Recombination is a fundamental process that is required for the repair of DNA breaks - a process that is critical for cancer avoidance. Individuals that carry mutations which affect the function of the BRCA1 or BRCA2 tumour suppressor genes, which play key roles in recombinational repair, are predisposed to breast, ovarian and prostate cancers. Recombination is a fundamental mechanism in genetics, as it generates genetic diversity during meiosis and ensures accurate chromosome segregation. Advances in this field have significant implications for understanding evolution, improving crop yields, and developing treatments for genetic diseases. Current research in recombination focuses on several key questions, including the mechanisms of homologous recombination, the roles of proteins involved in recombination, and the ways that cells ensure accuracy and efficiency during recombination events. During the past few years it has become increasingly clear that recombination is essential for the maintenance and restart of stalled replication forks, emphasising the interplay of the three 'R's of DNA metabolism: Replication, Repair, and Recombination.

This conference will focus not only on the mechanisms of recombination, but also delve into the determinants of recombination hotspots, the role of genetic and epigenetic factors, and their impact on genome evolution and stability. The evolutionary implications of recombination, including its role in the evolution of new traits, species adaptation to environmental changes, and the factors driving the evolution of recombination rates, are also crucial areas of study. We will explore how cells balance the need for genetic diversity with the maintenance of genomic integrity, define mechanisms for repairing errors introduced during recombination, and detail how different organisms manage recombination-induced DNA damage. Understanding the process of recombination is also important for the development of gene therapy and personalized medicine. The conference will uncover the regulatory networks that control recombination during different stages of the cell cycle, how cells respond to inappropriate or excessive recombination, and the implications of dysregulated recombination in cancer.