Dear Colleagues, dear friends,
It is our great pleasure to welcome you to Ludwigshafen for the 35th GUM Meeting. Ludwigshafen is situated in the state of Rhineland Palatinate in the Rhine/Neckar metropolitan area and is the third largest city of the metropolitan area with a population of over 170,000. Ludwigshafen is also home to the largest chemical plant complex in the world (BASF SE). BASF was founded in 1865, its headquarters in Ludwigshafen comprise an area of approx. 10 square kilometers and has the pleasure to convene as the venue for the 35th GUM Meeting.
The conference will be held at the BASF “Gesellschaftshaus”. The neoclassical building has been the center for gatherings and gastronomy at BASF since its foundation in 1900. The “Gesellschaftshaus” further houses one of Europe’s largest wine cellars storing more than a million wine bottles. We are delighted to host a GUM meeting at BASF and are looking forward to have you involved in exciting presentations and fruitful discussions. The main topics of this meeting are DNA repair and genomic maintenance, food and environmental genotoxicants, human biomarkers for genotoxicity assessment, novel strategies in genetic toxicology testing and current issues relevant to industry (iGUM). Furthermore, as practiced in the last GUM meetings, a joint session is planned for a discussion regarding in silico prediction of genotoxicity from various perspectives. The contribution of young scientists is very important to us, which is emphasized by a dedicated young scientist session which is kindly sponsored by Roche. As highlights, the GUM Award as well at the GUM Young Scientist Award are presented during the conference. Additionally, the best oral presentations and posters will be awarded.
We would love to welcome you to the 35th GUM meeting in Ludwigshafen. We are looking forward to scientific exchange and discussions and we wish you a stimulating and enjoyable meeting.
On behalf of the scientific and local organizing committee:
Jörg Fahrer, Nicole Schupp, Kristina Trenz, Franziska Ebert, Volker Arlt, Naveed Honarvar, Alina Göpfert, Benjamin Sachse, Bodo Haas
Registration fee full GUM members: 420 €
Registration fee non-GUM members: 475 €
Registration fee students: 180 €
Partner Pass: 210 €
Retired Member 210 €
Registration deadline August 15th 2025
You can submit an abstract after you register for the conference or by using the link below.
- Abstract submission is now open
Abstract submisson closed
You will be informed of your abstract acceptance July 28th.
Abstract title: maximum of 25 words
Maximum 300 words – no images
Maximum of 20 authors / institutions
Conference Schedule
Tuesday 07th October 2025
| Time | Description |
|---|---|
| 1:00pm | Welcome |
| 1:00 - 1:15pm | Alina Göpfert (Ludwigshafen) and Franziska Ebert - Toxicology at BASF |
| 1:15 - 1:30pm | Sofija Stojanovic, Sepand Bafti, Lucas Keuter, Michael Niehues, Marian Raschke, Verena Ziegler (Groningen/ Berlin) - Integrating Primary Human Hepatocytes and TK6 Cells in 3D Co-Culture Systems for Enhanced Genotoxicity Evaluation |
| 1:30 - 1:45pm | Marle Schlebes, Thomas Tietz, Ezgi Eyluel Bankoglu (Berlin) - Genotoxicity Assessment of Migrates from Food Contact Materials using the Multiflow DNA Damage Assay |
| 1:45 - 2:00pm | Rebekka Kaiser, Thomas Tietz, Ezgi Eyluel Bankoglu (Berlin) - Towards an in vitro Test Battery for Enhanced Genotoxicity Assessment of Migrants from Food Contact Materials |
| 2:00 - 2:15pm | Luis Yrra, Sebastian Walter, Marvin Fischbach, Anna Hellmann, Kristina Trenz, Jasmin Lott (Biberach) - Assessment of different solvents and formulations in the Ames test |
| 2:15- 2:30pm | Lydia Hens, Caroline Quarz, Riccarda Walter, Anton Haber, Max J. Carlsson, Simone Stegmüller, Teodora Nikolova, Elke Richling, Alexander Cartus, Wim Vermeulen, Alex Pines, Andriy Khobta, Jörg Fahrer (Kaiserslautern) Dissecting the role of nucleotide excision repair in transcription stress triggered by methyleugenol-induced DNA adducts |
