Winner of the 2023 BOSCA announced!
Bioanalysis Zone is delighted to announce Ben Orsburn as our 2023 BOSCA winner!
Our judging panel has recommended Ben Orsburn as the 2023 BOSCA winner. Not only do Ben’s pioneering publications qualify him for the BOSCA, but his extraordinary outreach to the scientific community through his podcast, impactful presence on X (formerly Twitter) and insightful blog contributions made him a stellar winner. Ben’s dynamic engagement with the community has injected a fresh perspective into the field and has been enjoyed by thousands. We extend our heartfelt congratulations to Ben and his dedicated research group for this well-deserved recognition!
Ben Orsburn
Instructor & Principal Investigator
Johns Hopkins University (MD, USA)
Dr Ben Orsburn received his PhD at Virginia Tech (VA, USA), his research focusing on the use of mass spectrometry (MS) to understand the bacterial cell wall. He received postdoctoral fellowships in proteomics at Johns Hopkins and the National Cancer Institute (MD, USA) before spending the next decade in industry. In 2020, Ben returned to academia to help revive the historic Mid-Atlantic Mass Spectrometry Center (MD, USA), leading to him becoming an Independent Researcher in late 2022. His research now focuses on applying MS to understand heterogeneity in drug response, focusing on single-cell MS and proteomics. He is also the manager of the Pharmacology Mass Spectrometry Shared Instrument Facility (MD, USA) and was recently appointed as Director of the Biomarker Development Metabolism Unit at the Johns Hopkins Institute for Translational Research. In his first year as an Independent Researcher, the Orsburn Lab authored or contributed to 16 published manuscripts with many more posted on preprint servers such as OSFPreprints, Protocols.io and Biorxiv. Ben is also the Chair of the US Human Proteomics Organization Virtual Media Organization, the founder and author of the popular science blog News in Proteomics Research, and the Co-host of THE Proteomics Show, a popular podcast sponsored by the US Human Proteomics Organization.
“Wow! I can’t believe that I was even considered for the prestigious Bioanalysis Outstanding Contribution Award, let alone win it! I think our little group feels like we’re on the right track most of the time. Our goal is always to try and make cutting-edge research MS assays into approachable methods that can be applied to understand drug mechanisms and to help patients, but it has been a tough road and doubt can sneak in. This great award helps affirm that we’re at least aiming in the right direction. Obviously, you can’t go alone on a quest like this, and I owe a long line of mentors and an increasingly longer list of students and mentees for both our group’s success and this award. Thank you all!”
Ben Orsburn
Check out Ben’s News in Proteomics Research blog and THE Proteomics Show podcast.
Read what Ben’s nominators, colleagues and friends had to say about his contributions to bioanalysis:
“I have had the absolute pleasure of calling Ben my friend, mentor and idol in the mass spectrometry field. As a bright eyed young scientist at the beginning of my career having not ever touched a mass spectrometer before, I was lucky enough to join a group spearheaded by Ben. From the first moment I interacted with him, his passion for science and the mass spec community at large was infectious. It never ceased to amaze me how he could consistently unveiled project ideas that pushed the boundaries of the current knowledge in the field, seemingly having an endless ability to generate excitement and grow the scientific prowess of the people around him. Having attended many conferences and collaboration on multiple projects together, Ben’s meteoric rise to a leader at the forefront of the mass spectrometry field as been nothing but awe inspiring and my pride just being in orbit abound him cannot be understated. He has proven himself to continuously be a scientific force of nature that will guide the field for decades to come.”
Conor C. Jenkins, M.S., Research Biologist, U.S. Army DEVCOM CBC (MD, USA)
“Ben left industry a couple of years ago to reinvent himself as an academic. He’s always been a big scientific communicator through his blog, News in Proteomics Research and through his thousands of followers on X (formerly Twitter). Only a couple of years in and he’s already publishing big papers including the first credible study on protein post-translational modifications in single human cells. He’s speaking all over the world as his lab seems to be the first one actually applying the new field of single cell proteomics to practical problems like chemotherapy resistance. His newest preprint is the biggest single cell proteomics study by MS ever performed and it is a solo author study. The breadth of his work is really interesting as well. Between the single cell studies he published the largest library of pesticide detection methods ever put in the public domain. In addition, he recently launched a fun and approachable podcast on proteomics that I’ve heard the Human Proteomics Organization has already sponsored for a 3rd season into 2024 due to the response it has received. Reading what you’re looking for in your nominees, this junior faculty scientist should be on that list.”
Ben’s Nominator (Anonymous)
“Dr Ben Orsburn has spearheaded groundbreaking work in the field of single cell proteomics and possesses an unwavering commitment to fostering inclusivity and collaboration. Specifically, his willingness to share his expertise and methodologies (and obscure pop culture references) with the scientific community, irrespective of their institutional or financial resources, has helped level the playing field for many early career researchers and smaller laboratories. Overall, he is a multifaceted force for good in the field of analytical biochemistry.”
Benjamin Neely, PhD, Research Chemist, National Institute of Standards and Technology (MD, USA)
Quotes from the BOSCA judging panel:
“Within a short time, Ben has published influential papers on protein modifications in single cells and pesticide detection methods, and spoken at multiple conferences. Furthermore, it is imperative that scientists continue to find ways to communicate with the broader population and Ben has launched a highly successful proteomics podcast.”
Melanie Anderson, Principal Scientist, Merck, Sharp and Dohme (NJ, USA)
“Ben Orsburn had a strong case for science leadership but also his use of different communication platforms was an innovative way of sharing great science messages. Transitioning from industry to academia, he has become a prolific scientific communicator, engaging thousands through his blog and X (formerly Twitter). His rapid success is evident in groundbreaking publications, such as the pioneering study on protein post-translational modifications in single human cells, driving practical applications like understanding chemotherapy resistance. His unmatched achievements extend to the largest-ever MS-based single-cell proteomics study, pioneering pesticide detection methods and launching a popular proteomics podcast. Ben’s multifaceted impact and commitment to advancing science and engaging the public make him a deserving nominee for this award.”
Amanda Wilson, Head of Translational Biomarkers and Bioanalysis, AstraZeneca (Cambridge, UK)
“Ben seems like an individual who has made a huge impact on the world of bioanalysis, having made huge strides practically single-handedly in the important field of proteomics using MS. Furthermore, the validity and utility of his research is underlined by his apparent popularity. This is someone who is clearly not only a top-tier bioanalytical scientist but a fantastic communicator and people-oriented person, conveying his science in the most contemporary ways through his blog and podcasts. This earns him top spot for me.”
Robert MacNeill, Director of Bioanalysis at Pharmaron’s Exton site, legacy Absorption Systems (PA, USA)
