The maintenance of genome integrity is critical for the suppression of several pathological disorders in humans, including cancer, infertility premature ageing, and neurodegeneration. Destabilization of the genome can occur as a result of several cell intrinsic or extrinsic factors, including errors arising during DNA replication or chromosome segregation, as well as exposure of cells to agents that induce DNA damage. In this conference, we aim to bring together scientists studying DNA replication & repair, chromosome segregation and cellular responses to DNA damage, such as cellular senescence, with those interested in how chromosomal instability can influence human pathology, with a special focus on aging and age-related pathologies. Moreover, we aim to show how high throughput and high content screening methods can be used as a discovery tool both for basic science applications and to identify potential therapeutic modalities.

KEY SESSIONS

• Pathways for repair of DNA damage and disrupted DNA replication forks

• Screening tools for analysis of genome maintenance pathways and for development of new therapeutics

• Molecular and cellular determinants of aging, with a particular focus on cellular senescence.

• Chromosome instability as a driver of tumorigenesis, neurodegeneration and ageing

• Exploitation of defects in chromosome maintenance in cancer treatment

Major themes include:

• Tumour metabolism

• Inflammation & the immune system

• Regulation of cell state

• Metastasis

• Therapy resistance

• Cancer in space and time

We aim to foster a lively event, encouraging collaborations and networking opportunities. Our three-day conference will include talks, poster sessions and career workshops.

To investigate the causes of endogenous DNA damage and the diverse cellular mechanisms that address it, the scientific program boasts a renowned group of international experts. The agenda promotes informal interactions, intending to inspire new collaborations and research directions. Another major goal of the conference is to enable early-career scientists to connect with veteran researchers, which will be supported by poster sessions and presentations chosen from submitted abstracts.

Aging is the single most significant risk factor for organ dysfunction and age-related diseases, but also represents an unresolved biological mystery. G-JAM 2025 aims to foster collaboration on aging research among leading researchers in different fields, and we are proud to host a stellar lineup of internationally renowned speakers from top institutions worldwide.

We believe this meeting provides an excellent opportunity for meaningful and intensive interactions, which are particularly valuable for young scientists. To support this, we will select a great number short talks from submitted abstracts in order to offer a large number of non-PIs the visibility ensured by a presentation at G-JAM.

Sumoylation is an essential post-translational modification that regulates thousands of target proteins in a dynamic manner. Small ubiquitin-like modifiers (SUMOs) can be attached to target proteins as one or more monomers or in the form of polymers.

The past decade has increased our understanding of the cellular and pathophysiological roles of SUMO modifications, extending its functions to the regulation of immunity, pluripotency, stress response and dynamics of molecular condensates. Such progress in understanding the roles and regulation of SUMOylation opens new avenues for the targeting of SUMO to treat disease. Indeed, recent discoveries have revealed great therapeutic potential of modulating SUMOylation, in particular in cancer. The relevance of SUMOylation expands to plant development and plant stress tolerance, highlighting its potential as a biotechnological target for improving crop yield.

The aim of this second EMBO Workshop on SUMOylation is to integrate perspectives on the function of SUMOylation from the fields of biochemistry, molecular cell biology, structural biology, genetics, plant science, pluripotency, immunity, oncology, neurodegeneration and drug discovery. We will stimulate exchanges between established and young scientists, as well as between basic scientists, clinicians and industry, to stimulate the growth of translational SUMOylation research to tackle challenges in health and agriculture.

Topoisomerases are crucial enzymes that ensure genome stability and cell survival. Although topoisomerases were discovered 50 years ago and their impact on DNA supercoiling has been studied since then, research on global chromosome topology and its regulation by proteins continues to flourish, yielding valuable insights. Exploring the significance of chromosome topology for genome stability and gene expression has implications in many areas of biological and medical sciences—from understanding stress responses to designing therapeutic strategies. Moreover, novel experimental tools provide an unprecedented opportunity to expand current knowledge in this field.

This workshop will cover chromosome topology and topoisomerases in eukaryotes and prokaryotes, as well as novel experimental methods in studies of chromosome topology. The five sessions will focus on global chromosome topology and genome stability, the role of chromosome topology in transcriptional regulation, the structure and mechanism of topoisomerase activity, topoisomerases as drug targets, and new approaches to studying DNA topology and topoisomerases.

