About the Collection 

The Up-and-Coming Scientists Collection contains short articles, published periodically, that give young researchers a platform to present their own, exciting scientific discoveries to get a boost of visibility and engage with the readers and the Editorial Board Members of The Journal of Membrane Biology on the research they have done. All articles are accompanied by a short introductory abstract written by the Editor(s) who invited the author. The Editor-in-Chief, Editors, and Editorial Board Members solicit scientists to be highlighted and invite them to contribute, but suggestions and/or self-nominations from researchers in our readership are also encouraged. Please contact one of the Editors to discuss your suggestion.

to read papers from the collection, please see here: Up-and-Coming Scientists [Strictly By Invitation Only] | Springer Nature Link

About the Winner

Rajan Lamichhane,  works in the Department of Biochemistry & Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Tennessee, USA, and was nominated by the editors of The Journal of Membrane Biology as the top “up-and-coming scientist paper” of the year. He had the below to say: 

"I am honored by this award and thankful to my mentors, collaborators, group members, and funding agencies for their support in advancing our research on fundamental questions in single-molecule biophysics and membrane biology, and I sincerely appreciate the Journal of Membrane Biology for featuring our research.”

Biophysical Society meeting, 2026. Pictured: Rajan Lamichhane, and Joshua Bayliss (Senior Publisher, Springer Nature) 

About the Journal 

Home | The Journal of Membrane Biology | Springer Nature Link

The Journal of Membrane Biology focuses on publishing high-quality scientific research related to membrane biology, biochemistry, and biophysics. As of 2026, we have extended the aims and scope to focus on all biological membranes, including those outside of humans. The below are our new focus areas.

If you would like to submit a paper in any of these areas, or join the journal, please fill in our form: Get Involved in Springer Nature Biophysics Journals – Fill in form

• Studies on membrane structure, composition, and organization, including lipid–protein interactions and membrane phase behaviour
• Mechanisms of membrane asymmetry, including lipid trafficking by flippases, scramblases, and lipid transfer proteins
• Membrane solubilization, reconstitution, and enabling technologies that advance the study of membrane proteins and complexes
• High‑resolution biophysical methods including electrophysiology, spectroscopy, imaging, and single‑molecule approaches
• Computational and theoretical membrane biology, including molecular dynamics simulations, coarse‑grained modelling, and machine‑learning‑based membrane analysis 

• Membrane structure, signaling, and transport in plants, fungi, and diverse animal species
• Plant membrane biophysics, including responses to environmental cues and stress
• Comparative and evolutionary studies of membrane organization and function
• Extracellular vesicles and exosomes in plant, fungal, or microbial systems 

• Mitochondrial membrane biology and membrane‑centric metabolic disorders
• Membrane roles in cellular communication, immunity, inflammation, and pathology
• Extracellular vesicles and exosomes in signaling, biomarkers, and diagnostics
• Virus–membrane interactions, including mechanisms of entry, fusion, assembly, and budding
• Drug–membrane interactions, membrane permeability, and pharmacologically relevant membrane processes
• Membrane‑active peptides (e.g., antimicrobial peptides, cell‑penetrating peptides, pore‑forming toxins) and their roles in physiology, immunity, and therapeutics 

• Mechanisms of energy transduction, including electron and proton pathways across biological membranes
• Membrane‑coupled ATP synthesis and energy‑converting organelles (mitochondria, chloroplasts, bacterial membranes)
• Experimental, computational, and theoretical work that elucidates the energetics of biological membrane systems

• Transport mechanisms (channels, pumps, carriers) and determinants of membrane permeability
• Signal transduction across membranes and the biophysical principles underlying receptor dynamics
• Membrane mechanics, curvature, fusion/fission, vesicular trafficking, and organelle dynamics - Extracellular vesicle biogenesis, budding, and release mechanisms
• Lipidomics and membrane proteomics, including global analyses of membrane composition, dynamics, and remodeling