneering work in protein folding, free energy methods and service to the field of biophysics.
“Charles’ work leads the field not only in methodological developments but in the way he couples theory and computation with experiments to achieve a deep understanding of these complex processes,” said BPS President Lynmarie Thompson of the University of Massachusetts Amherst. “He continues to push the boundaries of science, and his influence and impact as a theoretical chemist and biophysicist just keep growing. I am pleased to recognize him as this year’s awardee.”
About the Award – The Klaus Schulten and Zaida Luthey-Schulten Computational Biophysics Lecture Award, introduced in 2025, recognizes researchers for their outstanding contributions in computational or theoretical, including analytical theory, aspects of biophysical systems, and service to the BPS or society broadly. This award honors the mathematical, theoretical, and technological innovations of Klaus Schulten and Zaida Luthey-Schulten which led to key discoveries about the motion of individual proteins and nucleic acids, organelles and the whole cell, and their contributions recognized by the Biophysical Society Distinguished Service Award.
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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. The Society promotes growth in this expanding field through its Annual Meeting, publications, and outreach activities. Its 6,500 members are located throughout the world, where they teach and conduct research in colleges, universities, laboratories, government agencies, and industry.