  This talk is an overview of our recent investigations of supersymmetric and
near conformal gauge theories. We have studied extensively $\mathcal{N}=1$
super Yang-Mills theory, most recently with the gauge group SU(3). In addition
we have investigated theories that show indications for a conformal behavior at
an infrared fixed point. We have included a mixed fundamental and adjoint
fermion action setup in our studies. I will explain how this is related to the
investigation of supersymmetric QCD on the lattice and present some first
studies of the main obstacles that need to be addressed in the investigation of
this theory.
