Engineering Cell Fate and Function (Z3)

This Keystone symposium will bring together scientists and engineers to discuss key challenges in engineering biological systems across length and organizational scales: from single cells, collections of cells, to tissues and organs, with the goal of highlighting key advances being made at each of these length scales and to foster discussion of strategies for engineering biological systems across these scales. In accord with this goal, the meeting features talks starting at methods for engineering single cells and moving toward technologies shaping the function of entire multicellular tissues. The specific aims of the meeting are: (1) Highlight the latest advances in engineering cell fate and function across length scales; (2) Bring together researchers who may not typically engage one another– e.g., experts in engineering the function of single cells for cell therapy and those engaged in building entire tissues for in vivo or in vitro diagnostics/drug screening– with the goal of identifying common themes and spurring new collaborations; (3) Promote the training of young investigators in this highly interdisciplinary field, through interactions with the leaders of the field and colleagues from around the world. This meeting is timely and unique as it will serve as a platform to highlight the many exciting potential applications for cell & tissue engineering beyond regenerative medicine including cell therapy, diagnostics, and tissue models for drug screening and the study of disease pathology.