Cancer and aging are frequently considered to be distinct disorders, although both are associated with genomic instability and are phenotypic consequences of the interplay between genes and the environment. The totally unexpected finding that defects in DNA helicase enzymes are responsible for several cancer-predisposition and/or premature aging syndromes in humans indicates that there is an urgent need to integrate studies of the basic biology of DNA helicases with studies of cancer and longevity. This conference will provide a unique opportunity to bring together experts in the fields of aging, cancer biology, and the structure and function of DNA helicases. Sessions will cover the structural and functional characterization of DNA helicases from humans and model organisms, and their roles in cancer predisposition and premature aging disorders. By bringing together scientists from the fields of structural biology, biochemistry, cell and molecular biology, cancer and aging research, the conference will facilitate the application of fundamental studies in biology to improvements in human health. This meeting will provide an ideal opportunity for Ph.D. students and postdoctoral fellows to meet with scientists who are the accepted world leaders in these research areas. This invaluable 'networking' creates new, long-term contacts for young scientists, and stimulates collaboration and scientific cross-fertilization, as well as enhancing research productivity through the identification of new avenues for study.