Topics:

• Replication Initiation

• Developmental Control of Replication 

• Replication Origins

• Genome Instability, Cancer and Other Disease

• Endogenous Sources of Replication Stress

• Mechanism of Replication Stress Response

• Chromatin and Replication Timing

The specific goal for this meeting is to foster fruitful and creative interactions between researchers interested in applying these systems to genome engineering and related advances in a wide variety of organisms, together with scientists studying the basic biology of CRISPR-Cas and related bacterial defense systems.
This meeting will consist of six oral sessions and two poster sessions: In addition to invited speakers, a number of speakers will be selected from submitted abstracts.

Topics:

• CRISPR Biology 

• Technology I/II

• Plants

• DNA Repair

• Cell Engineering

• Therapeutics

While alterations to DNA underlie genome evolution and antibody diversification, genome instability drives many disorders, including cancer, developmental abnormalities, and neurodegeneration. DNA damage and other genome-threatening replication blocks are generally overcome by a number of DNA repair pathways. The choice of DNA repair pathways, specifically the reliance on error-prone vs. error-free is both intriguing and confounding. Moreover, the deregulation of repair pathway choice can trigger pathological processes. In this conference, we will discuss the delicate equilibrium of genome maintenance pathways, addressing how natural processes such as replication and transcription can threaten genome stability, how the genome can be altered in cancer, signatures of genome instability in human disease, and how cells control the inherent plasticity of their replication and repair machinery. We aim to bring together scientists from diverse fields who are interested in understanding the many processes impacting DNA metabolism and the molecular and biophysical principles that maintain the balance between genome stability and plasticity

Key Sessions:

• Genome Signatures and Evolution

• Tissue Specific Repair and Mutagenesis

• Transcription-Replication Driven Mutation

• Transposable Elements

• DNA Sensing and Inflammation

• CRISPR/Cas9 and DNA Repair

Event Summary –
In the 8th nucleic acid conference, the central theme will be to understand processes involving DNA and RNA at the molecular and chemical level, with a marked structural and mechanistic perspective. We plan to have an up-to-date discussion of the following: 

•    DNA replication in the context of chromatin and telomere
•    DNA repair and recombination
•    Transcription and splicing
•    RNA structure and function
•    Translation and post-translation modification
•.   Gene editing by ASO and CRISPR-Cas9 
•    AI-assisted nucleic acid research 

An underlying hallmark of cancers is genomic instability and a greater propensity to accumulate DNA damage. Historical cancer therapy by radiotherapy and DNA-damaging chemotherapy is based on this principle but is accompanied by significant collateral damage to normal tissue and unwanted side effects. Targeted therapy based on inhibiting the DNA damage response (DDR) in cancers offers the potential for a greater therapeutic window by tailoring treatment to patients with tumors lacking specific DDR functions.

The DNA damage response (DDR) in cancer cells differs in at least four aspects compared to those of normal cells, namely the loss of one or more DDR pathway or capability leading to greater sensitivity to DNA damaging agents, increased levels of replication stress, increased potential for immune priming and the potential for a DDR dependency that could lead to sensitivity to a single DDR agent. An example of the latter is the synthetic lethality and clinical activity of PARP inhibitors in tumours with homologous recombination repair deficiencies such as BRCA mutant cancers.

This meeting will focus on the current approaches of targeting DDR to generate new cancer therapies from building on the clinical success of PARP inhibitors, identifying ways to exploit replication stress in cancers, enhance the potential for immunotherapy combinations as well as enhance the activity of targeted DNA damaging agents such as antibody drug conjugates (ADCs) and radioconjugates.

The meeting aims to bring together academics, translational biologists and clinicians who are working towards developing therapies based on targeting DDR in cancer and represents an excellent opportunity for networking and gaining broader insights into this exciting area of cancer biology and therapeutics through a number of panel discussions as well as presentations.

Meeting Topics:

• Growth and proliferation

• DNA replication and cohesion

• Mitosis

• Switches and checkpoints

• Cell cycle therapeutics

• Genome stability

• Cell cycle and development

The 2025 Annual Congress of the European Association for Cancer Research (EACR 2025) is a four day congress dedicated to basic, preclinical and translational cancer research across a wide breadth of topics. It will highlight the latest research and bring together the cancer research community to inspire innovation and build knowledge, connections and collaborations.

