Board of Emirati Genome Programme to be led by Sheikh Khalid bin Mohamed bin Zayed

The body will regulate data acquisition and support new therapies for rare and chronic diseases

Sheikh Khalid bin Mohamed bin Zayed will lead the board that oversees the Emirati Genome Programme. Courtesy: Abu Dhabi Government

The newly formed board of the Emirati Genome Programme has been approved by Vice President and Ruler of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid.

The Emirati Genome Programme aims to provide preventative and personalised healthcare for the Emirati population.

This can be achieved by getting a comprehensive understanding of citizens' genetic makeup, said officials.

Genome sequencing can then help in the diagnosis of conditions caused by changes in the DNA.

Sheikh Khalid bin Mohamed bin Zayed, chairman of Abu Dhabi Executive Office, will chair the board.

The programme looks to provide the best healthcare system for all Emiratis and get a better understanding of genetic diseases prevalent in the UAE, said officials.

This will include providing patients with an accurate diagnosis and a suitable treatment plan.

Emiratis have recently been urged to voluntarily give an anonymous blood sample to help expand data collection for the Emirati Genome Programme.

The project, launched last year, has collected blood samples and DNA cheek swabs from tens of thousands of citizens.

Researchers said the end goal is to collect samples from all the Emirati population – about one million people – but as a voluntary programme.
The board will regulate data acquisition and storage and establish a system for issuing ethics and consent approvals for all genomics programmes.

It will also support new therapies for rare and chronic diseases.

Emiratis in the UAE have been urged to voluntarily give an anonymous blood sample to help expand the data collection for the Emirati Genome Project. All photos by Khushnum Bhandari / The National

The programme, which officially launched two years ago, has so far collected blood samples and buccal swabs from tens of thousands of people.

Dr Walid Zaher is the chief research officer for G42 Healthcare and one of the lead researchers for the Emirati Genome Programme

Using the data, experts say they can predict, and in some cases prevent, diseases before they happen

Researchers for the Emirati Genome Programme analyse sample data in the Omics laboratory

Researchers said the end goal is to collect samples from 100 per cent of the population

The risk of inheriting a gene mutation increases sharply when closely related individuals marry

Teams working as part of the programme have already created the first reference genome from more than 1,000 volunteers

The Omics Centre of Excellence run by G42 Healthcare in Masdar City, Abu Dhabi

Using biotechnology and Artificial Intelligence, researchers can characterise things like genetic variation and understand how they relate to different diseases

Volunteers can now submit DNA samples at a number of centres across Abu Dhabi including NMC Royal Hospital in Khalifa City, Bareen International Hospital, and NMC Specialty Hospital, Al Ain