Welcome to the Keypoint Newsletter, bringing you all the latest news & views from Keystone Symposia!
Featuring conference season highlights, spotlights on innovation and more, this biannual publication showcases Keystone Symposia’s efforts-- past, present & future-- to catalyze collaborative partnerships and inspire innovation in science and medicine around the world.
Colorado State Capitol Tribute to Keystone Symposia
On Monday March 3, Keystone Symposia was recognized by the Colorado State Senate and House of Representatives for 50 years of championing science in the state of Colorado. This special tribute was sponsored by the President of the Senate, James Coleman, and the Speaker of the House, Julie McCluskie, which is a great honor for the organization. The tribute was part of a greater effort by new CEO Dr. Jamie Baumgartner to raise awareness for Keystone Symposia, both within and outside of scientific circles in the region. By broadcasting the important work that we do, we hope to ignite local interest in collaborations and partnerships that will strengthen the impact and longevity of the organization. READ MORE
Honoring Keystone Symposia Founder Charles Frederick Fox
It is with great sadness that we mourn the passing of Keystone Symposia’s founder, Charles Frederick Fox ("Fred" Fox). We take this opportunity to celebrate his life, and the legacy that he started in founding a visionary conference organization that bridged academic and industry science to accelerate advances that benefit society. Dr. Fox passed away late last year, in October 2024, at the age of 87 at his home in Southern California with his wife, Dr. Jacqueline Schott, and family by his side. READ MORE
Keystone Symposia is leading the way in sustainability with our new partnership with Terrapass. We will now purchase carbon credits to help offset the estimated 1,230 metric tons of carbon emissions generated annually from the air travel of our invited speakers, internal staff, Board of Directors, Scientific Advisory Board, and financial aid recipients. Additionally, we encourage those attending our conferences to purchase carbon credits for their air-based travel, which will be available when they register for the meeting.
Keystone Symposia has brought together some of the most brilliant minds in the world for decades. And while our conferences frequently result in new scientific collaborations that benefit society as a whole, we recognize there is an environmental cost that comes with so many speakers and attendees traveling long distances to attend in person. We hope our partnership with Terrapass sets an example in the industry and other scientific conference planning organizations follow suit."
- Jamie Baumgartner, PhD, Keystone Symposia CEO
Keystone Symposia Aims to Increase Global Impact-- Experts Weigh in on Strategy
By Gillian Dohrn & Shannon Weiman
At the annual Board of Directors meeting in January, Keystone Symposia convened a panel of global health experts to discuss how we can extend the reach and impact of our conferences to improve human health worldwide. To answer these questions, we brought in global leaders Drs. Peter Hotez, Stephen Isaacs and Maria Freire, who have worked extensively across Africa, South America, Asia and beyond to provide their perspectives on the needs of global communities, and how Keystone Symposia might step in to fill some of these gaps. READ MORE
See Dr. Peter Hotez's Keynote Address at the Vaccinology: Horizons Across Disease, Demography and Technology Keystone Symposium in Washington D.C., June 4-7, 2025 or now via LIVESTREAM:
Vaccines & Immunizations in a Time of Global Boiling, Megacities & Antiscience
Livestream is Back!
Given recent challenges scientists are facing in travel to conferences, both within and outside of the US, we are relaunching our Livestream product for three of our June meetings to enable global participation. Access to the latest scientific advances should not be restricted based on country of origin, residence or citizenship, and we aim to empower scientists locally and globally to continue to drive science and medicine forward by connecting with these discoveries and with each other, on the virtual Livestream platform. Join us for the following conferences!
- Vaccinology: Horizons Across Disease, Demography and Technology
June 4–7, 2025 - Neurodegeneration: Linking Cellular Pathways to Therapeutic Strategies
June 8-11, 2025 joint with - Neural-Immune Interactions: A Systems-Wide Perspective on Whole Organism Physiology
June 8-11, 2025
Pioneering AI in Molecular Biology: Featuring Nobel Laureate David Baker
By Gillian Dohrn
Nobel Laureate Dr. David Baker will give the closing Keynote address at the upcoming Keystone Symposium on AI in Molecular Biology, taking place September 15-18, in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Find out more about Dr. Baker's groundbreaking work, and other revolutionary applications of AI in biomedical research that will be covered at the conference! READ MORE
Upcoming Fall 2025 Highlights & Organizer Interviews
Our Fall line-up features exciting topics across infectious disease, artificial intelligence and plant science, at venues from right here at home in Colorado all the way to Geneva, Switzerland! Find out more about upcoming meeting highlights, important deadlines for scholarship and abstract submissions, and organizer insights in this post. READ MORE
- Long COVID and Other Post-Acute Infection Syndromes
- AI in Molecular Biology
- Predicting and Responding to Emerging Viral Infections
- Plant Epigenetics and Epigenome Engineering
Q&A with Keystone Fellow & 2025 Organoids meeting Organizer, Dr. Quinton Smith
By Gillian Dohrn
As a co-organizer of the Keystone Symposia, Organoids: Engineering Innovative Approaches for Basic and Translational Insight, Keystone Symposia Fellow Dr. Quinton Smith worked with Drs. Matthias Lutolf and Kelly R. Stevens to plan a conference that positions biologists and engineers side by side in the program and at the dinner table. In typical Keystone Symposia fashion, the meeting aims to drive interdisciplinary mixing and inspire unorthodox research collaborations that bring new scientific perspectives and insights to light. Dr. Smith hopes this meeting will generate therapeutic advances with lifesaving potential. READ MORE
Michelson Prizes: Next-Generation Grants ePanel on Human Immunology, Cancer Vaccines & Immunotherapy Advances
On April 29, 2025, Keystone Symposia hosted a live ePanel event featuring the recipients of the Michelson Prizes: Next-Generation Grants. These grants are designed to support young investigators at a time in their careers when funding can be difficult to secure, particularly for innovative projects that may be risky but have the greatest potential to yield scientific and medical breakthroughs. Find out more about the winners and watch the event recording. READ MORE
Monthly Fellows Spotlights
Checkout our monthly Keystone Symposia Fellows Spotlights on the Keypoint Blog to highlight these stellar scientists and leaders. Gain insight into their research, motivations, awards and mentorship activities in their communities. See January, February, March and April spotlights below!
- January Spotlight on Abigael Cheruyoit
- February Spotlight on Oleta Johnson
- March Spotlight on Juan Inclan-Rico
- April Spotlight on Vivien Maltez
See All Upcoming Keystone Symposia In-Person & On Demand Conferences HERE!
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See All Meetings Available On Demand HERE
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Emerging Topics Conferences On Demand
Microproteins: from Discovery to Applications
Regenerative Biology of the Female Reproductive System
Interoception: Neural Sensing and Control of Organ Function- SOLD OUT IN-PERSON
Metabolic and Nutritional Control of Development and Cell Fate
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See Previous Keypoint Newsletters:
December 2024
September 2024
December 2023
September 2023
December 2022
December 2021
September 2021
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Keypoint Newsletter: 2024 Season Highlights
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