Lipid metabolism provides the building blocks for cell growth and replication, signaling molecules that initiate and propagate signals inside and outside of cells, and fuel for cell function and division. The role of these molecular species in human disease has become more apparent with advancements in ability to detect and accurately quantify them. This meeting will integrate information generated through lipidomics studies. Specific areas of focus will include using genetic and proteomic data to identify changes in particular molecular species, the importance of changes in lipid metabolism and signaling and the regulatory enzymes for neurodegeneration, metabolic disorders, cancer and inflammation and immune responses. Featured talks will extend beyond methodologies to integrate the current biological and clinical importance of lipids with lipidomics approaches. This will allow us to focus upon the mechanistic importance of lipids in neurodegeneration and other neurological disorders, cancer, inflammation and metabolic disorders. By identifying enzymes that regulate changes in lipidomics, new targets for therapeutics can also be identified. This approach is inspired by PI3kinase, where the basic biochemistry has led to the development of effective inhibitors. We hope to discover other targets for lipid enzyme therapeutics. By moving towards lipid analysis and the biological and medical importance of lipid regulatory pathways, the goal is to use lipidomic profiling to get to better understand and treat different diseases. The majority of lipid related meetings focus on methodologies. We believe that PI3kinase should be reintegrated into meetings about lipid-related disease because it represents successful implementation of this approach. The PI3Kinase specific meeting is no longer attracting sufficient attendees but it remains an important scientific area for discussion. This meeting will also address the importance of particular lipid molecular as opposed to lipid classes. Modern lipidomic methodologies enabled us to identify more than 20,000 potential lipid species in a cell. There are particular species that regulate enzyme activities and membrane properties and thus functions like signaling and cellular migration. This meeting will include a workshop, led by members of LIPID MAPS, on lipidomics methodologies, data handling and storage to further emphasize the biological and medical importance of lipid diversity.

This new virtual meeting format came out of difficult circumstances, but your commitment to scientific progress is what inspired us to launch Keystone eSymposia. In these virtual meetings, we are capturing the same innovative essence of our in-person meetings that you've all created as a scientific community. Here, Debbie Johnson, our CEO, explains how we're going to do that.