In recent years, there has been an explosion of new structures and functions for membrane contact sites (MCSs), generating an excitement in the field of cell biology that continues to draw in a talented pool of scientists from diverse backgrounds. At MCS, the tethering of organelles serves to create specialized domains, which confer unique functions and provide a direct conduit for intracellular communication. These regions at MCSs integrate organelle biogenesis and dynamics, and on a molecular level, facilitate the transfer of lipids and calcium and thus are central to cellular homeostasis and have implications for human disease. The MCS field renaissance necessitates a meeting dedicated solely to MCS structure and functions. As such, an MCS Keystone Symposium will help to drive the field forward, forge interdisciplinary approaches and collaborations, foster early-career scientists, and lead to an updated model of cell structure and function. 

This meeting will address the following key questions in the field:
1) What is the most recent unpublished work on MCSs functions, protein composition, and new types of MCSs? 
2) What are the challenges and new technical and experimental approaches to identify and study MCSs?
3) What interdisciplinary approaches need to be fostered?

Due to their heterogeneous localization, cell variability, and small size, the visualization and characterization of MCSs remains complicated and requires joint efforts from various fields of expertise, novel tools, and the development of advanced techniques in light and electron microscopy.

Additionally, this conference will be paired with Mitochondria Signaling and Disease.   The joint conferences will share a keynote and joint sessions.  Participants of both conferences will also have an opportunity to network at shared mealtimes and poster sessions.  It is anticipated that this will lead to new scientific collaborations and the implementation of new technological approaches.  The conference will provide a stimulating environment where students, postdocs and junior investigators can present and discuss their research with the best minds in the field.