| 2:30 - 2:45pm | Lena Stahlschmitt, Jörg Fahrer, Tina Kostka (Kaiserslautern) - Toxicity of cured red meat: Influence of heme nitrosylation in human colon (cancer) cells |
| 2:45 - 3:30pm | Coffee Break |
| 3:30- 3:45pm | M. Haas, Riccarda Walter, L. Mantyk, J.-H. Küpper, D. Schrenk, J. Fahrer (Kaiserslautern) - Analysis of DNA damage and activated DNA damage response pathways in human liver cells after exposure to structurally different pyrrolizidine alkaloids |
| 3:45 - 4:00pm | Deniz Gedik, Jacqueline Behrendt, Leen Sarmini, Mohammed Meabed, Andriy Khobta (Jena) - Evaluation of the nucleotide excision repair capacities towards 8-oxo-7,8-dihydroguanine and an abasic lesion by a reporter assay |
| 4:00 - 4:15pm | Deniz Akin, H. An., K. Chapman, G. Jenkins (Swansea) - Investigating Genotoxic Effects of Dietary Carcinogens via Acute and Chronic Exposure in Gastrointestinal and Hepatic Cell Models |
| 4:15 - 4:30pm | Jacqueline Behrendt, Leen Sarmini, Marta Rodríguez-Alvarez, Andriy Khobta (Jena) - Coding properties of natural and synthetic apurinic/apyrimidinic DNA lesions in cells |
| 4:30 - 4:45pm | Anna Hellmann, Kristina Trenz (Biberach) - Comparison of CYP activity in human, rat and hamster liver S9 fraction |
| 4:45 - 5:00pm | Johannes Krautstrunk, Ann-Kathrin Weishaupt, Julia Bornhorst, Gerhard Fritz (Düsseldorf) - Investigation of the role of DNA damage in cisplatin-induced neurotoxicity in C. elegans |
| 5:00 - 5:15pm | Break |
| 5:15 - 5:30pm | BEST PRESENTATION AWARD |
| 6:30 - 9:00pm | Welcome Reception |
Wednesday 08th October 2025
| Time | Description |
|---|---|
| 8:00 - 9:00am | Registration |
| 8:45 - 9:00am | Welcome Address |
| 9:00 - 12:00pm | Session 1: DNA Repair and genomic maintenance |
| 9:00 - 9:30am | Impact of ionizing radiation and implications on healthy tissues: Brain to Muscle, Haser Sutcu, Fontenay-aux-Roses |
| 9:30 - 10:00am | Dynamic Interactomes of Transcription-Coupled Nucleotide Excision Repair, Alex Pines, Utrecht |
| 10:00 - 10:30am | Charting cellular responses to genotoxic stress by multidimensional cell imaging, Matthias Altmeier, Zürich |
| 10:30 – 11:00am | Coffee Break |
| 11:00 – 11:30am | Role of R-loops and DNA replication stress in Mycotoxin Aflatoxin B1 genotoxicity, Thomas Hofmann, Mainz |
| 11:30 – 11:45pm | The cross-pathway role of ATR in DNA damage repair, Hongxu Wang |
| 11:45 – 12:00pm | The DNA repair protein MGMT protects against the genotoxicity of N-Nitrosodimethylamine, but not N-Nitrosodiethanolamine and N-Nitrosomethylaniline, in human HepG2-CYP2E1 liver cells, Max J Carisson |
| 12:00 – 1:15pm | Lunch Break |
| 1:15 - 3:15pm | Session 2: Food and Environmental Genotoxicants |
| 1:15 - 1:45pm | Divergent substrate specificities of the global genome and transcription-coupled branches of the nucleotide excision repair, Andriy Khobta, Jena |
| 1:45 - 2:15pm | Co(II) and Ni(II) toxicity in HepG2 Cells: Insights into Combined Metal Exposure, Julia Bornhorst, Wuppertal |
| 2:15 - 2:45pm | Towards the Understanding of Gerontotoxic Mechanisms: Integrating CYP2E1-Overexpressing HepG2 Cells and C. elegans to Study Individual as well as Mixture Effects of Nutritional Genotoxicants, Aswin Mangerich, Potsdam |
| 2:45 - 3:00pm | Mixture toxicity and genotoxicity assessment of perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), Benedikt Bauer |
| 3:00 - 3:15pm | Cellular fate of dietary heme versus non-heme iron and their contribution to spatio-temporal ROS formation in intestinal epithelial cells, Ann-Cathrin Wolf |
| 3:15 - 4:30pm | Coffee Break + Poster Session 1 |
| 4:30 - 6:00pm | Joint Session: In silico prediction of genotoxicity |
