Chromosome Instability: Mechanisms and Health Effects, 3-4 July 2013

The Department of Biology, on behalf of the Italian Society of Environmental Mutagenesis (S.I.M.A.), organizes the workshop entitled “Chromosome instability: mechanisms and health effects”.

3-4 July, 2013
Complesso Vallisneri
Via U.Bassi 58/ B
Viale G. Colombo 3 (pedestrian entrance)
35121 Padova

Final programme now available!

The complete Book of Abstracts and a list of individual contributions is now visible.


Eukaryotic chromosomes are key players in inheritance and gene function. Chromosome architecture  and mechanisms controlling chromosome distribution at mitosis and meiosis evolved to maintain the activity and stability of the genomes. Cells invest a lot of energy to protect their chromosomes integrity. Nevertheless changes occur that affect cell function and ultimately impact on health. The pioneering description of chromosome instability in cancer cells by T. Boveri, the early studies by H. Muller and B. McClintock, who independently proposed that chromosomes are protected by the integrity of their chromosome ends, the discovery of the X-ray induced effects on  chromosome structure, are milestones in mutation research.  One century later, the early concepts have been deeply integrated with those emerged from molecular studies on DNA damage response and repair, cell cycle control, epigenetics and genomics.

This workshop, organized on behalf of the Italian Society of Environmental Mutagenesis (SIMA), aims to focus on the most recent discoveries in the fields of structural chromosome instability, chromosome segregation and aneuploidy. A closing session is dedicated to discuss the past, present and future of fundamental and applied research on chromosome instability. Experts in the field have been invited to give a lecture. Oral contributions will be selected from the proffered abstracts to complete the programme. Young researchers will benefit of reduced registration fee.

Main topics are: 

  • Structural Chromosome Dynamics
  • Chromosome Segregation and Aneuploidy
  • Chromosome Instability: Past, Present and Future

Official language of the Workshop is English

Scientific-organizing Committee:
Antonella Russo (University of Padova), Francesca Degrassi (IBPM CNR, Rome), Francesca Pacchierotti (ENEA Casaccia, Rome), Sofia Pavanello (University of Padova)

Invited speakers:

  • Daniela Cimini, Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA USA
  • Neil Ganem, Department of Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA USA
  • Anna Genescà, Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain
  • Adajapalam T. Natarajan, Department of Agrobiology and Agrochemistry, University of Tuscia, Viterbo, Italy
  • Pietro Pichierri, Department of Primary Prevention, Section of Experimental Carcinogenesis, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Roma, Italy
  • Giorgio Valle, Department of Biology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy