Cancer experts gather in St Andrews

Medical experts from around the world will gather in Scotland this week for a colloquium focusing on the role which DNA plays in the development of the disease.

The University of St Andrews will play host to the Fifth International Cancer Colloquium, an event that will bring together leading researchers from Europe, America and the Far East.

The theme of the colloquium is ‘ Origins of Cancer’ a topic which the organisers hope will yield new understanding of the ways in which cancers develop.

One of the first events in cancer development is a defect in the control of DNA replication. This is a critical first step in cell division. Abnormal cell division leads to DNA damage. When DNA damage occurs, a cascade of events is triggered, both to repair the DNA and to stop the cell dividing.

The participants at the colloquium have made important contributions to understanding how these processes take place, leading to the development of new tests for detecting very early stages of cancer development.

“This is an exciting time to be studying these problems because of the convergence of different areas of research leading to major new insights that explain previously disparate observations,” said Richard Iggo, Professor of Molecular Medicine at the University of St Andrews.

The Fifth International Cancer Colloquium is made possible by the support of the Yelsel Trust and takes place at the Gateway, University of St Andrews, from November 20th to 23rd 2007.