"The website of Center for Arabic Genomic Studies, the division of Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Award for Medical Sciences, is the top-ranked biomedical research centre in UAE, and the 2nd one in the Arab World", according to the recently released July 2012 update of the "ranking web of world research centers" issued by the National Research Council (Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas), the largest public research body in Spain.

 

The National Research Council announced that such global ranking result takes into account web presence, open access initiatives, size, quality, visibility, and research output, all of which are taken to be indicators of its impact and prestige.

 

Prof. Najib Al Khaja, Secretary General, Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Award for Medical Sciences, said that he is so proud of such important results which are considered a good indicator to the high standards that the Centre sets for itself, and reflect its commitment to the dissemination of scientific knowledge locally, regionally and internationally.

 

"The most significant feature of CAGS website is the free-access Catalogue for transmission genetics in Arabs (CTGA), which is updated in a regular base through a systematic scanning for the research papers on Genetic Disorders in Arabs from all over the world", Al Khaja Said.

 

"This is the largest Ethnic-Specific Database worldwide, which has managed to assert its importance as a good scientific tool used by specialists and decision makers worldwide to diagnose Genetic Disorders in Arabs and design future healthcare systems", he added.

 

"CTGA database includes information on Genetic Disorders among the peoples of 23 Arab countries namely; United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait, Yemen, Iraq, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Morocco, Algeria, Sudan, Mauritania, Djibouti, Eritrea, Comoros and Somalia", he said.

 

"1016 Genetic Disorders monitored by CTGA, 34% of which include 'Congenital Malformations & Chromosomal Abnormalities, followed by 'Metabolic Disorders' (19%), 'Nervous System Disorders' (11%), and 'Disorders of the Blood & the Immune Mechanism' (6%)", Al Khaja added.

 

It is worthy to mention that CTGA has celebrated the millionth visitor to the website. Most visitors to the database have been from West Asia, North Europe, North America and North Africa, which is really a good evidence of the success of the database in terms of worldwide access, and an honest indicator to its vital role in supporting professionals in healthcare sectors, particularly geneticists.