This first edition of the Cancer Grand Challenges Conference Series aims to convene researchers from diverse backgrounds, from bench to bedside, across and beyond the ecDNA field, to provide an interdisciplinary forum to stimulate discussion around emerging concepts, open questions, what we need to do to answer them, and the future for this exciting field. The tools, datasets, pioneering technologies, and experimental models have now matured to an extent that the field is ripe for innovation as new investigators enter the field. The purpose of this meeting, in addition to sharing cutting edge science, is to further enhance and build upon an open, collaborative, and inclusive community that will advance the science rapidly for the benefit of patients.

Starting from the basic mechanisms of formation, maintenance and function, touching on transcription, replication and inheritance, and discussing where ecDNAs hijack existing processes and where they’ve put new mechanisms in place. Moving to how ecDNAs are involved in different cancers, and their implications for understanding tumour initiation, progression, evolution and resistance to treatment. The conference will also showcase novel technologies to generate, manipulate and study ecDNAs in human and animal tissues, bioinformatic tools to detect ecDNAs, as well as chemical probes as tools to understand and target ecDNA.

Registration is not yet open for this event. If you are interested in receiving more information please register your interest.

This conference will take place at EMBL Heidelberg, with the option to attend virtually.

Symposium overview

Ageing is often considered a complex phenotype that affects multiple organs and tissues in a time-dependent manner. This may result in the aged population consuming a myriad of medications, each aimed to treat, but not cure, the affected tissue.

Recent studies have demonstrated that the “Primary Hallmarks of Ageing” are a set of five molecular mechanisms that malfunction, independent of tissue type, and drive ageing. Hence, focusing on these five hallmarks simplifies the efforts to understand ageing-associated disease.

This, the second edition of this symposium will bring together an all-new, international line-up of speakers to continue the exchange on the basic/mechanistic aspects of chromosome biology with the applied and emerging field of ageing sciences. As more and more interventions and supplements flood the market, claiming to attenuate aging processes, it is critical that we investigate genomic changes during the ageing process. To keep the symposium fresh, in 2025 there will be new emphasis on the importance of chromatin changes and telomere dysfunction, nonetheless keeping in mind how they also affect DNA damage and repair responses

This symposium will bring together many diverse fields across topics including the below, and tie them together with the field of ageing biology and its relevant models of ageing.

Topics

• DNA replication

• DNA repair

• telomere biology

• chromatin regulation

• nuclear architecture

Over the past five years, ground-breaking clinical and genetic studies have reshaped, expanded, and demonstrated the pivotal roles of splice variants (isoforms) of the p53 gene family in cancer, ageing, neurodegeneration, immune response, and metabolism. Far from being a peripheral curiosity, the isoforms of the p53 gene family are now recognised as central players in all p53-regulated biological processes.

We are on the brink of a new era in p53 research. Insights into the mechanisms of these isoforms are opening up new exciting avenues for the diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of cancer, neurodegeneration, and other age-related diseases.

We believe that the organisation of The international p53/p63/p73 isoforms workshop is timely to discuss the rapidly growing developments in the field and to foster new collaborations among scientists, clinicians and pharmaceutical companies.

The meeting will cover a whole breadth of topics related to radiation research and will provide a fantastic platform for interdisciplinary learning and development of collaborations with the radiation research community in the UK. We will have exciting talks from experts in their field, as well as opportunities for early career researchers to present through talks and posters. There will be great opportunities to network between junior and senior researchers, and to provide an inclusive interdisciplinary environment enabling the exchange of results and new ideas through social events, including the conference dinner.

Please note that the Keswick/Borrowdale area is very busy in June, so we would encourage you to book accommodation as soon as possible. After registration, you will receive a discount code for the conference venue and their local sister hotels, therefore, early registration is highly recommended.

Topics to be covered during the conference:

1: Medical Isotopes 
2: Radiotherapy
3: Clinical/Translational
4: Space
5: Radiation protection
6: Nuclear/Radiation Chemistry & Physics
7: Radiation Biology/DNA Damage Repair 

The largest broad spectrum cancer meeting in the UK.

