3rd Pan Arab Human Genetics Conference (2009-2010), organized by Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Award for Medical Sciences’ Centre for Arab Genomic Studies (CAGS), successfully concluded its sessions last Sunday, with participation of geneticists and doctors from 36 Arab and foreign countries. Along with 40 participants, Centre for Arab Genomic Studies has participated in the post Conference workshop. The workshop aimed at training geneticists on the latest device of Illumina Company, one of the top three companies working in the field of preparing labs using for the genomic purposes.

 

This device is a genomic scanning which is used to explore the relationship between genes and disorders. The participants were trained on how to use this technique academically and in health institutions’ specialized laboratories. Dr. Ghazi Tadmoury Assistant Director of CAGS said that attending such workshops is a good opportunity for geneticists to be trained on updated devices helping them to save time and efforts.

 

"Such workshops develop researchers’ skills and update them on the latest discoveries in that field. For that reason CAGS is keen on holding such workshops during each issue of Pan Arab Human Genetics Conference."  Dr. Tadmoury said. He added that the workshop was divided into two main parts. The first part was held in Al Bustan Rotana Hotel, Dubai, during which four lectures were delivered on using the modern devices to apply Genomics in the public health sector through identifying genetic disorders, as well as diagnosing diseases in animals of economic importance such as horses, camels, falcons, chickens and cows.

 

As for the second part of the workshop, it was held at the headquarters of the Central Veterinary Research Laboratory in Dubai during which the participants were trained practically on the company’s new device.