Hematopoiesis is a highly regulated and dynamic developmental process by which hematopoietic stem cells self-renew and differentiate to form all blood lineages. Disruption of hematopoiesis resulting from genetic, epigenetic, transcriptional, and/or post-translational defects or due to environmental stressors can result in benign or malignant hematologic disorders. Advances in model systems, genome-editing tools, single-cell analyses, and imaging technologies have provided insight into the molecular, cellular, and developmental basis of normal and malignant hematopoiesis. This Keystone Symposia conference brings together basic and translational researchers to discuss and debate emerging topics and recent advances on developmental hematopoiesis, adult stem cell self-renewal and stem cell niches, novel hematopoietic regulators, and the pathogenesis of bone marrow failure syndromes and leukemia. Taken together, participants at this conference will gain new insight into the biology of normal and malignant hematopoiesis and cutting-edge technologies, as well as have opportunities to cultivate new ideas and establish collaborations with researchers from disparate disciplines.

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.