The 5th US-EU Conference on Repair of Endogenous DNA Damage will be held in Santa Fe, New Mexico in November, 2014. The uniqueness of this series of meetings is its focus on the cellular responses to naturally formed genomic damage, and the relationship of defects in these responses to genetically inherited disorders associated with cancer predisposition, neurological deficits and premature aging. Understanding the contributions of endogenous DNA damage to human disease, in particular cancer, and the pathological changes associated with aging remains the major theme of this conference. Recently, there has been an explosion of information about the incidence and spectra of mutations in cancer genomes. These studies have revealed an unexpectedly large number of base substitutions, many of which are likely to be caused by persistent endogenous DNA damage. A major goal of this meeting is to foster collaborative research on the cellular processes that affect this type of genomic instability in cancer. The role of endogenous DNA damage, in particular oxidative DNA damage, as a driver of normal and accelerated aging and the study of premature aging syndromes remain important areas of interest. Insights from rare inherited human diseases with defects in the DNA damage response continue to illuminate links between endogenous DNA damage and cancer, aging and neurologic disease. To promote the translation of knowledge about the sources and repair of endogenous DNA lesions into interventions that improve global human health, this meeting will stimulate collaborative translational research focused on the identification of new therapeutic targets and the development of treatment strategies that either regulate DNA repair pathways in order to enhance cancer treatment or delay neurodegeneration, or reduce the pathological changes associated with aging. A key objective of the 2014 meeting is to provide an environment for both early career and senior investigators of diverse backgrounds to communicate their latest results on relevant scientific topics and establish future interactions that will not only strengthen the many basic science and translational research efforts in this arena, but also enhance the development of the next generation of researchers. Bishop's Lodge Ranch Resort and Spa is a high quality self-contained conference site that is located just outside the city of Santa Fe. This location will maximize interactions amongst participants, ensuring that the goal of promoting productive interactions between scientists in the US and EU is achieved.
This is the fifth of a series of meeting between scientists from Europe and the United States who are interested in endogenous DNA damage and its repair. Notably, this type of DNA damage has been implicated as a contributing factor to human diseases including cancer and neurodegeneration, and in the pathological changes associated with aging. This meeting will explore the latest developments in this research area with an emphasis on understanding the etiology of human disease and the development of novel therapies for cancer and treatment strategies to delay and/or reduce the changes associated with aging. The program and venue will maximize dissemination of new results and ideas, enhance existing interactions and foster new collaborations among scientists from Europe and the United States.
