Helicases and nucleic-acid based machines are involved in all aspects of nucleic acid metabolism. Their malfunction is frequently associated with human disease.

In the past, research on helicases mainly focused on the mechanism of individual enzymes. Recent developments such as the identification of target sites and interaction partners on a genome-wide level, and advances in structural biology and single molecule imaging in vitro and in vivo with increasing resolution, now increasingly allow to understand the regulation of helicase function within large complexes and regulatory networks in their natural environment.

Since 1999 this biannual meeting has developed our understanding of helicases and nucleic acid-based machines. This year’s meeting puts a strong focus on new emerging topics, including recent technological developments, new genome wide screening approaches, molecular interactions and single molecule techniques.