This application seeks partial support for the Nucleic Acids Gordon Research Conference to be held May 31 - June 5, 2015, at the University of New England, Biddeford, Maine. The Gordon Research Conference on Nucleic Acids was established over 50 years ago and represents a premier forum to present and discuss fundamental discoveries in nucleic acids biology, which have impacted nearly every facet of biology with wide ranging implications for human health, specifically cancer. The overarching long-term goal of this conference is to create a scientific environment conducive to cross-disciplinary discussion and exchange of new ideas by bringing together the world's leading researchers with junior scientists, to enhance our understanding of the role of nucleic acids in biology, human health and disease.
The Specific Aims of this meeting are to convene 34 leading experts that cover diverse and emerging areas within this field, with a total of 150 participants largely composed of graduate students and postdoctoral fellows, for a five-day meeting. The 2015 meeting of the Nucleic Acids GRC will highlight recent advances that encompass DNA and RNA biology in eight broadly classified areas of nucleic acids research with a view toward highlighting emerging concepts and technologies in these fields. Specific topics will include: Mechanisms of Homologous Recombination; DNA Replication and Genome Integrity; RNA/DNA Structure and Dynamics; Chromatin and Transcription; RNA/DNA in Cellular Defense; Post-transcriptional Regulation; RNA/DNA Conflicts; Non-Coding RNAs; and Telomere Structure and Function. The significance of this proposal is that the Nucleic Acids Gordon Research Conference is unique in bringing the RNA and DNA fields together, and the 2015 meeting will in particular highlight the emerging interfaces between RNA and DNA biology such as the impact of R-loops or rNTP incorporation during DNA replication on genome stability and cancer. Moreover, the conference showcases the latest technological advances, including single molecule approaches and the universally applicable CRISPR/Cas9 technology for genomic engineering. Particular emphasis is placed on encouraging young scientists to attend and present at this meeting, with ample time specifically allotted in the schedule for short talks selected from submitted abstracts and 4 poster sessions. The health relatedness and cancer relevance of this proposal lies in he fundamental significance of RNA and DNA biology for human disease and specifically cancer. The 2015 conference will have a certain emphasis on genome stability, where the underlying processes in DNA repair have dual significance for cancer in tumor suppression and anti-cancer therapy. Several invited talks center on cancer predisposition syndromes, such as Fanconi Anemia, and discuss genes, processes, and technology that are crucial for tumor suppression, diagnosis and treatment of human disease including cancer.
Cancer is a genetic disease caused by changes in the DNA sequence and chromosome structure leading to aberrant levels and functions of RNA and protein products. For over 50 years, the Nucleic Acids Gordon Research Conference has been a premier forum to convene noted leaders in the fields of RNA and DNA biology to share their most recent discoveries and technological advances. The 2015 conference will have a certain emphasis on genome stability, where the underlying processes in DNA repair have dual significance for cancer in tumor suppression and anti-cancer therapy.