| 4:30 - 4:50pm | Silico Toxicology – From hazard prediction to risk assessment, Alexander Amberg, Frankfurt |
| 4:50 - 5:10pm | Anja Langenkamp, Bern, Switzerland) |
| 5:10 - 5:30pm | (Q)SAR of nitrosamines and the CPCA. Where do we go from here? Kevin Cross, Columbus USA |
| 5:30 - 6:00pm | Panel Discussion |
| 6:00 - 7:15pm | General Assembly of the GUM |
Thursday 09th October 2025
| Time | Description |
|---|---|
| 8:30 - 9:15am | GUM Award Lecture |
| 9:15 - 12.30pm | Session 3: Human Biomarker for Genotoxicity Assessment |
| 9:15 - 9:45am | From Chromosomal Damage to Health Risk: Micronuclei in Biomonitoring, Helga Stopper, Wurzburg |
| 9:45 – 10:15am | Expanding the Comet Assay Toolbox for Human Biomonitoring, Sabine Langie, Maastricht |
| 10:15 - 10:45am | Coffee Break with industry |
| 10:45 - 11:15am | Advancing genotoxicity characterization and biomarker discovery through the integration of -omics approaches, Silvia Balbo, Minneapolis |
| 11:15 – 11.45am | Biomarkers of Exposure, Reverse Dosimetry and the Application for Risk Assessment of Genotoxic Food Contaminants, Bernhard Monien, Berlin |
| 11:45 - 12:00pm | Steps towards genotoxicity assessment of complex mixtures in vitro, Ezgi Eyluel Bankoglu |
| 12:00 - 12:15pm | Duplex Sequencing reveals tissue-specific mutagenic responses and clonal expansion in mice after prolonged benzo[b]fluoranthene exposure, David Manuel Schuster |
| 12:15 – 12:30pm | Validation of MutaTracker, a novel approach method for the detection of gene mutations using error-corrected NGS, Giel Hendricks |
| 12:30 – 1:45pm | Lunchbreak |
| 1:45 - 3:15pm | Session 4 – Young Scientist Session - Sponsored by Roche |
| 1:45 - 2:15pm | GUM Young Scientist Award Lecture |
| 2:15 - 2:30pm | Changes in DNA damage repair gene expression of stem cell derived proximal tubular cells during differentiation and its modulation by nephrotoxins, Sören Hartmann |
| 2:30 - 2:45pm | Transcription-coupled nucleotide excision repair protects against cell death and genomic instability induced by methyleugenol-derived DNA adducts, Lydia Hens |
| 2:45 - 3:00pm | Establishment of the hOGG1-modified in vivo comet assay for detection of DNA damage in rat lungs tissue after instillation of particles, Hristo Angelov |
| 3:00 - 3:15pm | Old Dog, New Trick: Evaluating Genotoxicity of Pesticides Quantitatively via Benchmark Dose Modeling of Ames Data from Regulatory Submissions, Daniel Foil |
| 3:15 - 4:30pm | Coffee Break + Poster Session 2 |
| 4:30pm | Bus leaving for guided city tour |
| 7:00pm | Conference Dinner |
Friday 10th October 2025
| Time | Description |
|---|---|
| 8:30 - 12:00pm | Session 5: iGUM – current issues with relevance for industry. |
| 8:30 - 9:15am | Error-corrected sequencing reveals mutagenic activity of alpha-pinene, a chemical generally regarded as safe, in mammary tissue from a 90-day rat inhalation study, Stephanie Smith-Roe, Raleigh |
| 9:15 - 10:00am | An update on the use of benchmark dosing in mutagenicity based risk assessments, George Johnson, Swansea |
| 10:00 - 10:40am | Coffee Break |
| 10:40 - 11:25am | Nitrosamines Science Supporting Safety: Advances and Regulatory Landscape 2025, Yasmin Dietz-Baum, Frankfurt |
| 11:25 – 11:40am | Towards Safe Use of Post-Consumer Recyclates: The Safety Assessment Strategy for Cosmetic Applications, Nadin Wedler |
| 11:40 – 11:55am | Nitroso-bisoprolol - How to use ecNGS in vivo mutagenicity data and quantitative BMD analysis to derive safe limits for human risk assessment, Stephanie Simon |
| 11:55 – 12:15pm | Awards, closing remarks and farewell |
Accommodation
We can offer special prices for three hotels. They are within either walking distance or well connected to the conference venue by public transport. When booking, please do not forget to write or mention the reference word “GUM2025”. The special prices are only valid until September 1st, 2025.
