Articles
Genome instability is a hallmark of human tumours and the underlining cause of several human syndromes. A central axis in the maintenance of genomic stability is the DNA damage response (DDR) – a complex signalling network that is activated most vigorously by critical DNA lesions such as double strand breaks (DSBs). The network spans DNA repair, damage tolerance pathways and cell cycle checkpoints, and modulates numerous processes impacting oncellular metabolism. It is not surprising, therefore, that several major players in the DDR are tumour suppressors, andthat germ-line mutations affecting DDR players lead to inherited predisposition to cancer, or more complex genomic instability syndromes including sporadic cancers.
Alterations in chromosome structure are in many cases responsible for gene inactivation causing the aberrant proliferation and metastatic behaviour of cancer cells. Thus, investigating the causes of genome instability and the cellular mechanisms responding to it, requires understanding the fundamental concepts of chromosome organization. The relevant themes covered in the context ofthis meeting include chromatin structure, with emphasis on DNA packaging into nucleosomes and higher order chromatin structures, as well as chromatindynamics during DNA replication, architecture of sister chromatid cohesion and telomere functions and regulation. The keynote lecture of the meeting will be given by Prof. E. Blackburn, awarded the 2009 Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine.
This meeting aims to generate an interface between the fields of DNA damage responses and chromosome structure by bringing together investigators, including internationally recognized scientists in the fields of chromosome architecture and genome integrity. The workshop will provide a forum for the presentation of cutting-edge research and the exchange of ideas between participating scientists, which will facilitate establishing contacts for potentially new collaborations. We aim to encourage stimulating interactions between investigators working in these areas, as a fundamental requirement for progress in science. In particular, young investigators will be offered the opportunity to present their work to an audience consisting of prominent scientists; the feedback received from such a specialized and competitive audience will certainly impact on future projects and scientific development.