The UAE has embarked on an ambitious programme to map, understand and eventually treat the genetic disorders that affect not only nationals but also expatriates living in the Emirates.
"This is a huge project and it could lead us to understand different types of diseases and genetic problems. The study could help us in providing the best healthcare to the community," said the department director Dr Ameen Al Amiri.
The Ministry of Health's Department of Blood Transfusion and Research Services and the Faculty of Medicine at Sharjah University recently signed a contract to launch the project, which will begin immediately.
The UAE's DNA bank can be described as a localised version of the international Human Genome Project, which was launched in 1986.
The bank aims to produce a sequence of DNA representing the genetic blueprint and evolutionary history of the human species.
The final chapter of initial work was completed last month with the mapping of chromosome one. The chromosome plays a major role in health and is linked to more than 350 diseases when the gene suffers mutation.
However, instead of mapping the genetic code of the human species, the UAE-wide project will locate genes responsible for a number of diseases prevalent in the region.
The first phase of the project involves data collection from healthy blood donors.
"These are the control groups against whose data we will compare those who have the disorders. Their blood will be voluntarily collected, their genomes mapped and studied," Dr Amiri said.
"In the second phase we will collect samples from patients in the UAE suffering from hereditary diseases like thalassaemia and sickle cell anaemia. We will also be looking into the genetic make up of those who have diseases like diabetes which while not a hereditary disorder is prevalent in the Arab world," Dr Al Amiri said.
The mapping programme aims to pinpoint genes responsible for the diseases, which once identified, will help in prevention, early detection, and may even one day be eliminated in "designer babies".
Scientists are already looking into using gene mapping to locate cancer genes, and expect to use the data to forewarn those who are predisposed to the disease.
By Zarina Khan
© Emirates Today 2006
