Project 461045

With nearly half of Canadians expected to be diagnosed with cancer during their life time, cancer is a disease that unfortunately is only too familiar with us. Due to demographic shifts the incidence of cancer is predicted to continue to rise and to exert a massive toll on our society - physically, emotionally, and economically. Cancer is a genetic disease as it arises as a consequence of damage that occurs in our genetic material, the DNA, due to accidental mistakes during cellular processes or environmental factors such as background radiation. To safeguard our genetic integrity, we have evolved a complex DNA damage response that involves DNA repair and signaling to other processes. Aberration in this response can contribute to cancer development. The proposed Canadian Symposium will bring together the leading Canadian scientists in the field to exchange their most recent findings, to establish collaborations, and to discuss ideas how to bring the research forward, including how to bring the findings to the clinic. Studying cellular mechanisms to safeguard our genetic material has not only lead to several breakthrough insights into how cancer develops, but also led to several drugs that are now regularly used or are being tested in cancer therapy. Furthermore, the field continues to provide important clues how resistance to cancer therapy can arise and how to improve current treatments accordingly. Canada has a strong presence in the field and the proposed Canadian Symposium, the 5th biennial meeting in a successful series, is an important platform to ensure that Canadian scientists continue to be in the top tier worldwide in genome integrity and cancer research.