Specialists in Sharjah were able to save her eyesight in a micro-invasive surgery that lasted an hour
mental health3 hours ago
The project will study the difference between people, which will also explain the spread of specific illnesses such as diabetes, heart diseases and cancers, said Dr Mahmoud Taleb Al Ali, Director of the Centre for Arab Genomic Studies (CAGS), during the opening of the third Pan-Arab Human Genetic Conference in Dubai on Saturday. The UAE Minister of Health, Dr Hanif Hassan inaugurated the two-day conference in Al Bustan Rotana Hotel.
He was talking about the future plans of the centre that will now also extend the Catalogue for Transmission Genetics in Arabs (CTGA) database to include the entire spectrum of genetic disorders in the Arab world.
Scientists at the centre have already conducted extensive clinical and molecular analysis for families which is expected to bring fresh insights to the human genome with particular reference to the Arab population, he said.
“The project will study genetic variability in the Arab world to screen for natural difference between humans,” explained Dr Ghazi Omar Tadmouri, Assistant Director for CAGS.
The first phase of the Emirates Family Registry (EFR) to screen for Type-2 diabetes in indigenous population, that was launched in 2007, is also nearing its end, said Dr Kamal Khazanehdari, Molecular Geneticist at the Central Veterinary Research Laboratory.
He was speaking on behalf of Emirati national Habiba Al Safar who is spearheading the project among the Bedouin population and is currently completing her PhD degree abroad.
DNA samples from 1,766 Bedouin donors with type 2 diabetes were collected. “Understanding the environmental factors and genetic predisposition were important aims of this study to ensure successful implementation of future public awareness programmes,” said the geneticist.
“The project will be expanded to include disorders such as obesity, mental health and Down’s Syndrome for study purposes,” he said, adding that the project will also include indigenous other populations including Persians, Kurds, Lebanese, Palestinians, Turks and others.
“Results from the research are aimed at providing improved intervention and prevention programmes to improve the quality of life throughout the Arab world,” said Dr Khazanehdari.
The project has recruited volunteers from three local hospitals and nine primary healthcare centres. Through this network, 23,064 volunteers provided consent to allow their clinical data to be stored in the EFR database.
Specialists in Sharjah were able to save her eyesight in a micro-invasive surgery that lasted an hour
mental health3 hours ago
The two leaders reviewed various aspects of the longstanding bilateral ties, particularly in the fields of trade and investment
uae3 hours ago
President Sheikh Mohamed and Joe Biden emphasised plans to deepen cooperation on space exploration, clean energy and artificial intelligence
uae4 hours ago
As bombs rained down, families loaded cars, vans and trucks with belongings and people, sometimes multiple generations in one vehicle
mena5 hours ago
The Met Department forecasts generally fair weather, with partly cloudy conditions at times
weather5 hours ago
Studies indicate that approximately 28.2% of schoolgoing children and 34.7% of adolescents in the UAE are classified as overweight or obese
uae7 hours ago
The consistent rise in rentals over the past three years has boosted property owners’ income
realty7 hours ago
The athlete's proactive approach includes a balanced diet and carefully regulating his insulin pump to prevent drops in blood sugar during training
uae7 hours ago