Toxic Metabolites in the Biology of Ageing and Cancer

This Workshop will focus on the biology of toxic metabolites in the ageing process, stem cells and cancer. Specific emphasis will be placed on how metabolites that carry carbonyls (such as aldehydes and ketones) damage stem and cancer cells. A particular area will focus on endogenous aldehydes (such as acteladehyde, formaldehyde and methyl-gyoxal), the enzymes that remove them [aldehyde dehydrogenases (Aldh) and functionally related glutathione-based enzymes such as Adh5 and Glo-1/2]. Further, we will consider how human genetic variation can contribute to metabolite sensitivity, and how mutations in cancer genomes in toxic metabolism pathways can be exploited for therapy.