Cell competition represents a radical departure from the established view that embryonic development is simply a matter of following a preprogrammed set of rules. Instead, it is a highly conserved process that promotes the context dependent elimination of less fit cells and stimulates growth of more fit cells during growth and homeostasis. Although it has long been known that the basis of competition is the ability of growing cells to monitor fitness of their neighbors, and can be induced via differences in protein production capacity, Myc levels and apico-basal cell polarity, only recently have signaling and effector mechanisms been identified. This conference aims to bring together, for the first time, researchers, from diverse fields, who study competitive and cooperative interactions between cells. It will cover recent findings on quality control systems, developing tissues, stem cell populations, and tumorigenesis, as well as address important evolutionary aspects of competitive and cooperative behavior in diverse model systems. New technologies have uncovered the prevalence of cell competition in humans, with surprising outcomes and implications for human disease. As the first broad meeting of this sort, we expect to define critical questions shared by the diverse investigators and shape this emerging area. Given the wide range of developmental and homeostatic systems that are controlled by cell competition, understanding the mechanisms and consequences of competitive interactions may permit the manipulation of these processes for therapeutic purposes.

#VKScellcomp

Video Previews

Register for the conference:

The cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) has long been a 'missing link' in our understanding of brain form, function, and disease. However, recent work has begun to illuminate how the CSF regulates the brain in ways that extend far beyond its passive historical roles and provides unique opportunities for studying, diagnosing, and potentially treating brain disorders. This Keystone Symposia conference brings together an interdisciplinary group of new and established scientists to discuss this newfound excitement about CSF. By exchanging discoveries about CSF sources (choroid plexus), routes (glymphatics), drainage (lymphatics), clinical utilities, and by fostering new ideas, collaborations, and training opportunities, this conference aims to coalesce an international community that can propel the CSF field forward. This conference is being held jointly with the Keystone Symposia conference titled Brain Therapeutics: Disruptive Technologies and Opportunities for Drug Development. The goal of this paring is to stimulate thinking about CSF-based medicinal therapies, given the advantages of CSF over blood in being 'behind' the blood-brain barrier and in equilibrating with the interstitial fluid surrounding brain cells.

#VKScsf

Video Preview

The CU Boulder Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, in collaboration with Keystone Symposia on Molecular and Cellular Biology, proudly present Dr. Diana Bautista.

Humans rely on the sensations of itch, touch and pain for a broad range of essential behaviors. For example, acute pain acts as a warning signal that alerts us to noxious mechanical, chemical and thermal stimuli, which are potentially tissue damaging. Likewise, itch sensations trigger reflexes that may protect us from disease-carrying insects. Despite these essential protective functions, itch and pain can outlast their usefulness and become chronic debilitating conditions that affect millions of people worldwide. Dr. Bautista will summarize what is known about the biology of itch, touch and pain, and then focus on her latest research identifying novel mechanisms that drive chronic itch and pain.

#KSPainCU

This Keystone Symposia Community Lecture was co-organized with:

The views expressed in this Community Lecture are those of the participants and not necessarily of the participants’ organizations or of Keystone Symposia.

Register for the conference:

From aggression, to empathy, pair bonding and parental behavior, social behaviors are diverse and complex. How the brain interprets, processes and reacts to these cues, remained a mystery until very recently, when new technologies finally gave scientists the tools to examine the neurocircuits behind these cognitive processes.

These technological and scientific advances will enable scientists to get a glimpse into how we process and integrate social cues and ultimately behave in response. These insights are important to understanding and potentially treating disorders like schizophrenia and autism, where social behaviors are dysregulated. But they are also central to human existence on a grand scale, from our own personal lives to the societies in which we live, whether hierarchical, democratic or otherwise—these are all dictated by social behaviors, and the neurocircuitry behind them.

Delve into these fascinating topics in this Virtual Keystone Symposia discussion with meeting organizers of the upcoming Keystone Symposium “Neurocircuitry of Social Behavior,” which will take place in Daejeon South Korea from May 10-13 2020.

Video Preview

Autophagy is a homeostatic process strategically positioned at the intersection of metabolism and intracellular quality control, with broad physiological and medical manifestations ranging from metabolic imbalance to neurodegeneration, infections, immune disorders, cancer and aging. In yeast, the formation and organization of the autophagosomal apparatus follows a highly prescribed sequence, starting with the pre-autophagosomal structure and ending in autophagosomal fusion with the yeast vacuole. However, in other model organisms, as well as in mammals, the autophagy machinery and its regulators show both similarities and notable differences relative to yeast.

The goals/aims of this ePanel are:

1. Compare and contrast autophagy in yeast and higher organisms with a focus on both the shared regulators and on those factors that have no counterparts in yeast
2. Cover the intersection of autophagy with energy metabolism, innate immune signaling and endomembrane damage
3. Cover how signaling cascades regulate the process of selective autophagy whereby substrates are recruited to forming autophagosomes by receptors and molecular tags such as ubiquitin, galectins, or through other modalities

The conference will cover fundamental principles as outlined above and how they apply to basic and translational aspects of human disease. Intersections with several other stress response processes will be addressed.

#VKSautophagy

Register for the Autophagy eSymposia Event

Video Previews

This Keystone Symposia Sci-Talk was made possible in collaboration with:

This Keystone Symposia Sci-Talk was made possible in collaboration with:

This Keystone Symposia Sci-Talk was made possible in collaboration with:

This Keystone Symposia Sci-Talk was made possible in collaboration with: