about
DNA repair is a fundamental aspect of DNA metabolism. The inability to properly cope with DNA damage is responsible for a wide spectrum of disorders ranging from developmental and neurological defects to immunodeficiencies and premature aging. Moreover genome instability is a hallmark of cancer genomes and in many cases, the driving force of carcinogenesis.
Since the initial discovery of the intrinsically unstable nature of the DNA molecule and the pioneering work by the 2015 Nobel Prize winners in Chemistry, Lindahl, Modrich and Sancar, the field has witnessed an explosion of findings with implications across multiple disciplines, including cell signaling, chromatin dynamics, transcription, immunology, and cancer biology. This symposium brings together the leading scientists in DNA repair to highlight the most recent advancements in this exciting field.
Speakers

Titia de Lange, Keynote
The Rockefeller University, New York, USA
Telomeres & the DNA damage response

Thomas Helleday
Karolinska Institute, Stockholm (Sweden)
DNA damage & repair in Cancer

Jiri Lukas
The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Protein Research, Copenhagen (Denmark)
Chromosomal Dynamics & Cancer

Michael Lisby
University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen (Denmark)
Cell biology of DNA repair

Anja Groth
BRIC, Copenhagen (Denmark)
Transmission of Epigenetic information during Cell Division

Steve Jackson
Cancer Research UK, Cambridge (UK)
Genome Integrity in Physiology and Disease

Lorraine Symington
Columbia University, New York (USA)
Genetics and Biochemistry of DNA recombination and repair

Andrés Aguilera
Cabimer, Sevilla (Spain)
Transcription-associated Genome Instability
Program
8:00 – 9:00
Registration & Welcome Coffee
9:00 – 9:15
Welcome & Introduction
9:15 – 10:45
Session I − To break or not to break
Chair: Svend Petersen-Mahrt
9:15 – 10:00
Titia de Lange – Keynote Lecture
How shelterin solves the telomere end-protection problem
10:00 – 10:15
Katrin Paeschke (Short Talk)
Mms1 binds to G-quadruplex structures in vivo to regulate replication and genome stability
10:15 – 10:45
Michael Lisby
Mte1/ZGRF1 – a novel regulator of genome stability and telomere maintenance
10:45 – 11:15
Coffee Break & Poster pre-viewing
11:15 – 12:30
Session II − The complex task of maintaining Genome Integrity
Chair: Ylli Doksani
11:15 – 11:45
Jiri Lukas
Endogenous DNA damage: How cells deal with unavoidable
11:45 – 12:00
Bruno Vaz (Short Talk)
Metalloprotease SPRTN/DVC1 Orchestrates Replication-Coupled DNA-Protein Crosslink Repair
12:00 – 12:30
Lorraine Symington
Xrs2-dependent and independent functions of the Mre11-Rad50 complex
12:30 – 14:30
Lunch Break & Poster Session
14:30 – 15:45
Session III − DNA damage within a context
Chair: Claudia Lukas
14:30 – 15:00
Anja Groth
Chromatin Replication: A histone reader based mechanism to identify post-replicative chromatin
15:00 – 15:15
Jan Padeken (Short Talk)
Histone H3K9me mediated repression is dispensable for C. elegans development, but suppresses RNA:DNA hybrid-associated repeat instability
15:15 – 15:45
Andrés Aguilera
Role of Chromatin and the DNA damage response in RNA-mediated genome instability
15:45 – 16:15
Coffee Break
16:15 – 17:30
Session IV − Harnessing the DNA damage Response
Chair: Clemens Schmitt
16:15 – 16:45
Steve Jackson
Cellular responses to DNA damage: from mechanistic insights to cancer therapies
16:45 – 17:00
Sounak Sahu (Short Talk)
Molecular mechanism of radiation sensitivity in Planarian stem cells
17:00 – 17:30
Thomas Helleday
Poisoning cancer with oxidized nucleotides by targeting MTH1
17:30 – 18:00
Poster Award & Final Remarks
18:00 – 19:30
Reception
Program might be subjected to changes.
Registration
The Registration is now closed.
Student
75 EUR
Delegate
150 EUR
Registration Fee includes:
- Full access to conference
- Coffee/Tea breaks, lunch, and reception
- Conference bag with abstract book and program
- Right to one poster presentation
Abstract & Poster presentation
Submission of an abstract for poster presentation is highly recommended. Abstracts will be included in the symposium booklet, and posters will be reviewed for “Best Poster Award” selection, which will be announced at the end of the symposium.
Abstracts must be submitted online at the time of registration. The “acceptance notice” will be sent via e-mail to the contact author together with the poster requirements.
Short talks
Up to four participants will be selected for short talk presentations based on the submitted abstracts (maximum one short talk presentation per symposium session). Selected participants will be notified by email.
Payment
Registration fee can be paid via Credit Card or PayPal. Successful registration will be confirmed via e-mail to the address provided.
Number of participants will be limited. Early registration is recommended.
Venue & Location
Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Science and Humanities
Jägerstraße 22/23
Entrance Markgrafenstraße 38
10117 Berlin
The Symposium takes place in the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Science and Humanities. The Academy is an interdisciplinary society whose origins trace back to the Society of Sciences of the Elector of Brandenburg founded in 1700. The Academy is located in the heart of Berlin close to the famous Gendarmenmarkt, which thanks to its unique architectural composition with the concert hall, German and French cathedrals, is one of the most beautiful squares in the city.
How to reach the Venue
The venue in central Berlin is easy to reach by the two Berlin airports Tegel and Schönefeld, central train station and public transport.
Hotels
We recommend all participants to arrange their accommodation in Berlin as early as possible.
Fall is a high event season in Berlin and hotels will be booked early. A list of hotels is suggested below:
The Westin Grand Berlin
http://www.westin-berlin.com/
NH Berlin Mitte (Leipziger Strasse):
http://www.nh-hotels.com/hotel/nh-berlin-mitte
NH Collection Berlin Friedrichstrasse (Friedrichstrasse):
http://www.nh-collection.com/hotel/nh-collection-berlin-friedrichstrasse
Arcotel John F Berlin
http://www.arcotelhotels.com/en/john_f_hotel_berlin/
Akademie der Wissenschaften
Jägerstraße 22/23
10117 Berlin
Contact
Organizers
Michela Di Virgilio (organizer)
Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), Berlin
Administrative Team
Jasmin Bonkowski (organizer & contact person)
MDC, Berlin – dnarepair.berlin@mdc-berlin.de
Eleanor Horn (co-organizer)
Berlin School of Integrative Oncology (BSIO), Berlin