DNA Replication as a Source of DNA Damage; From Molecules to Human Health

**Registration Deadline: 8 August 2014**

The maintenance of genome integrity is critical for the suppression of cancer and premature ageing. Only recently has it become appreciated that DNA replication stress is a crucial driver of genomic instability. The timely progression of replisomes can be disrupted by lesions and secondary structures in the template, by bound proteins and by conflicts with the transcription machinery. A prolonged pause of the replisome then exposes single stranded DNA, which, due to its recombinogenic nature, can lead to genome rearrangements, fragile site expression and cell death. Importantly, some cancers present excessive endogenous levels of replication stress, which can be exploited for their clearance. In this conference, we aim to bring together scientists studying DNA replication and repair, with those interested in how DNA damage can influence cancer and ageing. 

Key Sessions:

• Pathways for repair of damaged replication forks
• Systems for site-specific perturbation of replication
• Chromosome fragility caused by difficult-to-replicate loci – sources and roles of DNA repair proteins
• Replication perturbation as a driver of tumorigenesis and ageing
• Exploitation of replication defects in cancer treatment

Confirmed Plenary Speakers

Professor Josef Jiricny (Institute of Molecular Cancer Research)

Dr. Andre Nussenzweig (National Institutes of Health)

Dr. Stephen West ( London Research Institute)

Professor Stephen Jackson (Wellcome Trust/Cancer Research UK Gurdon Institute)

Professor Antony Carr (Genome Damage and Stability Centre)

Professor Karlene Cimprich (Stanford University)

Dr. Philippe Pasero (IGH, CNRS)

Professor Thanos Halazonetis (University of Geneva)

Professor Camilla Sjögren (Karolinska Institutet)

Professor John Rouse (University of Dundee)

Professor Michelle Debatisse (Institut Curie)

Professor Jiri Lukas (Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Protein Research)

Dr. Simon Boulton (London Research Institute)

PhD Anja Groth (University of Copenhagen)

Professor Virginia Zakian (Princeton University)

Dr Ivan Ahel (Paterson Institute for Cancer Research)

Dr George Garinis (Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology-FORTH)

Dr. Madalena Tarsounas (University of Oxford)

PhD. Evi Soutoglou (IGBMC)

Professor Junjie Chen (The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center)

Prof. Massimo Lopes (University of Zurich)

Confirmed Invited Speakers

PhD Ana Rojas (IBIS)

Dr. Claus Sørensen (University of Copenhagen)

Prof. Alessandro Vindigni (Saint Louis University School of Medicine)

Dr. Dana Branzei (Fondazione IFOM)

Dr. Oliver Mortusewicz (Karolisnka Institutet)

Associate Professor Xiaolan Zhao (Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center)

Dr Sophie Polo (Paris Diderot University)

Professor Aidan Doherty (University of Sussex)

Dr Hocine Mankouri (Nordea Center for Healthy Aging)

Dr. Raimundo Freire (Hospital Universitario de Canarias)

Dr Filippo Rosselli (Gustave Roussy Institute)

Professor Noel LOWNDES (National University of Ireland Galway)

Dr. Juan Méndez (CNIO)

**Registration Deadline: 8 August 2014**