Current advances in DNA repair: regulation of enzymes and pathways involved in maintaining genomic stability.

Novel discoveries in the DNA repair field have lead to continuous and rapid advancement of our understanding of not only DNA repair but also DNA replication and recombination. Research in the field transcends numerous areas of biology, biochemistry, physiology, and medicine, making significant connections across these broad areas of study. From early studies conducted in bacterial systems to current analyses in eukaryotic systems and human disease, the innovative research into the mechanisms of repair machines and the consequences of ineffective DNA repair has impacted a wide scientific community. This Forum contains a select mix of primary research articles in addition to a number of timely reviews covering a subset of DNA repair pathways where recent advances and novel discoveries are improving our understanding of DNA repair, its regulation, and implications to human disease.