Last Monday, Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Award for Medical Sciences (SHAMS) participated in 1st Conference of Genetics and biotechnology held by UAE Genetic Diseases Association in cooperation with Zayed University-UAE  and Yamaguchi  University- Japan at the Conference Center in Zayed University - Dubai. The conference was attended by more than 100 students from various universities in UAE.

 

During the conference, Dr. Ghazi Tadmoury, Assistant Director of the Award’s Centre for Arab Genomic Studies, delivered a lecture on Genetic Disorders in the Arab World. Dr. Tadmoury dealt with Genetic Disorders in the Arab world as chronic diseases (require a whole life treatment), or very dangerous diseases (epidemic diseases) Because of the increased rates of deaths among newborns, children, and adults.

 

He also reviewed the great project initiated by the Award’s Centre for Arab Genomic Studies i.e. catalogue of transmission Genetics in Arabs (CTGA) database which was established in 2004. It includes description for 488 Genetic Disorders in UAE, Bahrain, Oman and Qatar.

 

"According to the database, 9% of Genetic Disorders in Oman are Nervous Disorders and Cancers, while Cancers represent 12% in Bahrain, mostly because of birth defects and chromosomal defects", Dr. Tadmoury said.

 

Also, the lecture dealt with the issue of insufficient concerned national programs in the Arab region, in spite of the availability of scientific experts.

 

"Data indicates that clinical research papers are more than genetic research papers in the Arab countries. CAGS will collect data on Genetic Disorders in the Arab Countries during the next few years, as an important step to identify Genetic Disorders in the Arab Region. CTGA database is an important reference for concerned researchers", he added.

 

"This step could save a lot of money spent on the treatment of Genetic Disorders, and decrease patients’ suffer which threaten stability of many Arab families", he said.