Keystone Symposia on Molecular and Cellular Biology receives Gates Foundation grant

A unique component of the Global Health Series meetings that the funding also supports is a pre-meeting workshop for Travel Awardees in which three to four speakers provide an overview of the field, its current status and primary challenges. This has proved enormously valuable to participants who may be more involved in field work and therefore not as close to the latest research.

The grant will also help fund some registration costs for local scientists, postdoctoral associates and students when the conferences are held in developing countries. This promotes sharing of the latest research advances with those on the frontlines of battling global health challenges. It also stimulates growth of the research enterprise in developing countries.

James Aiken, Chief Executive Officer of Keystone Symposia, expressed his deep appreciation for the grant: "The support from the Foundation is an essential base that we build upon to expand our global science educational activities and to enhance science capability worldwide."

Added Dr. David Woodland, Keystone Symposia's Chief Scientific Officer, "This partnership with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation promotes global scientific collaboration, elevates scientific capability in the developing world and accelerates the discovery of solutions to critical infectious disease problems, such as malaria, tuberculosis and AIDS. A prominent feature of the Global Health Series is also to expose talented young trainees from around the world to cutting-edge infectious disease research with a view to developing the next generation of scientists that will tackle global health problems."

Source: Keystone Symposia on Molecular & Cellular Biology