The Gordon Research Conference on Nucleic Acids provides an outstanding forum for the first presentation and discussion of new major findings in molecular biology. The 2008 meeting continues the long-standing tradition of an interdisciplinary meeting that will highlight hot problems in the areas of DNA and RNA biology, biochemistry and biophysics in an atmosphere that nurtures interaction. The meeting opens Sunday evening with Keynote Lectures by Elizabeth Blackburn ("Telomeres and Telomerase") and Olke Uhlenbeck ("tRNA Forever"). Eight sessions over the next four days will feature leading scientists in nucleic acids research. Session titles include pre-mRNA processing, mRNA Export and Stability (Chris Lima, Chair), Epigenetics (Tim Bestor, Chair), Ribosome Assembly (Gloria Culver, Chair), DNA Replication (Bruce Stillman, Chair), RNA regulation of Gene Expression: small RNAs (Tim Nilsen, Chair), Genome Maintenance (Roland Kanaar, Chair), RNA regulation of Gene Expression: riboswitches and ribozymes (Rob Batey, Chair), and Structural insights into chromosome transactions (Lorena Beese, Chair). Sessions are scheduled in the morning and the evening and will begin with a brief overview of the area by the chair, highlighting unresolved questions. Afternoons are free for poster sessions and informal discussion.