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International experts will attend human genetics conference

The three-day conference will be held under the Centre for Arab Genomic Studies (CAGS), a division of Shaikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Award for Medical Sciences.

"The scientific programme of the conference will be preceded by a workshop, to be organised by the Department of Health and Medical Services (Dohms) in association with CAGS, on Fundamental Approaches in Molecular Diagnosis of Haemoglobinopathies at the Genetic and Thalassaemia Centre, Al Wasl Hospital, Dubai, on April 4," said the organisers at a Press conference held at the Al Bustan Rotana Hotel yesterday.

Announcing the conference, Dr Mahmoud Taleb Al Ali, Director of CAGS, said: "In order to complement our new step, we formed the nucleus for an Arab Council that includes 12 experts in the field of human genetics representing nine Arab countries. It is for this reason that the CAGS has organised the First Pan Arab Human Genetics Conference to support this initiative in association with the Human Genome Organisation."

Experts with extensive experience in molecular detection of haemoglobin disorders will conduct the course. The laboratory workshop programme focuses on genome analysis in various monogenic disorders starting from basic DNA detection and analysis, DNA fingerprinting, and automated DNA sequencing followed by interpretation of results. Workshops and seminars will include lectures on molecular medicine, methods and techniques in molecular biology, and molecular characterisation of haemoglobin disorders.

The opening ceremony of the conference will be held at Al Bustan Rotana Hotel. The scientific programme of the conference includes 23 lectures given by 20 speakers spread over four sessions on April 5 and 6.

Topics that will be covered in the conference include population genetics, genetic disorders in the Arab World, genetics of mental retardation, clinical and genetic characteristics of dysmorphologies, genomics, genetics of breast cancer, leukaemia and blood disorders, cytogenetics, consanguinity in the Arab world and the interest of consanguineous families in understanding genetic disorders and the Islamic perspective towards human cloning, stem cell research, and pre-implantation genetic diagnosis.

Speakers at the conference will include a faculty of renowned Arab and International scientists. Arab speakers consist of members of the executive committee of CAGS as well as all members of the newly formed Council of CAGS representing Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, and Tunisia.

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