Background

Keystone Symposia on Molecular and Cellular Biology is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization headquartered in Silverthorne, Colorado, USA that convenes open, peer-reviewed conferences across a broad range of the life sciences. Approximately 50-60 conferences take place each year. More than half the symposia are held in mountain venues across the American and Canadian West, with the remainder in generally North American cities and various global locations. They have now convened conferences on six continents: Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America and South America. 

Scientific content for each conference is organized by volunteer scientists who are experts in their respective fields and who also select program speakers, with guidelines from Keystone Symposia to encourage fresh and diverse participation. The conferences are typically three to four full days in length and consist of two daily plenary sessions complemented by workshops and poster sessions. The meeting format is designed to maximize informal networking among participants. Scholarships and travel awards help make possible the participation of graduate students and postdoctoral fellows, who typically account for 40% of attendees each year. Keystone Symposia has a range of Diversity in Life Science Programs and actively encourages participation of underrepresented investigators and scientists from developing countries.