The Award organizes 3 conferences on "Genetic Disorders"

 

Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Award for Medical Sciences announced that under the patronage of HH Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, UAE Minister of Finance and the Patron of the Award, 3 important conferences will be held in Dubai from 26th of February to 26th of March 2011 on Genetic Disorders.

 

Genetic Disorders happen as a result of a defect in genes or chromosomes within the human body, either for inherited reasons or for acquired environmental reasons. 

 

Mr. Abdullah Bin Souqat, Executive Director of Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Award for Medical Sciences, said that HE Dr. Hanif Hasan UAE Minister of Health and chairman of the Award’s Board of Trustees praised the procedures which have been taken preparing to the 3 conferences and stressed on the importance of benefiting from them in improving UAE medical sector and in preventing spread of Genetic disorders.

 

It has come during the meeting which was held last Monday by HE Dr. Hanif Hasan, UAE Minister of Health, with the Award’s officials at the Award’s Headquarter in Bur Dubai.

 

Bin Souqat referred to that the 3 conferences will be held during a full month in order to give adequate space for each highly important conference to be well organized and to achieve the optimum benefit from the conferences’ discussed studies. 

 

Bin Souqat said that the series of conferences will start with the 1st UAE International Genetic Metabolic Conference on 26 and 27 February at InterContinental Hotel, Dubai Festival City. 

 

The conference will discuss the latest research papers and studies on diagnosis and treatment of disorders associated with defects in the metabolic processes within the human’s cells – mostly affecting children - including autism, short stature, deafness and mental retardation. 

 

He added that on the sidelines of the Conference the “Rare Disease Day” will be held on 28th of February (World Rare Disease Day) at Children's City, Creek Park. 

 

The meeting will be attended by children with Rare Genetic Disorders and their families where they will discuss their personal experiences with doctors, psychologists, sociologists and religious scholars. 

 

Bin Souqat said that it is an important family day to shed light on several Rare Genetic Disorders, their causes and ways to be confronted.

 

Bin Souqat said that the second conference is the Human Genome Meeting 2011 (HGM2011), which will be held in conjunction with the 4th Pan Arab Human Genetic Conference from 14th to17th of March 2011, at Dubai World Trade Centre. 

 

He pointed out that HGM 2011 is the 15th meeting of Human Genome Organization and its first meeting in an Arab country.

 

“Holding such important world conference in Dubai this year is an evidence of fruitful efforts exerted by the Award’s Centre for Arab Genomic Studies in collaboration with the Human Genome Organization to achieve maximum possible Arab benefit from technological applications of human genome studies such as diagnosis and treatment of many serious diseases”, he said. 

 

The third conference, the 1st Emirates Hematology Conference, will be held from 24TH to 26TH of March 2011, at Dubai Monarch Hotel.

 

"The 1st Emirates Hematology Conference is considered the first conference of its kind in the GCC, and will be organized through cooperation between Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Award for Medical Sciences and Emirates Society of Hematology", he said. 

 

Bin Souqat added that holding such 3 conferences on Genetic Disorders comes on line with Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Award for Medical Sciences’ strategic plan concerning tackling the spread of diseases generally and Genetic Disorders specifically. 

 

He said that the Award has established the Centre for Arab Genomic Studies (CAGS) in 2003 with the task of coordinating efforts in many Arab countries in order to confront Genetic Disorders.

 

Establishing the Catalogue for Transmission Genetics in Arabs (CTGA) Database is one main achievement of the Award’s Centre for Arab Genomic Studies.

 

It is worth of mentioning that the CTGA Database is the largest and most important repository for genetic disorders and their genes in Arab populations, and has become an important reference for all researchers and scientists in this field.