Indo-US workshop on Brain Function and Aging at Novotel Convention Centre

Hyderabad|India|January'2011: Indo-Us Workshop on “Base Excision DNA Repair, Brain Function & Aging” is to be held in City from Jan 10-12,2011.The event is Sponsored by Indo-US Science & Technology Forum, University of Hyderabad & JNTUH and to be held at Novotel Hotel International Center, HiTech City, Hyderabad.

One of the most fascinating aspects of biological world is the choice of a chemical that stores and transmits the information with in the cell as well as from one generation to the next one. Every one known to day that this chemical is Deoxyribonucleic Acid(DNA). This genomic material has evolved through the evolution to make the human being what he is to day. More intriguing is the fact that organisms have also developed and evolved simultaneously metabolic machinery that would take care of the deleterious alterations that might be inflicted on the structure of DNA, due to a variety of reasons, that would disturb accuracy of the information transfer. This is one of the most astonishing marvels of nature to ensure accurate information transfer through generations at the same time giving room for evolutionary processes through designed allowances for some mutations to occur for the benefit of the species.

For some time scientists have been asking the question what happens if some things goes wrong with the repair system? To put it in a day to day relevance, what happens if the mechanic to repair when your car is unable to do so because he himself is unwell! The choice is to go to some other mechanic Or if the mechanic is the only one available and so specialised in his job, then we have to try to revive his health first so that he can perform his job properly.

This is the situation with one DNA repair pathway, Base Excision Repair pathway(BER) in almost all the cells and more specifically in those tissues where the cells do not divide in adults-like brain. It is now becoming increasingly clear that this particular repair pathway is like an “in house guardian cum physician” to watch and ensure the structural integrity of DNA molecule. This pathway machinery senses any alteration in DNA at the base level and tries to repair the defect and restore the original structure. The important defects that this pathway would immediately take up to repair are “Oxidative Damage, Modification of base structure through spontaneous cellular reactions leading to strand breaks and gaps in DNA structure.

The Present Indo-US workshop is carefully planned to gather outstanding scientists from USA and India and also, perhaps more importantly, about 20 younger scientists entering into this field to discuss in a relaxed academic ambiance, the ways and means to gain more understanding about this evolutionarily conserved DNA Repair pathway and to see whether the activity can be modulated for the benefit of mankind in terms of controlling the processes like aging phenomenon and related neurological disorders. The work shop would also have a small committee to chalk out future programs possibly a meeting every alternative year at switching locations.