The 20th Ataxia-Telangiectasia Workshop, held jointly with the 15th International Symposium on DNA Damage Response & Human Disease (ATW-2024/isDDRHD-2024), successfully took place from October 17th to October 20th, 2024, at Library D101 on the Lihu Campus of Shenzhen University.

The symposium was organized by Shenzhen University Medical School (SZUMS), the Guangdong Key Laboratory for Genome Stability & Disease Prevention, Carson International Cancer Center, Marshall Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering, the Chinese Society of Chromatin Biology, and the Shenzhen University General Hospital-Dehua Hospital Joint Research Center on Precision Medicine. Dr Xingzhi Xu, Executive Dean of SZUMS, served as the meeting president. The co-organizers included Drs. Xingzhi Xu (SZU), Zhao-Qi Wang (Leibniz Institute on Aging - Fritz Lipmann Institute), Peter J. McKinnon (St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital), and Wei-Guo Zhu (Carson International Cancer Center, SZU).

The ATW traditionally brings together basic research scientists, clinicians, and community partners to discuss progress in AT research, with the aim of advancing strategies for a cure. The isDDRHD series, which centers on DNA damage response, genome stability, and cancer, began in 2010 as the Sino-German DNA Repair meeting and has evolved into an annual international symposium since 2012. Over the past 14 years, isDDRHD has gained a reputation as one of the most respected research conferences in China. 

Welcome remarks by Profs. Xueji Zhang and Xingzhi Xu

Opening remarks were delivered by Profs Xueji Zhang and Xingzhi Xu, with the opening ceremony chaired by Profs. Xingzhi Xu and Zhao-Qi Wang. Keynote speeches were presented by Prof Shunichi Takeda (Shenzhen University) and Prof. Yosef Shiloh (Tel Aviv University School of Medicine). More than 20 distinguished international experts, including Profs. Guo-Liang Xu (Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology), Ian Hickson (University of Copenhagen), Stephen Kowalczykowski (University of California, Davis), Stephen West (Francis Crick Institute), Alan D’Andrea (Harvard Medical School), Simon Boulton (The Francis Crick Institute), Martin Eilers (Theodor-Boveri-Institute Biocenter), Vincenzo Costanzo (IFOM), Marco Foiani (IFOM), Xiaodong Zhang (Francis Crick Institute), Gerd Pfeifer (Van Andel Research Institute), Lee Zou (Duke University), Zhenkun Lou (Mayo Clinic), Weihang Chai (Chicago Medical School of Rosalind Franklin University), Akira Shinohara (Osaka University), and Hisao Masai (Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science), delivered insightful presentations. These experts engaged in lively discussions and exchanges with over 200 early-career scholars from various universities and research institutes.

 Keynote speeches by Prof. Shunichi Takeda (Shenzhen University) and Prof. Yosef Shiloh (Tel Aviv University School of Medicine)

The symposium received high praise from participants, with international colleagues commending China’s gathering of qualified experts in A-T and DNA damage response and the steady improvement in research quality. The event has substantially promoted the development of DNA damage repair research in both Shenzhen University and China.

 ATW-2024/isDDRHD-2024 Speakers

The 21st Ataxia-Telangiectasia Workshop (ATW-2026) is scheduled to take place in February 2026 in Kolkata, India, while isDDRHD-2025 will be hosted by Qingdao University from October 17th to 19th, 2025. 

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ATW-2024/isDDRHD-2024 Group photo