TOPICS:

• Genes, Mutation and Repair

• The Tumour Ecosystem

• Immune Cells and Immunotherapy

• Models, Profiling and Imaging

• Novel Therapeutic Strategies and Early Detection

The aim of this 5-day course is to establish a forum for the community carrying out research on the family of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerases (PARPs) in an intercalating fashion to the CSHL PARP meetings that are held every even year. The topics will cover all PARP-related fields from basic molecular and physiological studies to applied clinical research with an explicit aim to cover drug development and clinical studies.

The advanced lecture course is aimed at young researchers, including PhD students and postdocs, who will have the opportunity to learn about the latest findings in the field, as well as present their own research (as posters and selected oral presentations). All this is organized in a way that provides the ideal setting for networking and close interaction between speakers and young participants. The meeting is expected to host ~100 participants encompassing scientists engaged in drug chemistry, protein crystallography, protein and nucleic acid (bio)chemistry, telomeres, pathophysiology, DNA repair, and translational research.

Recombination, the process by which genetic material is exchanged between different molecules, is a fundamental mechanism in genetics. It plays a crucial role in generating genetic diversity, repairing DNA, and ensuring accurate chromosome segregation during meiosis. Advances in this field have significant implications for understanding evolution, improving crop yields, and developing treatments for genetic diseases. Current research in recombination focuses on several key questions, including the mechanisms of homologous recombination, the roles of proteins involved in recombination, and the ways cells ensure accuracy and efficiency during recombination events.

Research also delves into the determinants of recombination hotspots, such as genetic and epigenetic factors, and their impact on genome evolution and stability. Workers in the field focus on investigating how cells balance the need for genetic diversity with the maintenance of genomic integrity, the mechanisms for repairing errors introduced during recombination, and how different organisms manage recombination-induced DNA damage. The evolutionary implications of recombination, including its role in the evolution of new traits, species adaptation to environmental changes, and the factors driving the evolution of recombination rates, are also crucial areas of study.

Moreover, there are significant technological applications of recombination research. These include improving crop resistance and yield, developing gene therapy and personalized medicine, and advancing synthetic biology. Understanding the regulatory networks that control recombination during different stages of the cell cycle, how cells respond to inappropriate or excessive recombination, and the implications of dysregulated recombination for diseases like cancer is vital. This research, driven by molecular genetics, biochemistry, advanced imaging techniques, and computational models, not only addresses fundamental biological questions but also paves the way for practical applications in various fields, including medicine, agriculture, and biotechnology.

We are pleased to announce that the Tenth International Symposium on Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancerwill take place from May 6 to 9, 2025, at the Centre Mont-Royal in Montréal, Canada, and to inform you that the Call for Abstracts for Oral and Poster presentation is now open.
Presented by the Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer Foundation in collaboration with McGill University, this biennial Symposium will once again offer an exciting and innovative program for clinical researchers, genetic counsellors, and other specialists in the field, as well as for primary care providers who want to know more about hereditary cancer and the susceptibility genes BRCA1 and 2. 

Not only has it been 20 years since the first edition of this biennial symposium, it has also been 30 years since the discovery of the BRCA gene mutations.  

Join colleagues from over 40 countries as we reflect on the insights gained, the achievements, and the challenges ahead.

Topics:

• Chromosome and Genome Stability

• Replication Stress

• Telomerase Biogenesis and Regulation

• Telomere Protection and DNA Damage Signaling

• Telomere Function During the Cell Cycle and Cell Death Regulation

• Regulation of Immortality by Telomerase

• Regulation of Immortality by ALT

• Telomeropathies, Premature Aging and Cancer Predisposition

In this new meeting, we will delve into the captivating biology of DNA replication stress and single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) replication gaps as it relates to cancer development, progression and treatment. This meeting will cover exciting new discoveries and reveal mechanistic underpinnings with implications for treatment, such as:

• While historically overshadowed by the focus on DNA double-stranded breaks (DSBs), recent transformative findings have positioned gaps as the key lesions sensitizing cancer cells to chemotherapy.

• Gap filling mechanisms can enable the acquisition of chemotherapy resistance and lead to widespread mutagenesis propelling cancer genome evolution.

• Oncogene expression or tumor suppressor loss induces gap formation that typically activates cell death or senescence. Yet these protective pathways are blocked in cancer cells, allowing them to proliferate. Understanding these key mechanisms is essential for designing more effective cancer therapies.

