Future master keys to cancer biology and advanced therapies are being forged from mechanistic understanding of the intertwined roles of DNA repair with DNA replication stress, transcription and immune responses. The remarkable stability of the human genome is lost in cancer cells due to the failure of efficient and accurate DNA repair in the context of oncogene-induced replication stress and elevated transcription. In fact, DNA repair complexes are frequently found at the convergence of multiple processes critical for cancer development, making their elucidation of fundamental biological and medical importance. Moreover, the synthetic lethality and essentiality resulting from repair-replication stresses suggest strategies and tactics for advanced therapeutics that target Achilles heels for cancer. Furthermore, epigenetics, non-coding RNA, phase condensates and microbiome are emerging as increasingly important players/processes in cancer biology and cancer progression, and as potential therapeutic targets.

The 5th DNA Repair/Replication Structures & Cancer conference in May 2022 will focus on structural and mechanistic insights into dynamic complexes acting in DNA repair and its interface with replication, transcription and other cancer-relevant transactions. This fundamental information will be pivotal for the accurate interpretation of cancer clinical data, design of clinical trials, prognosis, etiology and improving the currently 1/20 low success rate for oncology drug clinical trials. Informative talks and poster sessions along with vibrant discussions will foster productive interactions, collaborations, and insights.

To advance understanding, all presenters are asked to focus on unpublished work, cutting-edge approaches and mechanistic insights that aid prediction of biological outcomes and plans to best apply basic research advances for cancer research and treatment. To include late-breaking advances and innovating new investigators, multiple talks will be selected from submitted abstracts. As meeting attendance is limited to ensure effective discussions and interactions, delegates are strongly encouraged to submit applications and abstracts early to avoid disappointment.