The Keystone Symposia on Molecular and Cellular Biology has named Andres Contreras, DVM, PhD, a Keystone Fellow. Contreras, an assistant professor in the MSU Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, is one of ten fellows in Keystone Symposia’s two-year fellowship program for minority junior faculty. The program provides in-depth mentorship with leading scientists and training in the fields of life sciences.

Keystone Symposia on Molecular and Cellular Biology convenes open, peer-reviewed conferences across a broad range of the life sciences. The conferences connect researchers at 50–60 conferences each year. Keystone has convened conferences on six continents: Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America and South America.

“We’re very pleased that Dr. Contreras has been honored with this opportunity,” said Dr. Lorraine Sordillo, professor and Meadow Brook Chair in Farm Animal Health and Wellbeing. “The Keystone Symposia program provides important leadership opportunities to junior faculty, as well as opportunities to get to know some of the leaders in life sciences.”

The strong mentorship is one compelling aspect of the program for Contreras.

“This program gives me a unique opportunity to network with colleagues who are in different stages of their careers,” said Contreras. “It’s an opportunity for me to learn from their experiences as they were going through the development of their research programs. Also, by participating in the 2017 Keystone Symposia fellowship program, I hope to expand my vision of the current role of a PI in the academic and private sector.”

Contreras’ research focuses on the impact of the adipose tissue remodeling process during adaptations to positive and negative energy balance states on inflammatory based diseases in humans and animals.