The implications of these discoveries are profound, as they compel us to reevaluate the design of cancer therapies while also unveiling new possibilities for biomarkers of chemotherapy response and targets for more effective cancer cell elimination.

By exploring the links between gap repair, tumor mutation burden, and immune checkpoint inhibitors, this meeting aims to enhance our understanding of how these pathways can be harnessed to stimulate natural immunity and improve cancer treatment outcomes. During this conference, we will gather distinguished leaders in the field, who will share their expertise and discuss the fundamental mechanisms driving gap formation, regulation, and their impact on and relationship to replication stress and cancer. By embracing an interdisciplinary approach, combining state-of-the-art super-resolution imaging, sophisticated genetics, and mechanistic analysis, we aim to shed light on the hidden pathways that govern gap metabolism and exploit their potential for innovative anti-cancer therapies.

We will also explore how these findings can synergize with emerging strategies, including targeted therapies and immunotherapy, to pave the way for more effective treatments. Importantly, we expect strong interest from pharmaceutical companies that are currently re-examining their anti-cancer drugs as gap inducers and/or gap repair disruptors, and therefore seek tools, biomarkers and insight in this developing field. The timeliness and significance of the meeting is underscored by the swiftly evolving body of literature and reviews concerning DNA replication stress, gaps and cancer therapy response, and this meeting provides the opportunity to make connections and collaborations to advance scientific and translational impacts in the field.

Mutations in Time and Space 2025 will bring together researchers at the forefront of genomics studying the origins, patterns, and consequences of mutations throughout various biological contexts. The scope of interest is broad; across cells, tissues, individuals, populations and species, in health aging and disease. 

Join us this April 2025 to hear from groundbreaking scientists, network with researchers, and contribute to meaningful discussions shaping the field.

This hybrid symposium is designed to educate researchers, scientists, and health care providers in cancer genetics by presenting cutting-edge data from renowned researchers and clinicians. This symposium will provide new information on progress in cancer screening and prevention, as well as ongoing work in targeted therapy for BRCA1, BRCA2 and other mutation carriers through a series of lectures and panel discussions.

This meeting will provide a friendly and intimate forum for biomedical researchers from academia and industry, to discuss and exchange knowledge on the latest CRISPR methods for modulating the genome at scale. 
Join multidisciplinary experts working on high throughput screening, genome engineering, and variant effect interpretation, for a showcase of recent CRISPR advancements. These have driven by emerging technologies and models, including computational approaches and DNA design for specific functions. 

Discussions will focus on a variety of exciting topics, including:

• Clinical implications and new delivery systems

• Precision editing

• Computational data integration and modeling

• CRISPR screens

• Emerging technologies

• Genomic perturbations and variant effects 

You will leave the conference with a comprehensive understanding of how CRISPR gene editing is preparing the groundwork for precision medicine.
Multiple opportunities to submit your own insights, to be considered for a short talk or poster presentation, are available.

The meeting will cover current work on the structure, regulation, and function of ubiquitin and ubiquitin-like proteins in biology. The meeting is intended to provide a format for the exchange of ideas and information, to discuss the latest research findings and technical advances, and to facilitate interaction amongst groups active in diverse systems.

Topics:

• DNA Repair and Ubiquitins

• Targeted Protein Degradation 

• Ubiquitin Signaling in Health and Disease

• Protein Quality Control 

• Autophagy

Topics: 

• Origins

• Oncogenes

• Risk Factors

• Social, Legal, and Ethical Implications

• Pathways

• Targeted Therapy

• Looking into the Future

Making Strides in Targeting PARP, ATR, ATM, WEE1 & POLθ

Select the Optimal Combination Partner, Utilize Biomarkers, & Identify Novel Targets to Overcome DDR Inhibitor Resistance & Improve Patient Stratification to Supercharge the Next Wave of DDR Inhibitors with Lower Toxicities.

The primary goal of this conference is to bring together investigators interested in base editing enzymes, predominantly APOBEC and ADAR deaminase family members but also other promising enzymes, and discuss ways to harness their activities toward editing for beneficial purposes. Topics will range from fundamental biology to translational and applied applications and include studies on all kingdoms of life. Speakers and participants will represent both academic and commercial interests. An additional goal will be providing an exceptionally comfortable and stimulating atmosphere for the cultivation of new and cross-disciplinary collaborations and ideas and discussions of the rapidly expanding editing field.