Dear colleagues,

You are most welcome to join us at the 5th B Chromosome Conference, which will be held at Petnica Science Centre, Serbia.

The history of B chromosome research is longer than a century. So far, the entire path of B chromosome research has been marked by applying new techniques, and advances have been made primarily in understanding their structure and revealing genes on them. Although commonly considered nonessential, selfish, parasitic elements with little or no effect on an organism's biology, B chromosomes are increasingly seen as important genomic players with a significant evolutionary role. Many issues have been left aside, and it is time to pay more attention to them. What are the effects of the B chromosome, and how to detect them, given that these effects are skilfully hidden? What are the existing mechanisms B chromosomes use to pass through the checkpoints of meiosis and mitosis? To what degree are they parasitic? These and other questions will be the subject of the 5th B Chromosome Conference. We expect a lot of new data and hope that new views and challenges will be opened at the Conference. We invite researchers on germ-restricted chromosomes (GRC) as special Bs to join us.

As the only Conference devoted to the B chromosomes, it will gather an impressive line-up of the most prominent experts, many of whom will serve as session organisers and invited speakers.

So join colleagues and friends, old and new, learn, socialise, and enjoy!

We look forward to seeing you in Petnica at 5BCC in October 2023.

In the name of the local Organising Committee,

Dr. Mladen Vujošević
Dr. Jelena Blagojević