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Bahrain - A state-of-the-art cancer research laboratory will be opened in Bahrain early next year, it has been announced.
The first-of-its-kind facility in the country is being established by the King Hamad University Hospital (KHUH) jointly with the Bahrain Oncology Centre (BOC).
Housing on 2,000sqm area on the fourth floor of the centre inside the KHUH campus, the facility is being set up in collaboration with other such places across the globe including one of the region’s leading centres, Genetiks Lab in Istanbul.
BOC director Dr Elias Fadhel said work is underway on the lab which will house three units – a cytogenic laboratory, a molecular genetic centre and a unit for HLA typing.
“The lab will employ 15 scientists as well as researchers from the Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland (RCSI) Bahrain,” he told the GDN.
“Chromosomes will be examined for structural abnormalities at the cytogenic lab, the molecular biology centre will focus on genetic studies while HLA typing will study tissue matching which aids in bone marrow and stem cell transplant.”
The lab will also help in treatment at the BOC.
“All tests that are needed to be conducted for cancer diagnosis will be done here,” said Dr Fadhel.
“We will also be doing molecular and genetic profiling, as well as monitoring residual diseases like in the case of leukaemia, which will help in planning for further management of the situation.
“It will also help in the screening tests, like in breast cancer, with the BRCA tests 1 and 2.”
BRCA gene test is a blood test that’s done to determine if there are changes (mutations) in the DNA that increase the risk of breast cancer.
KHUH Commander Major General Dr Shaikh Salman bin Ateyatallah Al Khalifa said the facility was aimed at ensuring an advanced research environment in the field of haematology sciences and oncology.
“The primary focus of the centre will be on prevention and treatment as well as scientific research towards exploring new strategies for the treatment of the disease,” he said in a statement.
“It will have laboratory facilities to study genes and molecular changes, stem cell transplantation and will be equipped with the latest equipment and techniques.
“The centre will also support work on the manufacture of chemical compounds and conducting laboratory studies that will give relevant guidance in the field.
“The research centre will be equipped with the latest equipment and techniques that will help in the diagnosis of certain types of diseases such as leukaemia (blood cancer) and lymphoma (cancer of the lymph nodes).
“All of these will contribute to the diagnosis of diseases and identify abnormalities in genes related to tumour, diseases affecting breast and prostate, both cancerous and benign, as well as diseases like thalassaemia, sickle cell anaemia, and others.”
He also noted that the research centre will work on areas that help in identifying the reasons and causes for types of cancers that are found in Bahrain, which will, in turn help in developing prevention methods.”
The 120-bed BD31.8 million BOC started receiving patients in March last year.
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