Welcome to the Gordon Research Conference on Nucleosides, Nucleotides and Oligonucleotides! Formerly known as Purines, Pyrimidines and Other Related Substances, the new name more accurately reflects the current focus and content of our conference. The program is dedicated to understanding both the chemistry and biology of nucleosides, nucleotides and oligonucleotides with a focus on novel compounds at the cutting edge of science. This is an interdisciplinary venue that brings together chemists and biologists to explore the synthesis and development of nucleosides, nucleotides and oligonucleotides, with the ultimate goal of furthering the therapeutic use of these compounds.

Nucleosides and their analogs have been used for over 40 years as cancer and viral therapeutics. They form the mainstay of treatment for leukemias (cytarabine), and they are front-line chemotherapy for many solid tumors such as pancreatic, colorectal, non-small cell lung and breast cancer (fluorouracil, gemcitabine). Nucleoside analogs are commonly used to treat herpes simplex virus infections (acyclovir). In addition, they were the first drugs shown to be effective for therapy of AIDS (azidothymidine) where they are an essential component of the life-prolonging multi-drug cocktails. More recently, nucleotide-like drugs have been utilized as antivirals (cidofovir). An exciting new area is the development of synthetic oligonucleotides for conformational probes (as B-, Z, A-, triplex, quadruplex structures) to investigate roles in gene expression by altering DNA-protein interaction. In addition, nucleosides, nucleotides and oligonucleotides are widely used to probe vital biologic processes such as DNA replication and repair. In order to better utilize and expand the armamentarium of nucleosides, nucleotides and oligonucleotides for biologic and therapeutic benefit, it is essential to have a thorough understanding of the chemistry and biological actions of these compounds. The goal of this conference is to create an interface for chemists and biologists to interact in order to expand the boundaries in this field. Presentations at the conference range from the innovative synthesis of these compounds to the structural biology of target proteins to unique biological interactions in experimental models. We hope you will join us for another stimulating and lively conference.