The Small DNA Tumor Virus Meeting is the annual international conference for scientists studying the molecular biology of adeno, polyoma/SV40, and papilloma viruses. In this grant application, funds are requested to support young investigators and scientists-in-training to attend this annual conference over the next five-year period. The Small DNA Tumor Virus Meetings will be held in the United States in even-numbered years (Madison, WI in 2004 and 2008 and La Jolla, CA in 2006) and in Europe (Cambridge, England in 2005 and Trieste, Italy in 2007) in odd-numbered years. The scientific organization of each meeting is determined by an organizing committee composed of leaders in the fields of adeno, polyoma/SV40, and papillomavirus research based upon the submitted abstracts. Now in its third decade of existence, the annual Small DNA Tumor Virus Meeting provides a unique and critical venue for scientists working on these related DNA tumor viruses to compare and contrast their biology. Many important insights concerning these viruses and the mammalian cells they infect have been described at the Small DNA Tumor Virus Meetings including the first discoveries of introns and the mRNA splicing, transcriptional enhancers and promoter regulatory elements, structure of mammalian chromatin, the identification of cellular DNA synthetic machinery, and the identification of cellular tumor suppressors and their inactivation by viral oncoproteins. Importantly, similarities in modes of action of these viruses have been discerned in large part because of the cross fertilization of ideas between adeno, polyoma/SV40, and papilloma virus biologists that is fostered by their attendance at this annual meeting. The continued importance of the Small DNA Tumor Virus Meeting is demonstrated by the strong attendance by most PIs working on the molecular biology of these DNA tumor viruses. The meeting organizers have actively and successfully sought the participation of women and minorities in the Small DNA Tumor Virus Meeting. Their continued inclusion is a major goal of this grant application.
