ABSTRACT
The 2023 SoCal Genome Stability Symposium is a one-day conference that will be held at the University of
Southern California, Los Angeles. The conference will focus on genomic instability, DNA mutagenesis,
environmental mutagens, DNA damage signaling, mechanisms of DNA repair, and their implications in cancers
and therapies. In recent years, many novel cancer therapies have been developed to target DNA repair
pathways. These new therapies are currently moving from the lab to the clinic, and we are poised for a rapid
expansion of DNA repair pathway-targeting drugs that will be used to treat different types of cancer. At the
same time, treatments can induce DNA damage accumulation and cancer recurrences. Thus, understanding
the mechanisms of DNA repair and cell responses to DNA repair-targeting chemicals is necessary to improve
treatments. At the conference, graduate students and postdoctoral fellows from laboratories located in
Southern California will present their ongoing unpublished research. The goals and objectives of the
conference are: 1) to expose students and postdocs to the new frontiers of rapidly progressing research areas
critically important to addressing cancer; 2) to provide a formal platform for presentations to trainees, and an
opportunity to receive feedback on their research progress; 3) to stimulate new collaborations between
laboratories across different research institutions; 4) to catalyze opportunities for young scientists to network
with a diverse group of scientists, including by receiving formal and informal mentoring and by opening future
postdoctoral or faculty position opportunities; 5) to provide an atmosphere of inclusion and rigor for the trainees
participating in the symposium. The symposium will enhance interactions among students and postdoctoral
fellows from all genders, backgrounds, and origins, including historically marginalized groups such as those
from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups, individuals with disabilities, individuals with different sexual
orientations, and individuals from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds. Broader awareness of the
field gained through local meetings such as this is particularly important to prepare trainees for their next
career stages as postdoctoral fellows, principal investigators, or other careers in science.