Topics: 

• Origins

• Oncogenes

• Risk Factors

• Social, Legal, and Ethical Implications

• Pathways

• Targeted Therapy

• Looking into the Future

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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 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 

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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 

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

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

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

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.

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.

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

The conference will bring together scientists working to better understand nuclear and genome organisation in various organisms, tissues, and cell states.

Conference sessions will cover topics related to:

●    Nuclear and subnuclear structure and function
●    Nuclear organisation and chromosome topology in gene expression
●    Nuclear organisation and chromosome topology in DNA replication and repair
●    Crosstalk between transcription and repair
●    Impact of nuclear and genome organisation on genome editing
●    Genome editing technologies in the study of nuclear and genome structure and function
●    Nuclear bodies including the nucleolus, Cajal bodies, speckles, PML bodies
●    Constitutive and induced phase separation in the nucleus
●    Topologically associated domains and transcription in genome control
●    Signalling cues, cellular states and genome organisation
●    Genome organisation in pluripotency and during differentiation
●    Nuclear and genome structures in health, cancer, aging, and age-related diseases
●    Chromatin loops and non-canonical nucleic acids structures in genome expression and stability
●    Spatial genome organisation: from the bench to the bedside

Workshops will cover: Technical advances in the study of nuclear and genome organisation; The next frontiers in spatial genome organisation and its connection to health and disease; How to publish in the era of spatial genome organisation?

Fundamental Aspects of DNA Repair and Mutagenesis (FARM-DNA) is an international conference in the area of DNA repair, mutagenesis, and genomic stability, that fosters interactions between scientists and students in a stimulating and open setting that facilitates the exchange of ideas and expertise.

MUTAGEN 2025 offers a unique platform for researchers, scientists, and students to engage with the latest mutagenesis, genomic stability, and toxicogenomics breakthroughs. For the first time, our congress is being held in the Northeast of Brazil, allowing greater participation from local research communities and helping bridge regional disparities in scientific opportunities. Over 50% of our participants are postgraduate students, making this congress a significant opportunity for young researchers to showcase their work and to connect with leading experts and peers.

We are thrilled to welcome over 30 distinguished international scientists who have confirmed their interest in attending. These experts will contribute to dynamic keynote lectures, symposia, and panel discussions covering a wide range of critical areas, including:

• Genotoxic Risk Assessment & Public Health

• Carcinogenesis & Oncogenetics

• Epigenomics

• Germ Cell Mutagenesis & Hereditary Effects

• Genotoxicology & Bioinformatics

• DNA Repair Mechanisms

• Nutrigenomics & Environmental Mutagenesis

The 2025/26 Keystone Meeting “The Ubiquitin Family in Biology and Disease” will bring together researchers from the broad areas of ubiquitin biology and ubiquitin-like proteins and connect them to scientists actively working on exploiting these posttranslational modifications for therapeutic benefit. Topics of particular interest will be novel ubiquitin-dependent signaling pathways that play roles in disease and are amenable to small-molecule intervention; new functions of ubiquitin-like proteins, such as those providing ribosomal quality control; the study of catalytic mechanisms of ubiquitylation enzymes and their implications for drug discovery; and exploiting ubiquitylation enzymes for novel induced proximity therapies. Just as basic biology continues to inform drug discovery, clinical trials have recently shed light on the cellular function of ubiquitylation enzymes and their targets. Building a tightly knit community that includes scientists from both discovery and translational ubiquitin biology is critical for discovering new biology and developing new induced proximity modalities that will benefit patients in decades to come. Thus, this meeting will highlight interdisciplinary science with an emphasis on disease treatment. As interdisciplinary science often requires increased focus on effective communication, this meeting will include workshops that expand interactions between academic and biotech scientists through career roundtables, meet the editors, or drug discovery workshops.

This is a transformative time in cancer research and its impacts on advanced therapies. Basic knowledge of DNA Damage Reponses (DDR) and their functional integration with the therapeutically relevant immune responses are fundamentally advancing cancer biology and medicine. Besides being classified by tissue origins, cancers are increasingly being understood at the cellular and molecular level, allowing effective targeting with synthetic lethality for precision oncology. Precision therapies can offer enhanced efficacy with reduced toxicities but come with the major challenge of preexisting or developed resistance. Clinically, most resistance to DDR inhibitors arises from the restoration of DNA repair pathways through reversion mutants or rewiring the DDR network. Thus, DDR regulation and repair pathway choices can drive therapeutic sensitivity and resistance responses. These findings underscore the critical need to develop actionable structural and mechanistic knowledge, spanning from nanoscale of individual enzymes to the mesoscale of regulated protein-complexes and their network responses.

Recent breakthroughs in experimental methodologies (particularly cryo-electron microscopy, electron tomography, mass spectrometry, X-ray scattering, and single-molecule biophysical techniques) have enabled the studies of increasingly complex and dynamic biological systems. These cutting-edge tools enable the integration of in vitro and in situ studies to reveal the detailed mechanisms underpinning cellular processes. Furthermore, transformative advances in artificial intelligence (AI) and its expanding applications in structural and mechanistic investigations are driving efforts toward the integration of atomic-level structural data with physiological outputs. These advances present game-changing opportunities to tackle increasingly complex and challenging scientific problems, while also requiring fresh approaches.

 The 7th DNA Replication/Repair Structures & Cancer Conference (7th DRRSC) will bring together scientists to exchange cutting-edge research findings and stimulate new ideas and approaches to address the critical challenges in cancer research. Conference talks and discussions will center on developing actionable mechanistic knowledge of DNA replication, transcription and repair stress responses and their inflammation impacts suitable to guide cancer research and intervention for biology and medicine.

On the initiative of the laboratories in Leiden, Rotterdam and Sussex a series of quinquennial meetings on DNA repair have been organized. These meetings have received wide international acclaim for the quality of the science and the friendly and collaborative atmosphere also because of the musical intermezzo's after the scientific program organized and performed by participants. 

We are now organizing the next conference on "Responses to DNA damage" scheduled for April 19-24, 2026 in conference venue Hotel Zuiderduin in Egmond aan Zee. The small friendly village of Egmond aan Zee is located about 50 km north-west of Amsterdam within easy reach of Amsterdam Airport (by public transport) and the venue is just 100 metres from the beach.
The format of the meeting will be similar to that of the previous DNA Repair meetings with plenary talks in the mornings and after lunch, followed by three parallel poster discussion sessions in the late afternoon and poster viewings in the evening. Specific for these DNA repair meetings is the emphasis on the poster viewing and poster discussion sessions in the program, which has been highly appreciated by the participants over the years. As well as invited European and international speakers, younger researchers are encouraged to present posters, and selected poster presenters will be invited to give oral presentations.

Spots are left open in the program for speakers who will be selected on basis of their poster abstract. The total number of participants is limited to 325. If the meeting is oversubscribed, applicants will be selected on a first come - first served basis.