Interest Groups
- The Industrial Genotoxicology Group (IGG)
- The Molecular Epidemiology Group (MEG)
- The Genome Stability Network
What are Special Interest Groups?
Scientists are interested in mutations, and the process of mutagenesis, for different reasons, depending on the particular work they are engaged in. In the industrial sector, where the emphasis is on checking novel chemicals for potentially harmful effects, mutation is a convenient endpoint indicating that damage has been caused to the genetic material and that the chemical under test might be a carcinogen.
Other researchers, working mainly in universities and research institutes, look at the whole process of carcinogenesis, from DNA damage to overt disease, as a sequence of stages - none of which inevitably leads to the next. Thus, almost all the damage incurred by the DNA is quickly and efficiently repaired, by complex enzyme systems within the cells. DNA repair pathways therefore play a crucial role in protecting us from cancer. Exciting discoveries about the molecular details of these complex processes have been made in recent years.
In the biomedical field, the analysis of mutations in tumours can give a clue to the origin of the disease. But mutations are involved also in a more subtle way. Probably all genes exist in polymorphic forms, i.e. there are slightly different DNA sequences found in different people. The influence on the activity of the gene product may be negligible, but there is increasing evidence that polymorphisms in certain genes (for instance, those coding for the DNA repair proteins) can significantly affect the risk of cancer arising.
So, although we have a common meeting ground in the UKEMS, and all our interests overlap to a large extent, there is also a need for specialists to meet with others in their particular discipline, and this is where the special interest groups play an important role. They are affiliated to the UKEMS, but have their own officers and committees, and organise their own meetings; very often, in addition, they hold their own symposia within the UKEMS annual meeting. In fact, the Genome Stability Network has been in existence for over 20 years, holding several joint meetings with us in the past, but has only recently decided to come under the UKEMS umbrella. We extend a warm welcome.