Hotel Rene Bohn: See website here
You can book your stay until September 1st 2025 via e-mail (rene-bohn@basf.com)
Price per night: 170 Euro including breakfast
Tulip Inn: See website here
You can book your stay until September 1st 2025 via the website
Price per night: 89 Euro including breakfast
B&B Hotel: See website here
You can book your stay until September 1st 2025 via e-mail (ludwigshafen@hotelbb.com)
Price per night: 89 Euro without breakfast
Venue
Directions
Venue & Travel
The venue for this conference will be BASF SE see website here
Address:
Wöhlerstr. 15
67063 Ludwigshafen am Rhein
How to reach the conference venue
Travelling by car
See map as shown here
Gesellschaftshaus der BASF
Travelling by train and bus
You can use various connections to reach Ludwigshafen, including Intercity or municipal trains.
From the main station in Ludwigshafen to the “Gesellschaftshaus”, take bus line RNV 70 to stop at “Feierabendhaus”. The “Gesellschaftshaus” is a 5 minute walk from the bus stop.
Tram line to “Gesellschaftshaus” from Tulip Inn and B&B Hotels
Take the tram RNV 7 from Ludwigsstr. in the direction Oppau and get off at Hemshofstr. The “Gesellschaftshaus” is a 9 minute walk from the bus stop.
Travelling by plane
Airport Frankfurt/Main (1.0 hour on motorway or by train)
The welcome reception will take place on Tuesday, October 7th, from 6:30 pm at Hemingways Ludwigshafen.
The address is:
Hemingways Cocktail Lounge Restaurant Café
Bahnhofstraße 15,
67059 Ludwigshafen am Rhein.
Welcome Reception
Conference Dinner
The conference dinner will take place on Thursday, October 9th, at Turmrestaurant Ebertpark.
The address is:
Turmrestaurant Ebertpark Ludwigshafen am Rhein
Erzbergerstraße 69,
67063 Ludwigshafen am Rhein
Young Scientist Workshop
10th GUM Young Scientist Workshop in Ludwigshafen, Germany – October 7th 2025
We would like to invite all young scientists to our annual GUM Young Scientist Workshop which will take place in Ludwigshafen, Germany, on October 7th 2025, prior to the 35th GUM Meeting which is also scheduled in Ludwigshafen 8th – 10th 2025. The workshop is open for both members as well as interested non-members of GUM.
The programme for the day can be viewed here
If you are a student (BSc, MSc, PhD) or a young postdoc, this GUM-Workshop offers the possibility of presenting your research in English language to a mixed audience comprised of representatives from industry and authorities as well as university.
The best presentation will be awarded. The award committee consists of the present board-members of GUM, representatives from industry and the young scientist development group of GUM. To further improve your presenting skills, each speaker will receive detailed feedback from the jury. Furthermore, local research groups in close relation to GUM will briefly present their main research interests.
If you wish to register for this workshop or submit an abstract for presentation, please send an email to fraebert@uni-potsdam.de. Participation is free of charge. To better asses your current career-status, please include a detailed tabular CV with your abstract. For participation only, you do not need to submit any abstract.
Format for abstracts: Arial 12pt, justified, line spacing 16pt (precisely), maximum of 2500 characters.
Abstract submission has closed
As you can imagine, it is impossible to organize such a conference without external funding. We therefore hope that you will support the GUM by becoming a Member, Meeting Sponsor, Exhibitor or Advertiser.
In return for a meeting sponsorship, we will offer to acknowledge your contribution in the program booklet and, if desired, include a flyer into in the congress bag.
For exhibitors, we offer the rental of an approx. 3 m x 2 m space in the exhibition area at a price of 950 € for the duration of the meeting, including a free registration.
If you would like to advertise, we offer a full-page ad in the program booklet for 850 € for an inside cover (first page) or a full-page ad for 450 € and a half-page ad for 250 €. For 250 € you can include a flyer in the conference bag.
Note that flyers need to be provided and shipped to the conference venue at your expense.
The GUM Award, an honor for senior scientists who made outstanding contributions in the field of mutation and cancer research, and the GUM Young Scientist Award, that honours young scientists for outstanding contributions in the field of mutation and cancer research, are granted during the conference. The awardees are invited to give an award lecture at the conference (see program)
GUM offers young members financial support for the participation in the GUM 2025.
More details can be found here
